The Family Connector

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing summer! As we gear up for the 2024-2025 school year, I am thrilled to welcome everyone back. It's time to dive into new learning adventures, rekindle friendships, and set our sights on exciting goals.

Let's step into this new chapter with excitement and a commitment to growth. Whether your child is entering a new grade or preparing for graduation, remember that their efforts are valued, and their potential is limitless. Together, let’s make this year one of success and discovery.

To our exceptional students, you are the reason we are here. Your dreams, energy, and curiosity make our schools vibrant places of learning.

A phrase you can expect to hear echoing throughout Columbus City Schools this year is "Dream Big, Achieve More," which goes beyond just words—it's a powerful call to action for all of us.

"Dream Big, Achieve More" is a bold reminder of each student's potential. It encourages them to set ambitious goals and pursue them with dedication and hard work, knowing that outstanding achievements are within reach.

Our recent Back-to-School Resource Fair is a fantastic example of the strong foundation we're laying for CCS students and families as we head into the new school year. Seeing our community come together was a joy, and I am grateful to our partners for their support in helping us prepare our scholars for a strong start!

To ensure a smooth start to the school year, I want to share some important reminders to help you stay informed and prepared:

Bus Route Information

Starting this school year, the District's transportation department will no longer mail bus route information to families' homes. Instead, transportation-eligible families will receive their child's bus routing information through the Parent Portal, accessible under the Transportation tab of the District’s website.

Guide to Student Success

The 2024-2025 Guide to Student Success is now available. Please complete and return the required forms to your child's school or via the Parent Portal Annual Update. If your child is staying at the same school, no new forms are needed; however, new forms must be submitted if your child is changing schools.

Open communication between home and school is essential for your child's success. Please feel free to reach out to us or a parent ambassador with any questions, concerns, or feedback throughout the year. Together, we're creating an inspiring community of learners and leaders.

As hectic as the start of school can be, give yourself the time and space to get back into familiar routines. Make sure to check out our Back to School Hub for the latest information. I can’t wait to see many of you throughout the year!

I am beyond excited to see the incredible achievements we will accomplish together this year. Let's make this year one of growth, achievement, and unforgettable experiences.

Here's to a fantastic school year ahead!

Sincerely,

Dr. Angela Chapman
Superintendent/CEO, Columbus City Schools

It's Back-to-School season at Columbus City Schools! Our newsletter, the Family Connector, is your trusted Back-to-School hub, dedicated to guiding our CCS families through the essential steps of preparing for the 2024-2025 school year! With the Family Connector as your compass, we're here to ensure that every CCS student Dreams Big and Achieves More!

From parent portal access to enrollment questions, supply lists, and everything in between, we've got you covered for a seamless transition. Our partnership with YOU will help pave the way for your child's academic success.

So, here's to a promising start for all our CCS students. Let's embrace this Back-to-School season and watch our students lead the way together!

As CCS opened its doors for the 2024-2025 school year, excitement and anticipation filled the air. From the joyful reunions among friends to the enthusiastic welcomes from our teachers and staff, the first day was a bustling celebration of new beginnings. Check out how CCS is bringing our Dream Big, Achieve More theme to life from day one!

Get ready for an incredible new school year packed with adventure aboard the Pathway Express!

This year’s Pathway Express will kick off at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum on Saturday, September 14.

The Pathway Express experience includes activities and resources to expose students to service-learning outside the classroom. Students and their families will enjoy FREE admission from September 1 through November 30 as they explore and honor stories of courage and sacrifice.

But the fun doesn’t stop there!

On September 14, Family Learning Experiences include:

• Meet and Greet with Author and Illustrator of the best-selling Arthur series, Marc Brown

• Author and Veteran, Rogelio Cervantes

• Interactive presentation on the Tuskegee Airmen's participation in World War II

• Rock concert on the rooftop featuring 122nd Army Band

• Military Vehicle Touch-a-Truck

• FREE parking at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum parking lot

• Learning experiences, service projects, free books, giveaways, and more!

Save the date for our next two destinations:

• December 14, 2024 - The Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo

• April 12, 2025 - Champions Golf Course

Don't miss out on these unforgettable stops. Education is a journey, so hop on the Pathway Express!

Columbus City Schools is committed to ensuring the safety of our students, staff, and visitors. As we begin the new school year and the fall sports season, we want to inform you of new security measures that will be in place starting with our first football games on August 23.

All spectators will be processed through a single-entry point using EVOLV High-Speed Weapons Detection Systems to enhance safety. Key guidelines include:

• Student IDs: Required for entry.
• Middle School Students: Must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian.
• Bag Restrictions: No bags larger than 5x8 inches, and no strollers allowed.
• Ticket Sales: No admission or ticket purchases after the third quarter.
• New this year, admission or ticket purchases will be prohibited after the end of the third quarter. Spectators are also prohibited from re-entering after leaving the facility.

We appreciate your cooperation in following these measures to ensure a secure and enjoyable experience for everyone. Your support is vital to maintaining a safe environment.

A new school year is upon us, and we have a few brief reminders to ensure the safe and timely transportation of our students:

• Update Contact Details: Please check the Parent Portal to ensure your contact information is current for emergencies or if a bus driver needs to reach you.
• Stay Informed on Bus Schedules: Be aware of your child's bus timing and location.
• Drop-Off for Younger Students: If your child is in Pre-K to second grade, kindly be at the bus stop during drop-off for their safety. Our drivers will only release a child from Pre-K to second grade if an adult 18 or older is at the stop. However, parents can sign a release allowing the Pre-K to second grade student to be dropped off without an adult. Release forms can be obtained from your student's bus driver.

Additionally, adjusting our transportation system may take approximately two weeks as we roll into the new school year. Every year, schedule changes, drivers familiarizing themselves with new routes, traffic variations, construction, and unpredictable weather can affect services.

