Two of the Charter Schools who offered to provide services in the Coal Creek Canyon K-8 school building have scheduled tours for interested parents. During a public meeting at the school on October 25, 2023, three representatives of Charter Schools presented options to keep the school open for the next school year. The Jefferson County School Board had voted to close the Coal Creek Canyon K-8 school during a Board meeting on October 12, 2023.

The Board had determined that CCCK8 will remain open for the duration of the 2023-24 school year. Principal Kevin Carroll and the staff at CCCK8 will keep the focus on students, their experience, and learning throughout this school year.

The district will facilitate an expedited charter authorization process, whereby a school could open to serve students in grades PK-8 in this community as soon as the 2024-25 school year. Meanwhile, when CCCK8 closes, Three Creeks K-8 will be the designated K-8 public neighborhood school for students who live in the current CCCK8 boundary area.

At the meeting on October 25, Tim Matlick, Executive Director, and Tiffany Blakely, Communication Engagement Coordinator, at Jefferson Academy Charter Schools, and Carole Bartusiak with Woodrow Wilson Academy, presented a proposal for JA to use the school, described their programs, and handed out letters of intent for those parents choosing to send their kids to Jefferson Academy.

On Friday, November 3, Tiffany Blakely sent a message scheduling tours for the parents to see both Jefferson Academy and Woodrow Wilson Academy. In the letter of intent survey, 42 families indicated that they would like to visit JA, WWA, or both. Those visits have been scheduled for Monday,

November 13:

Jefferson Academy Elementary (9955 Yarrow Street): 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. or 5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Woodrow Wilson Academy (8300 West 94th Avenue): 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.

If you are a family that has indicated an interest in visiting one or both campuses, please choose the times that work best for you and respond with an RSVP, indicating the campus and time slot(s) you plan to attend, as well as the number of people in your party. RSVPs should be sent to Blakely’s email, tblakely@jajags.com.

As of 3 p.m. November 3, 89 traditional and 17 homeschool students have submitted letters of intent to attend CCC/JA8 next year if approved. There is also a very strong response for PreK (43 kids) either next year or in future years.

At least 70 students are listed as being interested in a before- and after-school program. The district also received six letters of support from local businesses and organizations. All of these responses are quite helpful as the community works toward submitting the CDE/ CCSP Replication Grant Application on November 8.

They will continue to receive letters of intent through November 20. That is the date when the district will finalize the proposed budget for the 2024-25 Replication Application. In essence, that is the critical date that will impact the viability of the CCC/JAK8 replication decision.

The Board writes, “We have received a good portion of the information we need to analyze transition costs. We expect to receive actual costs for school expenses soon, at which point we will begin to look into what enrollment levels are needed to make this come together.

“In addition, several parents in the area are looking at fundraising for the school. We are working with The Foundation for Jefferson Academy to set up a process for them to become the fiscal agent for donations for the school in a way that ensures that funds donated for CCCK8 are used for CCCK8 or returned to donors. We will provide more information as things move forward.”

For more information, go to https:// www.jajags.com/ccc-k8-information.