Jonathan Alder High School visits the 2025 Farm Science Review

Plain City Elementary Energy Bus Assembly visit from Dr. Van Allan

To Jonathan Alder Students and Families:

As we settle into the 2025-2026 school year, I want to take a moment to celebrate how our focus on CONNECT is already coming to life. Each week, I see more evidence of how the strong foundation we have built together is directly benefitting our students, families, and community.

One clear example is our State Report Card results. Our district continues to perform at a high level, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars this year. Our scores show consistent growth over the past four years, in the Performance Index to 95.9, and a 5-star rating in Gap Closing, showing how all students are being supported and proving that our commitment to connecting teaching, learning, and support across all grade levels is producing real results for students.

Another clear example of excellence can be seen on our fields and courts. Our athletic programs are off to phenomenal starts this season, Boys Golf remains undefeated in league play, while Football has surged to a perfect 4–0 record. Girls Golf is excelling with an impressive 11–3 mark, Boys Soccer is dominating at 8–1–1, and Girls Soccer is standing strong at 3–1–1 in the CBC. Volleyball is also making a statement with a remarkable 12–1 record, showcasing the strength, skill, and determination of our student-athletes.

These accomplishments are not just about wins and numbers; they show how student-athletes are connecting hard work, discipline, and teamwork, and how our families and fans are connecting through their support.

Looking ahead, I am excited about the upcoming Community Caravan in partnership with the Village throughout October. This will be a great opportunity to Connect with one another, ask questions, share ideas, and celebrate the progress we are making together. Our schools are stronger when we are connected with our community, and I look forward to this opportunity.

The start of this school year has shown us that our focus on CONNECT is not just a theme, it’s becoming a reality. From academics to athletics to community partnerships, Jonathan Alder is proving what happens when we Value the past, Invest in today, and Elevate the future together.

As always, we are here to serve. With your continued partnership, we will never stop Elevating Alder.

In Gratitude,

James Miller Ed.D.
Superintendent
Jonathan Alder Local School District

Bond Issue November 2025

How Bonds Calculate for Jonathan Alder Schools

Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Events

Learn More at ElevateAlder.com

Carla Quick

Assistant Superintendent
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Becky Krall

Director of Student Services
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Emily Byers

Director of Technology & Innovation
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Nicole Schrock

College, Career, Workforce Readiness Coordinator
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Elise Whaley

Special Education Coordinator
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Sights from September

News From Across the District

Monroe Elementary Hosts Annual Grandparents Day Celebration

Monroe Elementary recently hosted its annual Grandparents & Special Friends Day celebration. Family and friends joined students prior to the start of the school day, where they enjoyed breakfast items, STEAM activities and more.

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Connecting Classrooms to Careers

Jonathan Alder Local Schools had a strong presence at this year’s Careers2Classrooms | Educator Workforce Boot Camp, sending more participants than any other district. This professional development initiative, hosted by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO), gives educators firsthand exposure to local industries with the goal of better preparing students for the workforce.

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From Cowbells to T-Shirts

Learn more about the heartfelt service project of JALSD fourth grade students, as they teamed up with Mainstreet Treasures to help provide Alder apparel for all kindergarten students at Monroe and Plain City Elementary.

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Think Big Space Sparks Discovery and Creativity at the Jr. High

Innovation is taking off at Jonathan Alder Junior High! The new Amazon Think Big Space, gives students a place to explore, invent, and dream big.

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Clubs Underway at Canaan

Clubs at Canaan are back again this school year! Learn more how students are participating in clubs at the middle school.

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Additional Resources

Check out the Summer 2025 Pioneer Pages Magazine

The Summer Edition of Pioneer Pages is here! Inside you’ll find stories about the new living plant wall at the Junior High, a joyful Children’s Day celebration at Monroe Elementary, the Energy Bus at Plain City Elementary, and so much more.

Read the digital version here — and if you didn’t receive a printed copy at home, please reach out to Tyler Jester, District Communications Coordinator, at jesterty@japioneers.org.

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New Traffic Routes at Jonathan Alder High School

For high school families, please continue to check out the new drop-off and pick-up routes.

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JA Launches “Ask Jonnie” AI Chatbot on Website

In July 2025, Jonathan Alder Local Schools unveiled “Ask Jonnie”, a new AI-powered chatbot integrated into the district’s website to help families, students, and community members quickly find answers—around the clock and in multiple languages.

Powered by Apptegy’s AlwaysOn Chatbot technology, “Ask Jonnie” draws exclusively from the district’s own web content, ensuring that responses are accurate, up-to-date, and tailored to the school community. The tool reflects campus branding as users navigate from district-level pages to individual school sites, creating a seamless and familiar experience.

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2025-26 Athletic Passes Now Available, Including Free All-Year Passes for JA Students

The Jonathan Alder Local School District and Board of Education are excited to announce that passes for all upcoming High School and Junior High athletic events are now on sale through the district website.

New This Year: The Board of Education has approved FREE All-Year, All-Sports Passes for all Jonathan Alder students in grades K–12 for home events during the 2025–2026 school year.

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