CES Weekly Communicator

Happy Friday, Chapelfield families.

We had a great week celebrating the colors of the rainbow each day with our kindergartners. They have been learning to Be Positive, Act Responsibly, Work Hard, and Show Respect in every space at Chapelfield. We are proud of their hard work the first full week of school for them.

Please look out for your child's teacher's newsletter this week. They will send you a video about their classroom and what you can expect for the year.

I wanted to let you know that we will have an important information session about Title 1 at our first PTO meeting. I will share with you the new resources we have received this year and go over how we are doing as a school. Please join us on Tuesday, September 10 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria. There will be FREE CHILDCARE in our gym provided by GLHS National Honor Society students. You will also learn ways you can get involved in our wonderful community. We hope to see you there.

Don't forget there is NO SCHOOL on Monday. We will see you on Tuesday, September 3! Please take the time this weekend to fill out your emergency card for your child on infinite campus (EMAS). They are due on September 30th.

Enjoy your long weekend.

Sincerely,

Nikki Miller

Hello Families!

I have been making my rounds to each classroom to remind students who I am and discuss my role as the school counselor. I have loved being able to connect and learn more about each class and how I can support students this year.

COMING SOON! September 16-20th will be our second annual Start With Hello Week, a national initiative from the Sandy Hook Promise Foundation. This special spirit week is dedicated to promoting kindness, empathy, and inclusion in our schools and community. Stay tuned for more information!

GRIN is a local community service that supports Gahanna residents in need. Click HERE for the sign-up to participate in GRIN's "Weekend Snack Pack" Program. If your family is in need, feel free to reach out to Mrs. Jasin (jasink@gjps.org or 478-1454) and she can connect you with additional resources.

What is your favorite color?: Pink

What do you like to do for fun?: Read books and take walks

What was your favorite grade as a student and why?

4th grade because I had a fun teacher!

What are you looking forward to at CES?

Being a part of the amazing community that makes Chapelfield a family!

What is your favorite color?: Royal Blue

What do you like to do for fun?: I like to spend time with my boyfriend (Logan) and my dog (Coco) :) Oh and also watch Ohio State football of course, Go Bucks!!!

What was your favorite grade as a student and why?

My favorite grade as a student had to have been 1st grade! I had the best teacher who went the extra mile to teach our class to enjoy learning. Also, my teacher was a HUGE Columbus Blue Jackets fan and ended up entering our class into this contest to win free tickets to a game and a visit from the Blue Jacket players themselves to our classroom. We won the contest! We all got to play outdoor field hockey with them and take our class picture with them in jerseys and hockey sticks. It was the coolest thing and I’ll never forget it!

What are you looking forward to at CES?

I would say that I am most looking forward to building meaningful connections/relationships with not just my students but with my Chapelfield staff family. I’m super excited to have the opportunity to work with such an amazing staff! You guys are the best! :)

All students MUST have their emergency cards completed by September 30th. They will not be able to have snacks or go on a field trip without it.

You can complete this on infinite campus.

Dear GJPS families,

During the 2024-25 school year, students in kindergarten through 10th grade will take the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessment in the areas of reading and mathematics. The MAP assessment measures student achievement and academic growth over time. It also compares student, class and grade level performance with other students’ performance across the country.

The MAP Assessment is web-based and adaptive to measure your child’s instructional level. The results from the MAP Assessment are one data set that help to provide a more complete picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn, helping staff to better plan instruction to meet their needs.

The MAP Assessment will be given up to three times this year depending on the grade level. Your building principal will share the specific dates for your building before testing begins. Following each testing window, you will receive a report showing your student’s performance and growth.

For more information about MAP Assessments, check out the Family Guide to MAP and the NWEA Family Toolkit. If you have questions, please contact your student’s teacher or building principal

Sincerely,

Tia P. Holliman

Director of Curriculum

Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools

*Please note: Kindergarten will take the Acadience Screener starting next week, while grades 1-5 will take MAP. Kindergarten will take MAP starting in January.

Your students' bus route for the 2024-25 school year is available on Transfinder. The web-based service provides Gahanna-Jefferson families 24/7 flexibility and access to route information based on their home address!

Be sure to enter only the street number and street name. Do not enter zip code, grades or school. (Entering more than the street number and name may cause inaccurate information to display.)

When you receive your bus information, please check over it carefully. If something does not make sense, please contact transportation at (614) 751-7581.

We are excited to offer the mobile device app Here Comes the Bus. This app allows families to view the real-time location of your child's school bus on a smartphone, tablet or computer using GPS technologies with which each school bus is equipped.

How to Get Started with Here Comes the Bus:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app or visit www.HereComesTheBus.com.
2. Click the “SIGN UP” button at the bottom of screen.
3. Follow directions on screen to create an account using the GJPS school district code: 29231
4. You will be sent an email to verify your email address and activate your account.
5. Return to app and add your child’s last name and STUDENT ID number.
   (STUDENT ID NUMBER IS THE SAME AS STUDENT CAFETERIA PIN NUMBER)
6. Click “ADD STUDENT” to add other children in your household.
7. You are now ready to begin following the location of your child’s bus!

