By MICHAEL SAWYERS

The New Albany-Plain Local school board, administration, faculty and staff are committed to our statement of purpose, which is “to create a culture of accountability to achieve the best academic and developmental outcomes for each student.”

The district is dedicated to do so within a sustainable budget.

District leaders’ focus on infusing a “students first” […]

By JEFF RODEK

When David McCullough, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian, visited New Albany last year, he shared the story of how John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both former presidents, Founding Fathers and Declaration of Independence signers, by remarkable coincidence died on the same day, Independence Day in 1826, the 50th anniversary of […]

By IRVING DENNIS

After the rejection of an operating-levy request in 2014, New Albany-Plain Local School District leaders were forced to raise pay-to-participate fees for extracurricular activities. This affected athletics and other student activities.

Many New Albanyfamilies faced difficult decisions with the higher fees.

In response to the situation, a handful of families stepped forward to establish and […]

By JEFF RODEK

One needs only to tune in to the nightly news to appreciate how volatile the world is today.

Just weeks ago, the United States engaged in military actions in Syria and Afghanistan while tensions among the United States and Iran, North Korea, Syria and Russia escalated.

What an opportune time for a speaker the caliber […]

By RICK BAYER

Most people would agree that one of the most important goals for New Albany is to create a supportive environment for our youth that ensures they possess a strong sense of well-being, which is defined as being healthy both physically and mentally.

But accomplishing that goal is much easier said than done. What contributes […]

To the Editor:

My name is Shawn Holt, president and chief executive officer of Maryhaven Inc. Maryhaven is central Ohio’s oldest and most comprehensive behavioral-health provider specializing in treatment for people with addictive illness. In 2016, we provided services for more than 11,000 patients.

On Feb. 1, I had the pleasure to participate in the Jefferson Series […]

By KIRSTEN KLINK

Kirsten Klink, a librarian for the New Albany-Plain Local School District, wrote this month’s Foundation in Focus guest column on behalf of the New Albany Community Foundation.

As a New Albany-Plain Local School District librarian, I have had the distinct pleasure of working with the New Albany Community Foundation, the district’s parent-teacher organizations […]

By MICHAEL L. SAWYERS

Students’ resilience and well-being are essential for both academic and social development, and these are optimized by the provision of safe, supportive and respectful learning environments.

Schools share this responsibility with the whole community. Not only do confident, resilient children with a capacity for emotional intelligence perform better academically, but these skills also […]

By CRAIG MOHRE

This week, the New Albany Community Foundation’s Jefferson Series featured speaker Patrick Kennedy, a former congressman and advocate for families dealing with mental-health and addiction issues.

Kennedy ignited a national discussion about mental health and addiction after his memoir, “A Common Struggle,” was published.

In the memoir and subsequent interviews, Kennedy addressed his famous family’s […]

By DENNIS WELCH

One of New Albany’s characteristics is that any citizen easily can get involved. Even more, they can help shape their community in positive ways.

In most other communities with which I’m familiar, community initiatives originate and are directed from city government.

In New Albany, transformative endeavors more often begin with residents who want to create […]