Jonathan Alder Local Schools

We're wrapping up our week-long celebration for National Principals Month by shining a spotlight on a phenomenal leader: Mrs. Savage of Plain City Elementary School! 🎉

This is Mrs. Savage's third year leading PCES, capping off an incredible 26-year career in education. Her leadership is all heart, focusing on a positive and supportive environment where every student feels valued and loved. ❤️

Get on the Energy Bus!

Mrs. Savage truly makes PCES a "Hall of Fame kind of place" where students and staff are "Enjoying the Ride!" Her warmth, humor, and genuine care are what make her such an inspiring principal.

What she loves outside of school:

🍕 Exploring different pizza places across Ohio with her family.
📚 Reading and watching movies.
🐾 Enjoying time with her dogs.

Thank you, Mrs. Savage, for your passion, energy, and dedication to the students and staff of Plain City Elementary!

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether #ThankAPrincipal

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

We're hitting the home stretch of our series with Day 4 of National Principals Month celebration, and today we are celebrating the dedicated leader of Jonathan Alder High School, Mr. Hayes! 🎉

Mr. Hayes is deeply rooted in our community, living right here in Plain City and serving the district with tremendous Pioneer Pride!

When he isn't leading the high school, here's what he loves:

Family Man: Blessed with five kids and loves traveling with his wife.

Pioneer Superfan: He loves and support all Alder sports and extracurriculars, but you can count on finding him at the gym for volleyball—it's his favorite! 🏐

The Big Leagues: He loves to take the family out to watch the Cincinnati Reds! ⚾

We are so grateful for his passion for Alder High and the community. Thank you for your leadership!

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether #ThankAPrincipal

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

It's day three of our National Principals Month celebration, and today we are celebrating the incredible leader of Canaan Middle School, Mr. Walter! 🎉

This is Mr. Walter's fourth year with the JA/Canaan family, and we are so proud and blessed to have him working with our amazing staff and students every day. The CMS team is truly a family!

Outside of the Hallways...
When he’s not guiding our students at Canaan Middle School, you can find him:

☀️ Spending time outdoors!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cheering on his kids at their activities.
🐾 Going for walks with his wife and their dog, Chubbs!

Join us in giving a huge shout-out to Mr. Walter for his dedication to making Canaan Middle School a great place to learn and grow!

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether #ThankAPrincipal

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

The Value of a Pioneer Education

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

As a public school district, one of the most important things we can do is communicate with you in regard to the effectiveness Jonathan Alder Local Schools provides to all taxpayers. Our purpose is to elevate our community by investing in students, families, and staff members. We serve, grow, and support each person in our schools with a deep belief in the value of every life and potential for every individual to contribute to the betterment of our future. Recently, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released its annual Local Report Card (LRC). As the superintendent, I am pleased to inform you that Jonathan Alder Local Schools received 4.5 out of a possible 5 overall stars. Only 23 percent of Ohio school districts earned this rating. This is also an increase from our 2024 LRC overall rating and a testament to the exceptional work that is happening in our schools every day. We also saw growth in our Performance Index, meaning more students are achieving at higher levels of excellence on the state tests. We continue to look at this information and refine our practices to provide the best possible experience for each of our students. You can read more about how Jonathan Alder Local Schools performed on this important measurement on our website. Our commitment to transparent communication with taxpayers is paramount. We want you to understand where we are now and how we continue to grow in the future. We are excited to celebrate the significant accomplishments of this year’s LRC with you, our community, and are grateful for your partnership and support. -James Miller Ed.D. Superintendent Jonathan Alder Local Schools

Time for day two of our National Principals Month celebration! Today, we're spotlighting the amazing leader of Jonathan Alder Junior High, Mr. Malany! 🎉

This is his seventh year with the Pioneers, and he's still grateful every day to work with our students, caring families, and dedicated staff!

Beyond the Office: Get to Know Mr. Malany!

When he's not leading JAJHS, you can find him:
📣 Cheering on his girls at their activities.
✈️ Traveling and working outside.
📚 Enjoying a great book.
🏀 Watching College Basketball (Go Duke!) and playing with his family dog, Boomer!

His favorite parts of the school year are the events where our students shine, like the pumpkin drop, dances, pep rallies, and classroom projects!

A Fun Fact & Daily Inspiration!
Ever heard him say, "Make it a Great Day, or Not…the Choice is Yours”? That daily word of wisdom comes straight from one of his own middle school teachers! What a wonderful legacy to carry on!