Infinite Campus is our parent portal and student information system. This site will allow parents/guardians to access school information electronically. For example, Infinite Campus will allow you to update email addresses and other important information regarding your child as well as view your child's report card electronically.

ALL Families (either new to Chapelfield or returning families) need to update your information in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus. Directions for how to update Infinite Campus are linked below:

1. Log into the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus at: https://gahannajeffersonoh.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/gahanna_jefferson.jsp

2. Click MORE from the left hand column

3. Click on ONLINE REGISTRATION from choices on the right

4. Click START next to "Existing Student Registration"

5. Go through each step to complete the registration

Families New to Chapelfield Elementary: If you are a new family to Chapelfield (including all of our kindergarten families), you will receive an email from Mrs. Gilzow, school secretary, soon detailing directions on how to log into the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus to update your information.

Returning Families: If you need assistance - please call the school office at 614-478-5575. Mrs. Gilzow will be happy to help.

If you are visiting Chapelfield for any reason, you will need to enter the building through the front doors.

We kindly ask that ALL visitors follow the steps below each and every time you visit Chapelfield:

1. Once at the front, exterior doors of the school, press the buzzer. A member of the office staff will ask your reason for visiting Chapelfield.

2. Once inside the vestibule, you will enter your drivers' license or state ID into the scanner. ALL visitors/guests/guardians need to scan their drivers license EACH and EVERY time they visit Chapelfield.

3. Once your license has been scanned and processed you will be permitted to enter the main office area to pick up your visitor/volunteer badge.

**As a reminder, if there is a non-guardian planning to visit Chapelfield for any reason (to eat lunch, read a book in the classroom, visit the bookfair, take your child to an appointment etc.), we ask that the guardian email the teacher and front office (gilzows@gjps.org ) to let us know prior to the visit.

Background Checks are needed each year for all volunteers!

To increase safety and security protocols, all GJPS volunteers who may have the potential to interact with students in an unsupervised setting or may have access to confidential information will be required to complete an online application that includes a background check. The district will provide the background checks at no cost to the volunteer. Background checks are required EACH school year. If you completed a background check last school year, you will need to complete the process again for the 2024-2025 school year.

EXAMPLES

• Examples of volunteer experiences include but are not limited to: cafeteria helpers, reading aides, mentors, hall monitors, field day volunteers, library helpers, office helpers, tutors, field trip chaperones, small group or individual student work in the hallway, party helpers, concession workers, fundraising volunteers, book fair volunteers, mobile dentist volunteers, etc.

Interested in Volunteering?

Click on the link below and fill out the necessary information:

Volunteer Form - Link is currently activated for the 24-25 school year!

*Our first PTO meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 10th at 7:00pm in the cafeteria. Free childcare is available. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the various events PTO hosts and board positions. In addition, Mrs. Miller will talk about our Title 1 program and the resources we now have available. It will be a state of the school presentation starting at 7:45 p.m. We would love to have you there. There is FREE CHILDCARE from GLHS NHS students.

*Breakfast with Buddies: Join us on Friday, September 13 from 7:30 a.m.-8:05 a.m. for all students' whose last name starts with M-Z and their family.

Please check out our spirit wear here. This is a great fundraiser for our 5th graders who use the money to have end of the year celebrations like going to FREE trip to King's Island.

Columbus Metropolitan Library’s School Help Centers are now open, offering students in your family free after-school help.

• 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 use of computers, printers, digital research tools and other resources

• HelpNow, connecting them one-on-one with a virtual tutor Monday-Friday, 2-11 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

Learn more at columbuslibrary.org.

Monday, September 2: Labor Day-NO SCHOOL

Saturday, September 7: PTO Restaurant Night-Whit's ALL DAY

Tuesday, September 10: PTO and Title 1 meeting in the cafeteria from 7-8:15 p.m.; FREE CHILDCARE

Wednesday, September 11: Picture Day

Friday, September 13th: PTO Breakfast with Buddies for families with last names starting M-Z @ 7:30 a.m.

Monday, September 16-20: Start with Hello Week; more information to come

Monday, September 16: PTO Skate Night 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, September 19: PTO Restaurant Night-Mod Pizza

Monday, September 23: NO SCHOOL-Districtwide Professional Development

Thursday, September 26: OSU Vision Screening for 1st grade from 8:15-10:30 a.m.

Friday, September 27:

*Our first learning community meeting-PACKS

*5th grade BizTown

GJPS Elementary Student Handbook 24-25

2024-2025 GJPS District Calendar (PDF)

2024-2025 School Menus

2024-2025 Bus Schedule and Routes

2025-2026 School Calendar