Meet the Principal

Welcome to Alaiedon Elementary

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year at Alaiedon Elementary - one of four exemplary Elementary buildings and home to approximately 400 1st-5th grade students for Mason Public Schools. I am proud to begin my 8th year serving Alaiedon Elementary as Principal.

My Background:
I completed my education at WMU, earning a degree in Elementary Education with minors in Math and Science, Integrated Creative Arts, and Early Childhood. Since then, I have taught for 20 years in several grades from Kindergarten to 6th for three school districts and earned my Master’s Degree from MSU in K-12 Administration. 

For 27 years, I have dedicated my time and talents to educating elementary-aged youth and leading amazing teachers. Education has been my passion and my purpose. I know first-hand the value and importance of education in a child’s life, as I have four children that attend or have attended Mason Public Schools. My oldest three are Mason Alumni from the classes of 2021, 2023 and 2024. This Fall, I will have one child attending Mason High School in 11th grade. There is no greater gift than the gift of an exemplary education, which Mason Public Schools delivers.

Alaiedon’s Background:
Through our SOAR/PBIS program and quality curriculum, we create an exemplary learning community for all. At Alaiedon we teach, and we want everyone to know why we teach. We teach so that every student at Alaiedon can Learn, Lead, and Succeed! Our staff is committed to action steps for each word in our school “Why.” Alaiedon Elementary’s dedicated staff maintains high expectations,  builds strong relationships with every student, and focuses on collective commitments that have resulted in developing consistent systems to ensure student success with a focus on results. 

Alaiedon students are recognized for demonstrating respectful and responsible behavior through our SOAR program. The motto states: “As an Alaiedon Student, I promise to SOAR; I will be Safe. I will respect Others. I will have a positive Attitude. I will be Responsible.” Students that demonstrate such behavior have the opportunity to earn SOAR tickets and are able to turn those tickets in to participate in an activity of their choice from the nominating teacher’s menu of activities.

At Alaiedon Elementary, we are fortunate to have an extraordinary Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) that works in partnership with our school staff to provide the very best for our students. The PTO focuses its efforts on fundraising to be able to positively support the additional motivational activities that can make elementary school such a wonderful place for everyone. Alaiedon’s PTO supports events including; author visits in March, the Mileage Club in Spring, grade-level field trips, and end-of-the-year sponsored activities for our 5th-grade students.

Alaiedon’s Point of Pride:
Alaiedon is proud to perform favorably in Ingham County and the State of Michigan on several areas of our state assessment. Alaiedon Elementary was named a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for maintaining consistently high academic performance on its M-STEP scores. It is the collective work of so many former and current staff and students that contributed to being awarded this high honor.
The collective efficacy of our entire Alaiedon staff is an influencing factor contributing to our students' positive growth and achievement. We work tirelessly to meet the diversified learning needs of each student, and our commitment is evident.

We look forward to partnering with you this school year. We aim to provide your child with an experience that leaves them feeling that this was truly The Best Year Ever, as we believe every year can be The Best Year Ever at Alaiedon Elementary.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Shana Barnum, M.A. Ed.
Alaiedon Elementary Principal