January 9, 2026 - Nestled in the foothills above Golden, Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon (JA CCC) serves students in grades K–8 and functions as far more than a school — it’s the heart of a mountain community. Authorized by Jefferson County School District R-1 and opened as a charter school in fall 2024 after serving as a traditional district school for many years, JACCC is grounded in a Core Knowledge model led by Principal Carrie Mott. With a $425,241 Charter School Program (CSP) award from Great Schools Colorado, JA CCC is turning critical funding into lasting impact for students, families, and the broader canyon community.

READ MORE on the Colorado League of Charter Schools website

March 2025 - It has been almost a year since a group of determined Coal Creek Canyon mothers defied the odds and raised nearly a half million dollars in a matter of weeks to save CCC K-8 from closing its doors. This amazing, collective support from CCC residents and businesses demonstrates the focused dedication, unyielding spirit, dedicated teamwork and awesome power of our community.

READ MORE in the Mountain Messenger

November 14, 2024 - Nine miles west of Highway 93 in Golden, nestled in the piney hills off a winding road, students and staff gather on a nearly 11-acre campus with captivating views. According to local history, the first schoolhouse in Coal Creek Canyon existed along this area of Twin Spruce Road in 1890. Over 130 years later, residents of the community faced a significant threat: the potential closure of its local K-8 school. Less than a year later after the local school district partnered with the community, Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon (JACCC) and the families it serves are both excited and hopeful.

READ MORE on the Colorado League of Charter Schools website

July 3, 2024 - Year in and year out, it seems Jefferson Academy girls soccer always has one or two prolific scorers that can carry it deep into the playoffs. This season, that mantle passed onto senior Gianna Gagliano, whose 36 goals and 10 assists helped propel the Jaguars to their third consecutive appearance in the Class 3A state championship, where they fell 3-1 to Colorado Academy.

READ MORE on the Jeffco Transcript website

📸 BoCoPreps.com

June 3, 2024 - Around 5,200 students graduated from Jefferson County schools this year. Here are some statistics the Jeffco Schools administration culled from the school principals around Jefferson County. Jefferson Academy seniors earned $5.6 million dollars [in scholarship funds]. 11 Jeffco graduating students have earned National Merit Scholar distinctions (with 5 from Jefferson Academy). 

READ MORE on the Jeffco Transcript website

March 12, 2024 - Parents in a far corner of Jefferson County celebrated Tuesday night after helping to raise nearly half a million dollars to secure the opening of a charter school in their community.

READ MORE on the Chalkbeat Colorado website

📸 Coal Creek Canyon K-8

March 3, 2024 - Parents at Coal Creek Canyon's K-8 school are working to raise over $550,000 to save their school. The Jefferson County School Board voted last fall to close the school due to declining enrollment numbers. The original plan was for the charter school Jefferson Academy to take Coal Creek's place, but that plan is also in doubt.

READ MORE on the Denver7 website

📸 Coal Creek Canyon K-8

January 11, 2024 - A K-8 school in rural Jefferson County, Colorado, that will close later this year will be replaced on the campus with a charter school. The charter school will be named Jefferson Academy Coal Creek Canyon. It will be designed as significantly smaller than the charter network's existing schools.

READ MORE on the American School & University website

📸 Google

July 13, 2023 - As she’s getting settled at the University of Tennessee, Kate Runyon takes time to reflect on her time at Jefferson Academy and the accolades she earned both with her team and individually during her decorated high school career. 

READ MORE on the Colorado Community Media website

📸 Boulder Daily Camera

June 16, 2023 - When Chrisly Kelly-Cannon stepped onto the Jeffco Stadium track for the Class 3A 100-meter dash at last month’s state track and field championships, his mother Jacqueline Kelly couldn’t contain her emotions.

READ MORE on the BoCoPreps website

📸 BoCoPreps.com

May 23, 2023 - On Tuesday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, for the acme of the 2023 spring season, the top-seeded Jaguars completed the full circle comeback with a 3-0 victory over No. 3 Manitou Springs in the Class 3A state championship contest. 

READ MORE on the CHSAA website

📸 Boulder Daily Camera

February 10, 2023 - Executive Director, Tim Matlick, was interviewed and featured on Fox 31 News regarding the teacher shortages after COVID-19. Drones captured beautiful shots of the JA Secondary campus.

READ MORE on the Fox31 News website📸 JAjags.com

April 14, 2022 - JA Families are featured online and in the Colorado League of Charter Schools’ MOVE Newsletter, highlighting their love for adventure and shared charter school experience.

READ MORE on the CLCS website
📸 Kim Daly

April 9, 2022 - JA Secondary Track & Field shows up in a big way at the Hawk Invite and the team’s efforts are highlighted as they ‘chase 3A dominance’.

READ MORE on Colorado Hometown Weekly
📸 JA Track & Field

April 2, 2022 - JA Alumni Jennifer Kupcho won her first LPGA Championship with a career-best performance at the Chevron Championship on April 2nd, 2022 at Mission Hills Country Club.

READ MORE on 9News Denver
📸 LPGA

March 2, 2022 - Heather Grantham, principal of JA Secondary School, was inducted into the Colorado League of Charter Schools’ Hall of Fame as the 2022 Leader of the Year at their annual conference.

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📸 CLCS

February 17, 2022 - JA student Sofia Hiller recently got a surprise from Arvada Jefferson Kiwanis Club to continue her work at A Precious Child, helping victims of the Marshall Fire.

READ MORE on Facebook

February 12, 2022 - Members of the 2002 Boys Basketball State 2A Championship Team were honored at midcourt and were featured online, in print and on CBS4 News.

BOCO Preps article
CO League of Charter Schools
Broomfield Leader Online
📸 Jefferson Academy Archive

January 28, 2022 - As world-class athletes prepared to compete in the 2022 Winter Olympics, one of JA’s own - Tiffany Bunce - was interviewed by 9News Denver about her sport of figure skating.

WATCH THE VIDEO

October 29, 2021 - An English assignment for JA Senior Maya Magallanes gets attention as she shines a light on teenage mental health in this Broomfield Enterprise article.

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📸 Broomfield Enterprise

September 15, 2021 - JA High School Boys Soccer Team hosted Stargate and their spectacular win is featured by BOCO Preps.

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📸 Timothy Hurst

September 1, 2021 - JA Secondary teacher Ken Kain and his passion for running are featured in this Colorado Hometown Weekly article.

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📸 Cliff Grassmick

August 2021 - As students at JA Secondary wrapped up their first half day at school this year, they honored 4 state champions from track and field and golf.

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August 2021 - The Summit Academy South expands to offer a homeschool enrichment program in Conifer, beginning in fall 2021.

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March 2021 - Ms. Ryberg, who teaches kindergarten at JA Elementary, was awarded the 2021 Charter School Educator of the Year by Colorado League of Charter Schools (CLCS).

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February 2021 - Ms. Welch, a 6th grade teacher at JA Elementary, was awarded the Noosa Yoghurt ‘Full-On’ Grant for $2,000.