SCHOOL NEWS
FEBRUARY BOOSTERS MEETING DATE CHANGE The February meeting will now be held Tuesday, February 3rd at 6pm in the JA Secondary Library.
CAREER DAY PRESENTERS NEEDED The 2026 Career Day event is right around the corner! At this time, we are trying to lock in our lineup and are looking for a few more presenters for the morning of February 26th. If you are interested in finding out more information about the event or are looking to present, please contact Mr. Cloonan!
STUDENT CELL PHONE POLICY We Need Your Input! Colorado law now requires schools to adopt a clear student cell phone policy by July 1, 2026. While each JA campus currently restricts student cell phone use during the school day, we are working to create a consistent policy across all campuses. Families and staff are invited to complete a quick, 3-question survey (under 3 minutes) to share feedback. Your input will help inform a proposal to the JA Board of Directors. The survey closes Friday, January 23 at 5:00 p.m. Thank you for your partnership and support. Take the survey here.
NOT RETURNING TO JA NEXT YEAR? If you know your student will not be returning to JA next year, please contact Mrs. Leoni at aleoni@jajags.com as soon as possible to let her know. This helps us manage our enrollment, staffing and budgets for next year.
STUDENT FEES
With the start of a new semester, this is a good time to check for any fees still outstanding. Here is a quick tutorial on how to find the fees on Infinite Campus: Paying Student Fees. Fees can be paid online or in-person. For any questions, contact Mr. Melville (cmelville@jajags.com).
● Not all fees need to be paid at once. While this helps us if they are all paid at once, you can split them up for what works best for your household.
● A parking pass only needs to be purchased if your student intends to park in the student lot this year or if they are a new driver for the second semester. Cars without permits will be ticketed.
● PE T-shirts only need to be purchased if you want those items.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT
There are two mandatory meetings in the upcoming weeks for students interested in becoming a Concurrent Enrollment (CE) student and taking college courses for the first time in the 2026-27 academic year. This includes current 9th, 10th, or 11th grade students who have never taken a CE/college course. Current CE students, hold tight. Information about next year will be emailed to you in February.
A concurrent enrollment student is a 10th - 12th grade student enrolled at JA and our partner institution of higher education, Front Range Community College. If the requirements of the program are met, JA will pay the tuition portion of those college courses. Students are responsible for fees and books, including technology costs. Specific criteria to qualify for Concurrent Enrollment courses will be reviewed in detail at the meetings. General qualifications include being academically ready (all A’s and B’s), having high social maturity, strong attendance, and a desire to work hard.
Meeting Information: You must attend both meetings and qualify to take college courses in the 2026-27 academic year.
JA Meeting on Monday, February 2, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, via Zoom. This meeting will include specific JA information, including process, qualifications, and policies. Students and a parent/guardian are required to attend. I will send the Zoom link to students' emails during the school day on February 2.
FRCC Information Session on Wednesday, February 11, 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm, via Zoom. This meeting will focus on FRCC processes, information, and resources. Only students who attend the first meeting on February 2 will be sent the Zoom link for this meeting. Students and a parent/guardian are required to attend.
This annual process will be your only opportunity to take college courses for the 2026 - 2027 academic year. Any questions can be directed to Angela LeValley, Post-Secondary Advisor, alevalley@jajags.com. Concurrent Enrollment is a student led process. Students should be initiating the outreach. These are college courses, and students will be treated accordingly.
GIRLS WHO CODE
Apply now for Girls Who Code’s free, virtual Pathways program for summer 2026!
This summer, high school girls and non-binary students can explore AI, Game Design, Cybersecurity, and Data Science while building meaningful, tech-for-good projects at their own pace. You’ll learn through videos and hands-on activities and connect with industry mentors and a global community on Discord.
● Register here to join the Pathways live webinar on February 4th, 2026 to learn more and ask questions about the program.
