Dear JA & Summit staff, families, and community,

Welcome to 2026; our spring semester has started! Our fall semester was full of exciting programming, facility improvements, and strong academic gains by our students.This coming semester is going to be action-packed as well.

If you are interested in learning more about these types of items…here is a tip to consider:

Each month a different school principal kicks off the Board of Director’s meeting with a presentation focussed on their campus. This is followed by the Executive Director’s report where both campus and organizational updates are provided. 

Though it would be great if you attended the entire meeting, joining the meeting for the first 30 minutes will provide you with valuable and timely information. Additionally, by reviewing the posted agenda you can see when principals are presenting academic data, when financial reports, school calendars or enrollment updates are scheduled for discussion. All our board meetings are available both in person and virtually in case watching from home is more convenient. 

Looking forward, the JA Board of Directors will be completing the hiring process for our next Executive Director. Our Secondary track, Lacrosse, and Girl’s Soccer get to experience a full season on the new track and grandstands. Our Elementary PreK and Jag Care programs will continue settling into their new facility. Coal Creek Canyon is looking at ways to increase community involvement by hosting events on campus. Summit Westminster has installed safety film, new safety door entry systems, phone and paging systems over break. Summit South is pursuing a location that will allow them to meet the growing demand for their program.  

We look forward to continuing to help every student at each campus “reach their highest academic and charter potential” this spring semester. Thank you for your valuable partnership as we work together to achieve this goal. 

In partnership,

Tim Matlick

Executive Director

On November 18th, the Board of Directors approved McPherson & Jacobson, LLC to lead a nationwide search for our next Executive Director, in partnership with Dr. Walt Cooper, retired superintendent from the Cheyenne Mountain school district. Since that time, principals have gathered valuable feedback from staff, and a community survey has been shared to ensure families and community members also have a voice in the process. This input helped guide the development of a list of desired skills and attributes for Executive Director, which was approved by the Board during a special session on December 17th. The position was posted nationally on December 18th across multiple recruitment platforms and will remain open through January 29th.

In February, the Board of Directors will work closely with Dr. Cooper to review applications and identify finalists, who will be announced at a special Board meeting on February 19th. Families, staff, and community members will have the opportunity to meet the finalists and participate in public forums on March 9th - 10th, which will include discussion and a Q&A. Final interviews will follow, with the Board planning to select and announce the new Executive Director on March 17th. To support a fair and thoughtful process, candidate identities will remain confidential until finalists are announced.

Our Fall Newsletter mentioned that Jeffco Public Schools agreed to pay interest on JA’s fund balance held in district accounts. For the first time JA received an interest deposit in the amount of $379,000 for the 2023/24 school year.

 We are scheduled to receive another interest deposit (2024/25 school year) in January once the district’s fiscal year audit is complete. To put this in context, the first conversation with the district about interest payments was 23 years ago!  

On January 7th, Jeffco schools increased their annual budget deficient projection from $39M to $49M. Additional staffing and program cuts, above what they announced in December, are needed to balance their budget. As a charter school network, JACS manages our budget separately from the district under the guidance of our own Board of Directors.  Due to strategic planning and conservative budgeting, JACS continues to project no reduction in staffing levels or programming as our budget remains healthy. 

JACS’ standard practice is for the JA Board of Directors to approve “next year’s” school calendars at our March Board meeting. This year we are making some positive changes to this practice. Our school leaders requested to present their draft calendars in January instead of March. Additionally, they are seeking approval for both the 2026/27 AND the 2027/28 school year calendars. The general consensus is that accelerating this process will better serve our staff and families by giving them more time to plan.  

Our Community Showing Up for One Another

As we reflect on the past few months, it’s clear that our community continues to show up in powerful and meaningful ways through JA Community Cares. From food support to holiday generosity, the impact has been incredible—and it’s all thanks to the collective efforts of our families, staff, partners, and every single donor who gave so generously.

Partnering to Fight Hunger

In November, we were proud to partner with Mountainview Church—the church from which we purchased the building on our elementary campus—for a Thanksgiving food drive. Together, we supported 37 families, serving 170 individuals across all six of our campuses.

