Subject: Exciting News: Approval of a New Junior High School!

March 2025

To Jonathan Alder Students and Families:

This letter serves to share an important update on the progress and vision of our district's ongoing project, which has been thoughtfully developed over the past 18 months. This initiative represents the culmination of a  comprehensive planning process involving students, parents, staff, architects, engineers, stakeholders and district leaders who have demonstrated unwavering dedication to the future of Jonathan Alder.

Throughout this journey we have engaged in extensive collaboration, which has included:

• 18 months of Steering Committee meetings with the engineers hired by the School Board to guide us in the process.  Numerous school board work sessions, special meetings, and regular Board of Education meetings to guide decision-making.

• Three months of Educational Visioning sessions, bringing together 120 students, staff, parents, and stakeholders.

• A four-month Master Facility Planning process involving 60 committed community members.

• Three extensive enrollment studies with Cooperative Strategies LLC (Woolpert) and Future Think, experts in area growth/development and enrollment projections. All decisions made around Master Facilities have been data-driven and aligned to enrollment figures through the year 2034.

• Transparent communication with the community through ElevateAlder.com, where every presentation, PowerPoint, and data point has been shared.

These carefully considered efforts have resulted in a unified and forward-thinking plan designed to positively impact every Family and position our district for long-term success all while meeting our district-wide 80%  capacity goal for year 2034.

The Community Advisory Team (CAT, 60 members) recommended a Master Facility Plan to the School Board of Education including:

• Convert Plain City and Monroe Elementaries to K-3 Buildings, in order to increase capacity.

• Convert Canaan to a 4-5 Intermediate and Construct a (4) Classroom Addition. 

• Build a New 6-8 grade Junior High building at the High School site.

• Construct an (8) Classroom Addition to JA High School.

• Reuse the existing Junior High Building for  Preschool expansion and District Offices. 

• Renovations to Plain City, Monroe & Canaan to Improve Educational Delivery & Flexibility.

New 6-12 Campus option offers numerous advantages that will positively impact the educational experience and operational efficiency of our district.

• Staff Collaboration: Increased efficiencies through economies of scale, shared staffing, and reduced travel time and mileage costs for staff.

• Enhanced Educational Opportunities: Junior high students will have access to high school courses, more flexible offerings, and increased peer mentoring and buddy systems.

• Safety and Health: A single safety officer and one nurse serving seven grades without the need for travel between multiple buildings.

• Transportation Improvements: More efficient routing and reduced time on buses.

• Athletic and Performance Enhancements: Athletic program collaboration for grades 7-12, and improved and resurfaced playing areas at the old Junior High site.

• Family Convenience: A single-stop solution for families, providing streamlined services and increased accessibility.

• Future Use Opportunities: The old junior high site could accommodate a new bus garage, future building developments, and athletic fields for both school and community use.

• Parking Improvements: 140 additional parking spaces with this design and also includes funding for athletic field improvements at the old Junior High site, preserving fields and community or youth group space that would otherwise be eliminated if the new JH was constructed at the current JH site.

• A Clear Vision for the Future:
  Our district is prepared and ready to communicate this exciting and transformative vision for the future. The comprehensive planning and collaboration that have brought us to this point reflect our commitment to creating a better educational environment for all Families within Jonathan Alder.

We deeply appreciate your ongoing engagement and look forward to continuing our work together. 

Please continue to visit ElevateAlder.com to stay informed and to get involved.  Go Pioneers!

In Gratitude,

James Miller Ed.D. 
Superintendent
Jonathan Alder Local Schools