Eleanor Jaeger was a teacher and principal in a number of elementary schools in the Schenectady City School District. Jaeger was born in 1920, the daughter of Alfonse and Anna (Pilarski) Jaeger. She graduated from Mont Pleasant High School, earned her teaching degree at Oneonta State Teacher’s College, and took graduate courses at New York University. Jaeger worked as a first-grade teacher at Cobleskill Central School from 1942 until 1944. By 1947 she was serving as a special teacher for primary grades for the Schenectady City School District.

In 1950, Jaeger became the first teacher in the district to be appointed as a school principal through the district’s apprentice system. She became principal of Halsey School that year, where she would serve through 1952. She went on to work as principal for a number of other local elementary schools, including Grout Park Elementary School (1953-1958), Woodlawn Elementary School (1958-1970), and Euclid Elementary School (1970-1973). After Euclid closed in 1973, Jaeger returned to the position of principal at Grout Park. She had retired by 1980.

Jaeger often spoke publicly about a number of issues connected to education, including progressive education, student teaching, the development of the PTA, and the teaching of reading. She appeared on the Inside Our Schools TV program on WRGB during the 1950s. She was also active in education-related organizations, including the Supervisory Staff Association for the Schenectady City Schools, the Association for Childhood Education, and the Parent-Teacher Association.

In addition to her service as an educator and administrator, Jaeger was also active in other local organizations. She served as chair of the Community Ambassador Project of Schenectady and often spoke of her experiences as a community ambassador in Germany in 1949. She was also a charter member of Schenectady County UNESCO Council.

Jaeger died in 2006 after a long illness. She is buried at Schenectady Memorial Park Cemetery