Welcome to our new digital version of the Pioneer Pages! During the 2022-23 school year we produced two printed versions of the district-wide Pioneer Pages. We will continue with the two mailed pieces in 2023-24, but are also adding a monthly e-version, which will be shared through email and the district's social media channels.

Each month readers will be able to see highlights from all five school buildings, as well as a message from the superintendent, announcements, and upcoming dates of significance.

Enjoy!

Dear Jonathan Alder Parents and Guardians,

As we transition into spring, we are excited to share with you the latest updates and initiatives aimed at enhancing the Pioneer student experience.  

Staff Professional Development Days:  As a reminder, our 2023-2024 Professional Development focus is “Who are our students and what do they need?”  Please note the date of our final professional development day for the 2023-2024 school year.

• Tuesday, March 19, 2024 (Election Day)

Educational Visioning:  We recently held the first round of committee meetings for our student, staff, and community Educational Visioning teams.  You will find a reflection of these meetings included in this slideshow.  The educational visioning work that we are engaged in will help inform our future teaching and learning goals, staff professional development, and the Facilities Master Planning process.  You can learn more about the process at https://elevatealder.com/.  If you are interested in being part of a future team, please email Carla Quick at quickca@japioneers.org. 

2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration: Welcome to the JA Pioneers Class of 2037!  Please help us spread the word to our school community.  Children who will be 5 years of age on or before August 1, 2024, are eligible for kindergarten for the 2024-2025 school year.  Families interested in enrolling their child or children in kindergarten may do so through an online registration form that is available on our website.  To view a map of the elementary attendance areas, please visit the link here. You can learn more about the kindergarten registration process, including all of the required forms, on our website.

K-12 Literacy Core Curriculum Selection and Adoption Process:  Ohio’s plan to raise literacy achievement includes a mandate for districts to implement approved high quality instructional literacy materials in grades K-5 during the 2024-2025 school year.  K-8 staff members are currently engaged in a literacy adoption and materials selection process to determine which core literacy materials that are aligned to the science of reading are the best fit for our Jonathan Alder students, staff, and families.  We have literacy staff at multiple grade levels piloting materials from Amplify, Savvas, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  We hope to present final recommendations to the Board of Education in April and May 2024. You can learn more about the science of reading at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce website.

Gifted Update to the Board of Education:  After an in-depth audit of our gifted services, it is our plan to increase our gifted and accelerated services over the upcoming school years.  We will begin by adding a full time gifted and talented coordinator, accelerated math pathways starting in 5th and 6th grade, and increased gifted services at the elementary and middle school levels during the 2024-2025 school year.  We will continue to phase in additional support at the secondary level during the following school year.  More specific details to come in the very near future.  We are almost finished with our required whole grade gifted screening process in grades 2, 4, and 5.  We will share these results with families in the coming weeks.  To learn more about gifted services, please visit the gifted education section of our website. 

Student Library Accounts: Did you know that you can and are encouraged to access your child’s library account to review the books that they have checked out? See the steps below to check your child’s account:

1. Go to infohio.org

2. Click on "state wide user" (located top left)

3. Enter login information:  username: jals (all lower case)  password: pioneers (all lower case)

4. Click the red isearch button (located at the bottom right). A red search box will pop up. 

5. In the drop down box, select your child’s school. 

6. Click on the red isearch button. 

7. You should see the online catalog.

8. Click on "My account" located top right under the school name

9. Enter login information: username: lunch code  password: birth month birthday  - example: 0808 - for August 8 

Digital Tools for Families: Our website contains information and helpful digital learning tools for our JA families.

April 8 Total Solar Eclipse:  April 8, 2024, marks the first time since 1806 that Ohio will experience a total solar eclipse.  Plain City is in the path of full totality.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to view this as the next total eclipse in Ohio will be in the year 2099!  Due to the safety and security of all students being our highest priority, in collaboration with the Village of Plain City, based on added traffic, visitors, and estimated time of the solar eclipse, students will not be in session on this day.  You will find family resources for the eclipse here.  

Space Night:  All of our JA students and their families are invited to come explore space on Friday, April 5 from 5-8pm at Canaan Middle School. Students will be able to build stomp rockets, use glow in the dark paint, complete an alien scramble, build constellations, construct a rover, learn about lunar and solar eclipses, explore stars and constellations, and more!  For more information and to register your family, please see our space night flier.

We appreciate all that you do to support our students, staff, and school community.

Warm regards,

Jonathan Alder Teaching & Learning Department
Carla Quick, Assistant Superintendent
Becky Krall, Director of Student Services
Nicole Schrock, Director of Instructional Technology

Too many times in sports we get wrapped into the stuff that at the end of the day really doesn’t matter.  How many times are you at a sporting event and fans are crazy, losing their mind, screaming at officials, players, coaches, and many others at the game.  People leave sporting events so mad that they can’t get something off their mind and can’t stop thinking about it.  Usually those types of things involve winning, losing, decisions made during the game, and stuff that again when it's all said and done shouldn’t be as important as we make it out to be.  

We give lip service all of the time about the life lessons that we gain from being involved in sports.  How to deal with adversity, how to work with others, how to react when things don’t necessarily go our way, and how to learn to work with others even when you may not like them.  These are just a few things that we always say, but do we really put them into action?  It’s something that we all need to stop, take a step back, and reconsider the next time any of these scenarios occur.

