Jeffco Board Renews Addenbrooke Classical Academy Charter
The Lakewood school secured a five-year contract renewal that keeps it operating through June 2031.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Administration
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On November 13, 2025, the Jeffco school board voted to renew the charter for Addenbrooke Classical Academy in Lakewood. The decision followed reports that the district was aware of a racist graffiti incident involving student Jaylen Davis prior to the vote.
Why it matters
Families are examining the oversight of the school's administration, as the district failed to provide required charter reviews for two school years and an audit flagged dozens of purchasing issues. This renewal ensures the school operates through 2031 despite ongoing legal proceedings.
The school district audit identified 69 issues during the 2023-24 school year, including 13 missing receipts, while the district failed to perform required annual charter reviews for 2023-24 and 2024-25. The new contract allows the academy to serve its 191 high school students through June 2031.
The players
Jeffco School Board
The district authority responsible for overseeing charter school contracts, site visits, and academic compliance.
Addenbrooke Classical Academy
A Lakewood-based charter school serving 191 high school students that is currently subject to a lawsuit.
John Byrne
The school principal who served as a pastor and managed a blog while overseeing the academy's operations.
Jaylen Davis
The student who filed a lawsuit against the school and its leaders following a racist graffiti incident.
Ric Netzer
A school leader named as a defendant alongside the academy in the ongoing legal proceedings.
The details
The district oversees its charter schools through regular site visits and operational data monitoring, though it admitted that the graffiti incident was addressed internally rather than as a contract violation. Simultaneously, financial oversight has been a concern, with an audit flagging purchasing card mismanagement during the principal's tenure. Leaders John Byrne and Ric Netzer, who are named in a lawsuit alongside the academy, must provide a formal response to the legal filings by late 2026.
Timeline
The district missed mandatory charter reviews for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years.
Racist graffiti targeting a student was discovered in a school restroom in spring 2025.
The Jeffco school board officially voted to renew the charter on November 13, 2025.
A formal response to the lawsuit involving school leadership is due by December 18, 2026.
The Home Front
The district's decision to renew the charter despite missing multiple annual reviews and documented purchasing issues marks a departure from the strict oversight protocols established under the state's charter accountability provisions. This development highlights challenges in maintaining consistent financial and social standards in independent charter settings.
Parents with children enrolled at the academy should review the school's latest audit findings and financial transparency reports available through the district website. Families interested in charter school governance should monitor future board meetings for updates on contract compliance and policy changes.
The takeaway
The renewal of the charter signifies that the school will continue operations for another five-year term through June 2031. Families concerned about school governance should keep the school's audit reports on file and track upcoming district board meeting minutes for any new oversight developments.
What happens next
Addenbrooke Classical Academy, John Byrne, and Ric Netzer are scheduled to respond to the pending lawsuit by December 18, 2026.
Further reading
For more information on how the district manages school operations, visit Administration.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Canyon Courier.
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