Join us in thanking Mr. Malany for his dedication to JAJHS!

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

📢 Happy National Principals Month! 📢

To celebrate, we’re kicking off our daily series this week by shining a light on one of our incredible leaders, Mrs. Paige!

Did you know she’s a Pioneer through and through? She, her parents, and her sister all graduated from JA! Talk about Pioneer Pride! ❤️🖤

When she’s not leading Monroe Elementary, you might find her:
Lost in a great book 📚, Dancing at a Dave Matthews Band concert with her husband and son 🎶 , or Taking her adorable mini Labradoodle, Cinder, for a walk 🐾
We're so lucky to have a principal who loves working with our amazing students, staff, and families every single day.

Join us in celebrating all our amazing school leaders this month! 🎉

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Plain City Elementary School (PCES) was originally designed to hold 625 students.

Today, PCES, along with several other school buildings, is operating above its designed capacity. To handle growth over the past 20 years, the district has converted storage closets, labs, and other intervention spaces into classrooms. PCES has even exceeded its maximum capacity of 750 students through these modifications.

PCES is one example, but capacity is a district-wide issue. Current enrollment is north of 2,400 students and the district’s most recent enrollment study shows a projected increase of nearly 20% over the next decade.

Overcrowding affects student learning and opportunities in more than just classrooms, but also hallways, lunchrooms, and extracurricular spaces.

The November 4th bond issue provides the framework for the district to execute a school board-approved facilities master plan. This plan's stated goal is to reset each school building to 80% capacity in 10 years, which would accommodate projected enrollment growth.

Learn more about the district's facilities master plan at ElevateAlder.com.

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Our Plain City McDonald’s is helping Jonathan Alder Athletics! 10% of ALL DIGITAL SALES made in the APP on Thursday, October 23, get DONATED BACK TO ALDER. Support our local McDonald’s TODAY and Support JA Athletics!

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

High School Digital Fundraiser McDonalds

Staff from across the district met Monday to prepare for Future Ready training on the November 4th professional development day.

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

6 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Let's start the weekend strong! Drop off non-perishable items at school or the Plain City Municipal Building. Join us in supporting our local community!

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY

7 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

📅 Friendly Reminder!

Join us tomorrow, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at 6:30 PM for the Jonathan Alder Community Forum at Jonathan Alder High School!

This is a great chance to connect with District Officials, share your thoughts, and be part of shaping the future of our schools. We’d love to see you there! ❤️🖤

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

7 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Community Forum, Tuesday, October 7, 2025

2025 Homecoming Parade and Bonfire

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether #Homecoming2025

7 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

✨ Fresh, fun, and full of flavor! ✨

The Food Services Department has been serving up some delicious new menu items this year, and the students are giving them two thumbs up:

🍝 Spaghetti – a classic favorite at the lunch table.
🥤 Smoothies – a bright start to the day in the breakfast line.
🥣 Parfaits – now available at the High School & Jr. High.
🥗 Berry Chicken Salad – a new weekly featured salad created by our HS team.
🍳 Scrambled Eggs – now fresh at Plain City & Monroe Elementary.

We’re proud to keep offering tasty, nutritious choices that fuel learning every day.

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

7 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

It's newsletter time!

Check out updates from all buildings here: https://www.alder.k12.oh.us/article/2417495

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

8 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Smile, it's Senior Sunrise!

JAHS seniors took in the beautiful sunrise from Performance Stadium this morning.

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

📷: Addison Garman, Kennedi Homan

8 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Join us this evening for Military & First Responder Night! Free admission to all military and first responder personnel, plus immediate family.

The Pioneers are slated to kick off against Bloom Carroll at 7 PM.

#jaCONNECT #alderFAMILY #ElevateAlder #PioneerTogether

8 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

We’re making it easier to stay connected. Starting this school year, all five schools will share their newsletters in one place, at the same time — every other Friday.

✅ Fewer emails
✅ All updates in one spot
✅ Links to each school’s newsletter

Look for the district email in your inbox every other Friday and stay up to date with all the great things happening in our schools!

INFO: https://www.alder.k12.oh.us/article/2385671

8 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District

Our One Word: CONNECT

This year, we’re focusing on building stronger relationships, learning, and community — so every student, family, and staff member feels a true sense of belonging.

Read the Superintendent’s Welcome Message

8 months ago, Jonathan Alder Local School District