It is with all of the above in mind, that one of our Alder Softball players led the charge and ignited her team and everyone in the program to join together to make a difference.  Each season, Anna Engle lives for softball, can’t wait to compete, and make another run at a State Championship.  But in that process is where she noticed something that was bigger than the game, and truly more important.  Anna noticed that some of the teams they connected with in the postseason didn’t have the same support as her team.  They needed new helmets and bats just to name a few.  

That’s where she stopped, took a step back, and said I’m going to inspire those around me to make a difference.  She quickly had the coaching staff, teammates and others on board and she will be the first to tell you, I couldn’t have done this by myself.  The program hosted youth clinics in the fall with a fee to attend, did their best to make an impact on all the young aspiring players to be, worked to teach them the game and proper skills, and in addition used the proceeds to purchase equipment for two local teams that she noticed would be appreciative.  As the excitement began to grow, so did the support, and local businesses like Main Street Treasures said, we’ll donate our services to help such a special event.  From a single spark the fire grew, and most recently Anna and Coach McGrew delivered 10 new helmets and 2 new bats to two local schools.  Both were incredibly appreciative, and were so excited to have support of someone they played against.  The experience for Anna was rewarding, and overall just made her feel like she had done something above and beyond just winning games.  Success was measured differently.

This is truly what High School Sports are all about.  We all lose perspective of this.  If you say you don't, you're not truly being honest with yourself.  A very small percentage of players ever make it to the next level, and an even smaller percentage ever make a living through sports.  That said, even those who do make money stop, and find ways to make a difference.  To this point I urge all of Pioneer Nation to stop, and think about what's really important.  Let’s continue to compete, play hard, work hard, and get better everyday, but in doing that let’s not lose sight of what truly making a difference is all about.

This spring, Canaan Middle School performed its first drama play in the building since March of 2017. Students recently performed the play for families and friends in the library, which was made possible with all the new moveable furniture providing flexibility for the space as a whole. Enjoy a recording of the performance in the video below.

Plain City Elementary School is delighted to announce its annual spring play, "The Golden Goose," written by none other than our very own 3rd grade teacher, Mrs. Karen Dietry.

Each year, Mrs. Dietry puts her creative talents to work, crafting a captivating play for the enjoyment of students, parents, and the community. This tradition has become a much anticipated event at Plain City Elementary School.

Auditions for third and fourth graders were conducted earlier this semester, giving students the opportunity to showcase their acting skills. Following auditions, the selected cast members have been diligently preparing for their roles through daily practices leading up to the night of the performance.

"The Golden Goose" is based on the classic fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, promising a delightful and enchanting experience for all attendees. The story follows the adventures of characters on a magical journey, filled with humor, lessons, and plenty of surprises along the way.

As part of the preparation, the cast had a dress rehearsal during the school day, giving the entire Plain City Elementary School staff and students a sneak peek into the production. Then, it was SHOWTIME in the evening, when parents and members of the community were invited to witness the culmination of weeks of hard work and dedication.

"We were thrilled to bring 'The Golden Goose' to life on our stage this year," said Mrs. Dietry. "It's been a joy to work with such talented and enthusiastic students, and loved sharing their performance with everyone."

The Plain City Elementary School spring play is not only a showcase of student talent but also an opportunity for the community to come together and support the arts in education. Calendars are always marked for an evening of entertainment and fun!

Monroe Elementary hosted our annual family night this past week. Our theme of "Wild About Monroe" was prevalent throughout the building. Our families began the evening with a pizza dinner while listening to a Title 1 parent meeting. Afterwards, families could enjoy reading and math learning games as well as creating a terrarium to go along with our rainforest theme. Monroe families also had the opportunity to enjoy the book fair. It was a very well attended event with packed hallways and classrooms and a lot of fun! 

Each Friday afternoon, seventh and eighth grade students enthusiastically gather in the JAJHS library to participate in the weekly Creative Writing Club, or CWC. The Creative Writing Club is facilitated by volunteer leaders Mr. Justin Creps and Mrs. Shelley Conley. Attendance varies each week with students’ availability. Throughout the year, students have discussed and focused on learning the various techniques and aspects about the creative writing process.  At CWC, students hone writing skills and learn that a well-written story involves a lot of thought, planning, and organization skills. 

Students are currently working on a short story that centers around a shared theme, “Not as it Seems” that was voted on by CWC members. CWC members meet in the library during their lunch and intervention to craft stories, spark imagination, and share creative ideas The purpose of the club is to encourage young writers to develop their creative writing craft while connecting with other writers in a positive and fun way! 

In April, CWC students will be participating in a joint field trip with the JAJHS Geography Club to visit COSI and see the Titanic Exhibit. CWC students will be learning about the lives of the Titanic passengers and crew members to understand the importance of how authors use background knowledge and research to develop characters, details, settings, and plots within short stories and novels.

Mrs. Conley, the JAJHS library media specialist who assists with the CWC, noted, “I am so proud of our CWC students! What a talented group of young authors! It has been so much fun to watch these students grow as writers at CWC! 

As the Creative Writing Club continues to grow, Mr. Creps and Mrs. Conley are hoping to compile a book of short stories written by their CWC students! 

During its regular meeting on January 8, 2024, the Board of Education approved the academic calendars for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years. Current and future academic calendars are available for viewing here.