● Apply by February 25 for priority consideration! Don’t wait to apply: we'll be selecting 50 students who submit a Pathways Application by January 18th, 2026 to receive a $10 Starbucks gift card! See official rules.*
INTERIOR DESIGN SUMMER WORKSHOP
Ball State University hosts an Interior Design Summer Workshop, a pre-college program designed for high school students who are exploring interior design, architecture, or related creative fields. This program gives students an authentic college-level experience and helps them determine whether interior design may be a good academic and career fit. They offer both on-campus residential sessions and a fully online option, making the workshop accessible to students nationwide. During the workshop, students are introduced to the fundamentals of interior design through hands-on activities and guided instruction. They learn basic drawing and visualization skills, explore color and lighting, and gain insight into how interior environments influence human behavior. In addition, students begin developing portfolio work, an important component for future college applications, scholarships, and program admissions.
We would greatly appreciate your help in sharing the attached flyer with students and parents who may be interested. Additional details, session dates, and application information are available at bsu.edu/designforum.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SURVEY RESULTS
On September 24th, students took a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) survey by Panorama Education. This was a self-assessment in areas of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision-making. We use the results to guide workshops that our Student Support team can lead and lessons that can be integrated within the classroom by teachers. Our first workshop was designed for Junior High students and was held for six weeks during the first semester. Our second workshop is designed for High School students and will focus on self-management and relationship skills. Students are invited based on their survey responses. Both parent and student will receive an email this week with workshop details. We strongly encourage attendance so that students can have the opportunity to grow in the areas they self-identified.
WEST POINT LEADERSHIP & ETHICS CONFERENCE OF COLORADO
The West Point Societies of Denver is hosting the 6th Annual West Point Leadership & Ethics Conference of Colorado. The one-day conference for high school juniors (rising seniors) will be held from 8:00 am to 3:30 pm on Friday, 10 April at the auditorium and classroom facilities of Fellowship Denver - 1990 South Broadway, Denver CO 80210.
The conference is designed for top academic performers and those individuals who are interested in further education and careers in community engagement, public policy, or public service. The curriculum is based on principles that the United States Military Academy has taught for generations. Instructional materials, snacks, and lunch are provided free of charge – there is no cost to attend the event.
Register by clicking this link: https://sallyport.westpointaog.org/networks/events/201183
STUDENT ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
JUNIOR HIGH EVENT UPDATE/SAVE THE DATE The Junior High Community Club (JHCC) is planning an awesome event just for 7th and 8th graders. Please block out 4:30pm - 6:00pm on Tuesday, February 24, 2026! Right now, we are a very small group of kids trying to do a very big job. We could certainly use more student helpers! JHCC meets during lunch once per week. See Miss Babcock in Room 251 for more information and to join the Club!
ATHLETICS
GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL GOLF: We will have a Girls Golf meeting on Wednesday, January 21 in the Weight Room 3:30, for all girls interested in playing 2026 JA Girls H.S. Golf this spring. We will be discussing pre-season workouts, golf season, important dates, getting a list of all sizes for gear, and finding out individual schedules. If you are interested in participating you can contact Coach Vince Porreco at vporreco@jajags.com or stop by his office in the weight room for more information.
THE JAGUARS RETURN TO BALL ARENA The boys and girls varsity basketball teams will be playing The Academy at Ball Arena on February 9th. The games will be a doubleheader with the girls game starting around 1:00 PM, followed by the boys game.
As part of this event, you’ll also get to see the Denver Nuggets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers that same night! Ticket Details:
● Purchasing a ticket gives you access to both the high school games and the Nuggets game.
● If you can’t attend the high school games, you can still use the ticket for the Nuggets game.
● Tickets must be purchased in advance — no tickets will be sold the day of the game.
Please click HERE to purchase tickets.
JH BASEBALL: JH Baseball will start preseason workouts on January 21st. Come get some early work in before the season starts. We will meet on Wednesday afternoons from 3:45-5:00. We can only get gym access on the 21st, so every week following that will be out on the field, weather permitting. You only need to bring a glove, bats and helmets are optional. NO METAL CLEATS for workouts. Please fill out the sign up form if you are interested. JH BASEBALL WORKOUT SIGNUP