**REMINDER ** Beginning this school year (2024-2025), the District's transportation department will no longer mail bus route information to families' homes.

• Transportation eligible families will now receive their child's bus routing information through Parent Portal.
  
• You can access your child's bus information by clicking on the Transportation tab within the Parent Portal.
  
• Students enrolled in the District by August 12, 2024, will receive their updated transportation information after August 15, 2024.
  
• Students who enroll after August 12 may experience a delay in their routing for the first day of school.
  
• Charter Non-Public students and families will receive their child's bus routing information from their respective schools and NOT in Parent Portal.

We're committed to continual improvement and ask for your patience and understanding. Our shared goal is a safe and efficient transportation experience for all our students.

We have some exciting news to share with you! Columbus City Schools is pleased to offer a tuition-free Pre-K program for the 2024-2025 school year. We believe every child should have access to quality education, and we're excited to provide this opportunity to families in our community.

Appointments for Pre-K enrollment are now available. To register, visit our District website's enrollment page, which includes a list of required documents.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our Central Enrollment Center at 380.997.5192 or send us an email at eceenrollment@columbus.k12.oh.us. We look forward to welcoming your child to our program and supporting their learning journey!

Important Dates to Remember:

August 23 - 26, 2024 - Woodcrest - No school for Pre-K

September 3 - 4, 2024 - Pre-K Orientation (scheduled by school)

September 5, 2024 - All Students Report - first full day of Pre-K attendance

The 2024-2025 Student Guide to Success is now available. The publication contains important documents that must be filled out and returned to your student's school of attendance OR completed as part of the Parent Portal Annual Update (preferred method) in Infinite Campus.

The Annual Update can be accessed in the Parent Portal by clicking “More” and then “Annual Update." If your scholar has a form on file and remains at the same school this year, a new form will not have to be submitted. A new form must be submitted if your scholar has changed schools or matriculated to a new school. Separate forms must be on file for each individual student.

Is Your Parent Portal Account Activated? Stay engaged in your child’s education by setting up and signing into the Columbus City Schools Parent Portal. Through the Parent Portal, you’ll be able to securely access valuable information on your student(s):

• Teacher Contact Information
• Grades and Course Schedules
• Daily Attendance
• Missed Assignments
• Update Contact Information

If you have not yet created your portal account, click the button below to activate your account.

First Time User Activation

In order to activate your account, you must have an Activation Key. If you do not have an Activation Key, please contact your child’s school. You will be asked to provide proper identification before receiving the key. NOTE: Each parent/guardian has their own Activation Key to create their account, which can be used to access all of their children enrolled in Columbus City Schools.

Existing users can log in here

Please contact the Superintendent's Office of Customer Relations for any school-related inquiries or concerns. You can reach them at 614.365.8888 or send an email to customerrelations@columbus.k12.oh.us.

Should you have any further questions about Columbus City Schools, feel free to contact the FACTline at 614.221.FACT (614.221.3228) or email us at Factline@columbus.k12.oh.us.

FACTline Coordinator Barbara Reed can assist you Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Below are the 2024-2025 academic calendars for both the traditional school year and the year-round schedule at Woodcrest Elementary. These calendars are convenient tools that outline essential dates for the upcoming school year, including the first and last days of school, holidays, professional development days, and other important events.

Whether you're following the traditional schedule or attending Woodcrest Elementary, these calendars will help you stay informed and organized throughout the year. We encourage you to review the dates carefully to ensure a smooth and successful school year for your family.

We are excited to get this new school year started and want to remind you that the Nationwide Children’s Mobile Care Center and school-based health centers are here to help you stay healthy and in class. The school-based health centers are open to all Columbus City students and their siblings, ages 3+. Find a location and learn more here by clicking the link below.

The start of a new school year is underway, which means fall athletics are just around the corner. As a reminder, students are only permitted to participate in fall athletics when their school has received a valid and current sports physical. Forms may be emailed to the school or delivered by a parent.

Every athlete competing at the middle school or high school level is required to have a valid physical completed. The athletes' school must have the physical on file no later than the first day of scheduled practice. This means that if an athlete does not have their valid physical on file by the first day of scheduled practice, that student will not be allowed to participate in the event.

CCS recommends that families visit their primary physician or seek opportunities with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to schedule their child’s sports physical.

Parents and students should direct all questions to their child’s middle school main office, their child’s high school athletic director, or the Department of Student Activities at 614-365-5848. The fall athletic season officially launched, with many practices beginning as early as July 31, 2023.

Help your student stay on track this school year with Columbus Metropolitan Library. They’ll have access to:

• Reading Buddies, 15 minutes of one-on-one reading practice for K-3 students
• School Help Centers, offering K-12 students free help with their schoolwork plus the use of computers, printers, digital research tools, and other resources
• HelpNow, connecting them one-on-one with a virtual tutor Monday-Friday, 2:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
• Online school help tools available 24/7
• YouMedia, an open lab space at nine locations where teens can explore technologies
• After-School Snack, offered at 16 locations in partnership with the Children’s Hunger Alliance

Visit columbuslibrary.org to learn more.

Fear-Less is a free six-week group designed specifically for parents/caregivers of children ages 6-14 who are experiencing moderate to high levels of anxiety that cause distress and/or impact their daily functioning.

Throughout this group, parents/caregivers will learn strategies to help their child manage their anxiety effectively and build emotional resilience. This group will begin on Zoom September 16 at 6:00 p.m. and is open to parents and caregivers in Crawford, Fayette, Franklin, Licking, Madison, and Richland counties. Please see the attached flyer for more details and information on how to register. Participants will be eligible for up to a $60 gift card at the end of the six weeks.