Rob Daugherty, CEO
Dear James Irwin Families,
Welcome (back) to James Irwin Charter Schools—and thank you, sincerely, for choosing us. We know families in Colorado Springs have many options. Your decision to entrust your children to our schools is an honor we do not take lightly. Whether this is your first day with us or your fifteenth year, we are grateful for your partnership and excited for what we will accomplish together.
As you know, we delayed the first day of school due to construction timelines affected by the unusually heavy rain in June and July. Over the summer we replaced the roof and heating/cooling (HVAC) systems at both Astrozon campus and Howard Elementary. Although PTEC and the Canada Drive Elementary campus were not directly impacted, we chose a unified delay so all families would have a clear and consistent start. A portion of these upgrades was funded through Colorado’s BEST—Building Excellent Schools Today—grant, and we are pleased to have made these long-term improvements to safety, comfort, and learning environments. We are also nearing completion on the expansion of our daycare center, which provides free childcare to JICS staff as part of our ongoing commitment to make James Irwin the best place to learn and work. In addition, we upgraded playgrounds at the Astrozon campus and Howard to improve safety and play; Canada Drive’s playground, built just over a year ago, remains in excellent condition.
This year marks the beginning our 26th year serving families as a Colorado charter school. Our focus is as strong as ever: improving academic outcomes for every student, supporting teachers with expanded professional development and coaching, strengthening a positive school culture, retaining talented, mission-aligned staff, and continuing to invest in facilities that support safe, effective learning. Central to all of this is our commitment to character education. We strive to partner with families to help students grow in integrity, responsibility, respect, perseverance, and kindness. We teach and model these virtues daily—in classrooms, on playgrounds, and in every interaction—because we believe character is foundational to success in school and in life.
We do have open seats across the network, and we invite you to spread the word. One persistent misconception is that charter schools charge tuition—this is not true. If you know a family looking for a strong academic and character-focused education, please encourage them to contact us about enrollment.
We are also hiring. Many outstanding members of our team first connected with James Irwin as parents and later discovered a calling to serve students. We currently have openings for bus drivers, teachers, teaching assistants, and support staff. If you—or someone you know—might be interested, please visit our careers page at https://www.jamesirwin.org/about/career-opportunities or email Maria Ramos at maria.ramos@jamesirwin.org for more information.
Finally, volunteers have always been a vital part of our success. I began at James Irwin as a volunteer when my own children enrolled, and that experience shaped my decision to join the team. If you would like to share your time or skills, please reach out to the receptionist at your school to learn how you can get involved.
Thank you again for choosing James Irwin. If you are new to our community, welcome; and if you have been with us for many years, thank you for continuing to trust us. We look forward to a safe, joyful, and successful school year together.
With gratitude,
Rob Daugherty, Chief Executive Officer