Mountainview Church generously donated turkeys for each family, while our donors and community members helped fill bags with snacks, canned goods, and other food staples. Families were also invited to “shop” from the remaining donated items, allowing them to choose what best fit their needs. This partnership didn’t stop there—we continued collecting food to help stock Mountainview’s monthly food pantry.

During November and December, the church saw an increase in pantry usage, and we are grateful to see our community truly helping the bigger community.

Food Pantry Reminder:
The Mountainview Church food pantry is open to the public on the first Saturday of each month from 10:00am–12:00pm.
Mountainview Church, 7777 W 99th Pl, Westminster (same campus as the elementary school)
No registration, no county checks, no ID required—just come get food.

King Soopers Fight Hunger Program

Community Cares also participated in the King Soopers Fight Hunger Bag Program at the 9983 Wadsworth Pkwy, Westminster, CO location during December and January. When shoppers purchase a $2.50 reusable Fight Hunger bag, $1 is donated directly to JA Community Cares—at no additional cost.

In December alone, this program raised $422, and it continues this month—so please help spread the word! Every purchase and every donor dollar helps us respond quickly when families have urgent needs.

Holiday Care Packages: Our Biggest Year Yet

And finally… WOW! Our Holiday Care Package Program had its biggest year ever.

64 families supported across all 6 campuses

122 adults and 161 children served

144 generous donors

The outpouring of generosity from our donors was extraordinary and made this program possible. As this program has grown over the years, we implemented a new donation sign-up process and system to ensure greater security and sustainability. With any new system comes a learning curve, and we are incredibly grateful for the patience, grace, and flexibility shown by our donors as we navigated this transition together. Your understanding and support mean more than you know.

To learn more about the full statistics and total donated value, please tune in to the January Board of Directors meeting on January 20th, where I will be sharing the full report.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible support organizations—The Foundation for JA, Boosters, and JAE PTO—for each donating $2,500 to ensure families received Walmart gift cards to help meet immediate needs.

Gratitude for Our Community

To all of our donors, whether you gave food, funds, time, or resources—thank you. Your generosity directly supports our families and strengthens our community in meaningful ways.

We also want to extend our sincere appreciation to our support organizations for the many ways you showed love to our staff during the busy holiday season. Cookies, treats, cocoa, and thoughtful surprises across campuses helped our teams feel seen and supported—and we are so grateful for all you do.

Thank you for your continued support of JA Community Cares. Together, we are making a real difference—one act of kindness at a time.

The Parent Teacher Organization at JA Elementary serves our community by fundraising, providing teacher support, volunteering, and coordinating events.

The Boosters at JA Secondary provides organizational and financial support to teachers, clubs, and athletics by coordinating fundraisers, teacher hospitality programs and volunteer opportunities.

The Parent Teacher Organization at JA Coal Creek Canyon serves our community by fundraising, providing teacher support, volunteering, and coordinating events.

The Foundation for JA provides financial assistance to support the needs, efforts, and mission of Jefferson Academy PK-12 Charter Schools. This organization seeks to fund large-scope and long-range projects for JA.

Are you interested in being a part of the JA or Summit team? We are in search of amazing people who can help us further our mission: to help students attain their highest academic and character potential through an academically rigorous, content-rich educational program.

Take a moment to search our current openings, and send job applications and questions to: jobs@jajags.com.

Did you attend Jefferson Academy for at least one full school year?

Please take a moment to complete our JA Alumni Registration so that we can add you to our database and update your communication preferences!

Visit the Alumni page on our website for any updates that may be posted, and be sure to share the link with other alumni!

Did you know? Our website features a directory of JA & Summit family-owned businesses, making it easy to shop local and support our community. Explore the listing here and connect with these businesses today! If you are a JA/Summit family, own a business, and would like to be included (at no cost), reach out to Tiffany Flores for details.

Additionally, any local business has the opportunity to advertise on our campuses through banners, scoreboard ads, and more. These options provide a great way to support our schools while promoting your business. For advertising details, also reach out to Tiffany Flores.

Let’s continue strengthening our community by uplifting our schools and local community!