Coming Full Circle
If you’ve been at JA for a few years, his face may be familiar. Ryan Stadler is no stranger to the Jefferson Academy community, having served here in several roles since 1999. In this week’s blog post, we ‘re-introduce’ Ryan to JA before he starts his new position this fall as Athletic Director.
Ryan Stadler is a Colorado native and has lived here most of his life. In high school, he was on the wrestling team and played football; after graduation, he attended Baker University in Kansas. A few years into college he joined the track team as a pole vaulter, and as Ryan says, it was ‘a little bit to be a pole vaulter and honestly, a little bit to hang out with my future wife, Theresa’. (If the name Theresa Stadler sounds familiar, it’s because she is on staff at JA Secondary.) He graduated from Baker with a degree in Sports Marketing. Ryan and Theresa have been married for 22 years and have three children, all attending Jefferson Academy.
BEGINNING IN THE CLASSROOM
After graduation and while he waited for filming work with the Denver Broncos, he took a substitute position at JA Elementary in 1999. During that year, a 4th grade teaching position became available and he took on the challenge, teaching alongside Nancy Keyes. Ryan got his elementary teaching license, taught at JA for 6 years, received his Master’s Degree in Administration, and then served as the founding principal of a K-8 charter school in Commerce City.
Several years later, Ryan came back to JA as part-time Athletic Director and elementary technology teacher. He also served as an elementary principal for 7 years and most recently, he was the Athletic Director at Ralston Valley High School.
PASSION, PURPOSE, and (INFLUENTIAL) PEOPLE
When asked about his career path, Ryan is quick to point out that his purpose is helping others grow and become great at the things they are passionate about. He says he has been given the unique opportunity to do different things - classroom teacher, principal, athletic director - as long as they are meeting his purpose.
When it comes to influential people in Ryan’s life and career, he is thankful for fellow teacher Nancy Keyes and his coaches through the years. Nancy, a JA founding teacher, was his 4th grade partner that first year in the classroom at JA Elementary. She helped him understand what great teaching looks like and how to manage the classroom. He also acknowledged his coaches through the years, who taught him life lessons that have served him far beyond the sport. He is excited to give student athletes today the opportunity to work alongside those types of individuals.
Ryan believes that the mission and vision of JA should drive everything we do, with academics, activities, sports, and clubs all supporting and feeding into that culture. He is excited to see students pursue their passions, and he looks forward to a smaller school environment where he can get to know students, their interests, and have meaningful interactions with them each week.
His oldest daughter, now a senior, commented that his return to JA marks the beginning and the end of her high school career. She remembers her dad dropping her off for kindergarten with Mrs. Ryberg at JA, and now her dad is back at JA for her senior year - a full circle moment for Ryan Stadler and his family.
AUTHOR’S NOTE: A theme emerges when looking at pictures of Ryan and his family: fun, and definitely lots of smiles. When talking to Ryan about the influential people in his life, he remembered working at the University of Northern Colorado and hearing Joe Glenn, former head football coach at UNC answering the phone, saying he has ‘never had a bad day’. Ryan has taken that sentiment with him throughout his career. He believes ‘positivity is important, and that’s what great educators do’.
