1. New Board Members
We are pleased to welcome our two newly elected Board members: Ryan Ingram and Leah McGahee. As parents of Summit Academy students, they bring valuable perspectives and a strong voice for our homeschool families. We are confident their experience, dedication, and fresh insights will greatly benefit our organization and the community we serve.
Ryan and Leah will be officially sworn in at the June Board Meeting, and we look forward to the contributions they will make as they begin their terms.
We also extend our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the voting process. Thanks to your engagement, we exceeded quorum by more than 300 votes. Your involvement plays a vital role in shaping the future and success of our organization, and we deeply appreciate your continued support.
2. Graduation and Continuation - Congratulations!!
To our graduating seniors, congratulations on reaching this incredible milestone! Your hard work, resilience, and growth have brought you to this moment, and we are proud of all you have accomplished during your time at Jefferson Academy and Summit Academy. As you begin your next chapter, we encourage you to carry forward the lessons, friendships, and experiences that have shaped you along the way.
To our continuing students, we celebrate your achievements this year and look forward to all that you will accomplish in the future. Each new school year brings opportunities to learn, grow, and make a difference in our school community.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you to our families, teachers, and staff for the support and encouragement you provide every day. We wish all of our students a safe, joyful, and successful summer.
3. Schools of Excellence
Each year, the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recognizes top schools with the John Irwin School of Excellence Award. These schools received an 'Exceeds Expectations' rating on the Academic Achievement indicator of the School Performance (SPF) Frameworks, reflecting exceptional performance in math, English language arts and science. Congratulations to JA Secondary for keeping its award-winning streak alive in 2025—earning recognition every year since the program's inception; and to JA Elementary for reclaiming the award for the first time since 2018.
JA students and staff also earned impressive individual honors this year. Alina Stiso (JACC) was selected as one of just 16 Civic Bee finalists from more than 100 applicants for her essay addressing the environmental impact of the Gross Dam Project. Summit Academy South graduate Talia Rodriquez published her short story, “The Butterfly Tree,” in an anthology while studying at The Author Conservatory.
Staff members were also recognized. JA Secondary Spanish teacher Ms. Nancy Bocanegra was featured as Jeffco’s SpotLight Teacher, while Ms. Jamie Miller was selected for the Teach Plus Fellowship program, which explores ways to improve student outcomes through innovative school-day structures.
4. Summit South Art Program
Summit South’s art program was highlighted at the board meeting. Ms. Marschke has run the program for three years, introducing students to various artists, eras, and styles. Not only are the students excelling at painting, but also clay, multi-format sculpting, and even printmaking. Exemplary art pieces have been on display at multiple exhibition venues. Summit South students are gaining in artistic and character development through the critique process, learning its vocabulary, logic, and rhetoric to evaluate each other's works of art.
5. Thank You for Years of Service
At our May board meeting, we celebrated years of service milestones at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years, along with honoring our retirees. A special congratulations to Sabrina Chapman (JA Elementary) for 20 years of service, and to our 25-year honorees: Ember Babcock (JA Secondary), Marcella Dasta (JA Secondary), Carrie Mott (JA Coal Creek Canyon), and Sonja Netzer (JA Elementary).
We also recognized our retirees, whose dedication has shaped JA for years and even decades: Lourdes Walker (7 years, JA Secondary), Tim Matlick (8 years, JA Charter Schools), Susan Jones (10 years, JA Elementary), Marlan Muller (10 years, JA Elementary), Shellie Ryan (24 years, JA Elementary), Sonja Netzer (26 years, JA Elementary), Heather Ward (28 years in education, JA Coal Creek Canyon), and Shelly Cohen (32 years, JA Elementary). Thank you all for your incredible commitment to our students and the JA community!
See the full presentation here.
Sincerely,