Partnership & Progress
For nearly a decade, CJ and Our Lady of the Rosary (OLR) have partnered to enhance educational opportunities and share resources, with the goal of strengthening Catholic education in Dayton. This collaboration has included aligning seventh and eighth grade curriculum to better prepare students for high school, and providing OLR students with classes on CJ’s campus—giving them access to science labs, performing arts spaces, and athletic facilities.
This arrangement also allowed OLR to expand its preschool program, meet growing primary-grade enrollment, and strengthen English Learner (EL) services. Meanwhile, CJ gained valuable experience hosting younger students and exploring future school models.
Transition to Middle School
The 2025-2026 school year under the new charter will closely mirror the 2024–2025 school year, with only modest operational changes. Seventh and eighth graders will continue celebrating their OLR heritage during the transition period.
The CJ Middle School is off to a strong start due to the work of planning and implementation teams, teachers, staff members, parents and members of our CJ community who support the goal of growing Catholic education in our community. Over the summer, plans for transportation, food service, and academic support services were finalized. As part of this process, Jacki Loffer and Greg Mueller, CJ principal, met with Catholic Schools Office staff at the Archdiocese to review curriculum, textbooks, and testing requirements for middle school. CJ Middle School is founded on Chaminade Julienne’s tradition of excellence and charisms of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and Marianists.
Can students from schools other than Our Lady of the Rosary become CJ middle school students for the 2025-2026 school year?
No. Although we appreciate the interest from parents of 6, 7, and 8th graders throughout Dayton, CJ Middle School is only available to current Our Lady of the Rosary students at this time. This Archdiocesan approved collaboration between CJ and Our Lady of the Rosary has been in place for the last decade and is a natural progression of the work the two schools have been doing together.
What are school hours and the school calendar for 2025-2026?
CJ Middle School follows the CJ school calendar, and the school hours are 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. to stagger with the high school start and end times of 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Middle school students will not have a late start on Thursdays, but will have art class at the K12 Gallery & TEJAS during this time to allow middle school staff to attend Thursday morning meetings.
Where is CJ Middle School located?
As in the past two years, classes meet in Founders Center in Marian Hall and Sister Dorothy Stang Hall with access to other amenities on CJ’s campus, including performing arts, athletic and classroom spaces. Middle school classrooms will remain the same in Founders Center with CJ high school spaces being used such as gym, band room, cafeteria, STEMM labs and Chapel.
Who will oversee the day to day operation of CJ Middle School?
Under the direction of Greg Mueller, CJ principal, the day to day operations of the CJ Middle School will be led by Jacki Loffer, CJ assistant principal.