Welcome to @Alder, the monthly e-newsletter provided by the Jonathan Alder Local School district. Each month readers will be able to see highlights from all five school buildings, as well as messages from the superintendent, announcements, and upcoming dates of significance. In addition to our monthly e-newsletter, community members will still receive two printed editions of Pioneer Pages, once in the winter and again in the summer.

Enjoy!

DID YOU KNOW?
Richwood Coffee, located at Richwood Bank offers "thank you" drink cups with any donation to a non-profit beneficiary, a list that includes Jonathan Alder Local Schools. Watch the video above or click the link here for additional information.

• The three senior attendants are Kalyn Greiner, Josie Miller, and Mackenzie Smith, and the three senior escorts are Christian Dellapina, Carter Detweiler, and Mason Hermiller.

• The junior attendant is Emmerson Edward and she will be escorted by Garrett Bauer.

• The sophomore attendant is Myla Dickey and she will be escorted by Caleb Wiltshire.

• The freshman attendant is Camryn Ellis and she will be escorted by John Parker.

  
  

The Jonathan Alder Music Fest will be held Saturday, November 2, 2024. The event will have live music, food trucks, silent auction baskets, and a pumpkin judging contest. For more information, scan the QR code in the flyer below.

Monroe Elementary is in the second year of implementation of the House System. The purpose for this structure is to create a sense of community and belonging among students and staff.

Each student and staff member is part of one of the eight house groups. A Monroe student that attended the school last year has the same house color as in the past. New or kindergarten students were assigned a house color group to join. It's so fun watching our students learn and collaborate together. We have house meetings two times a month and a house assembly every other month.

The house assembly is all of the house teams coming together to join in on a school wide activity. This month, the house assembly involved three different “Minute It To Win It” games. The games were: Chopstick Pickup, Cup Stack, and Keep The Balloon Up.

The purpose of the games was to build teamwork and camaraderie. During this month’s house team meetings, students created their house chant and house posters, and played get to know each other games.Creating house chants and posters is a creative way for students to express their house identity and work together.

Later this month, each house team will decorate a pumpkin for our fall parties. Since the implementation of the House System at Monroe, our Panorama data for student sense of belonging has increased. It is clear that the House System is making a positive impact at Monroe. 

October 2024 Pioneer Health Minute Link

Families, Happy October! This school year is flying by! Let's take October to "look" at our eyes and how we can take care of them.

As always, if you have questions or concerns, please reach out to rutherti@japioneers.org

Tia Rutherford, RN

Students in Mrs. Shaner’s new STEAM classes at Jonathan Alder Junior High School recently took on a delicious challenge: designing and building solar ovens to bake s'mores!  At the new JAJHS Think Big Space, students used simple materials like cardboard boxes and tin foil to experiment with ways to harness the sun's energy to create a tasty treat.

“I knew I wanted the students to experiment with the science of food. With limited cooking resources, it only seemed right to bring in the engineering component to have the students make the ovens” commented Mrs. Shaner.

The project combined scientific principles with hands-on creativity. Students learned about solar radiation, insulation, and reflection as they carefully crafted their ovens. Through their research of different solar oven designs, they could craft a design using cardboard, tin foil, and plastic wrap. They discovered the importance of maximizing sunlight absorption and minimizing heat loss to achieve the perfect gooey s'more.

This activity not only provided a sweet reward but also sparked curiosity and problem-solving skills. Seventh grader, Haylee Heindel, commented, “It was a lot of fun! We got to work together and try out new ideas. We also did a lot of problem-solving.” At JAJHS, we continue to explore ways to make STEAM education learning and relevant! 

Canaan Middle School is excited to announce the start of our CMS Clubs! This year, students were given the opportunity to select from 23 unique club options based on their interests. Each student will participate in one club per semester, allowing them to explore new hobbies, develop skills, and connect with their peers. From Crochet and cooking to fitness and French, there’s something for everyone! 

5th grader Vikrant Sudhakar had this to say about the first day of clubs, "I really liked French Club because the teacher was really nice, and we saw a cool video on French words and French geography."

We can’t wait to see the creativity and collaboration that will unfold in these clubs throughout the year along with the connections students will make between their clubs and careers. 

Students from Mr. Wilson's third grade class got the opportunity to experience the amazing THINK BIG space at the high school on Wednesday. Students were filled with anticipation as they entered the bus to take the four minute bus ride. Once they entered the space they were greeted by Emily Byers who laid out the day for them. She started by reading a book about using your imagination to create something amazing. Students were then able to choose one of six stations where they could then allow their imagination to come to life. One of the more popular stations was creating an electrical current that would allow students to make a design that was displayed through an Etch-A-Sketch app on an iPad. At the end of the 90 minutes, students left with so many ideas and smiling faces.

Digital School Calendars
View a specific school calendar link below for additional details.

• JA High School

• JA Junior High

• Canaan Middle

• Monroe Elementary

• Plain City Elementary