Back in March 2026, when Dr. Schultz was chosen as the Jefferson Academy Charter Schools Executive Director, our team immediately began searching for a new JA Secondary Principal.  As the search did not find the right leader, we ended the school year with Dr. Schultz in a dual role and began a search for a possible interim principal role.

In early June, Dr. Schultz met with Jeff Pierson, who was serving as the Executive Director for the Department of School Safety for the Jefferson County School District. After eight years of serving Jeffco, Mr. Pierson announced his retirement from that role last spring and expressed his interest in being a part of our community. Throughout his tenure with Jeffco, Mr. Pierson's safety team supported JA Secondary. During this time, he became very familiar with our school community and the way our building was run.

Before his role as Executive Director of the Department of School Safety, Mr. Pierson served 10 years at Standley Lake High School.  Mr. Pierson was the Athletic Director for two years and the Standley Lake High School Principal for eight years.  He is a strong, respected leader in the Jeffco School District. 

Mr. Pierson is a servant leader at heart and highly respects the vision and mission of JA Secondary.  After meeting with our Leadership Team, the decision was made to bring Mr. Pierson on board to serve as our Interim Principal for the 2026-2027 school year beginning August 1, 2026.  Mr. Pierson is eager to return to the Principal role and work directly with you, our students, and staff.