JANUARY

• 1/14 PTA Zoom Meeting
• 1/17 End of Quarter
• 1/17 Book Nook
• 1/20 NO SCHOOL MLK Jr Day
• 1/21 NO SCHOOL Professional Development Day
• 1/22 NO SCHOOL Records Day
• 1/24 PTA Bingo Night
• 1/24 Report Cards in Parent Portal

Welcome back Gator Families! As we kick off the new year, we are excited to welcome our students back to school for an engaging and fun-filled semester ahead. Our teachers and staff are eager to continue supporting your student’s growth and learning, and we can't wait to see all the progress they’ll make.

As we return to school this winter, it’s important to prioritize health and wellness. Be sure to dress warmly, wash hands regularly, and get plenty of rest to stay energized and ready for learning. If your student's coat or hat goes missing, please remember to check the lost and found!

We also encourage everyone to stay hydrated and enjoy nutritious meals to keep your body strong during the colder months. Together, we can help our students stay healthy and happy as we dive into the new year. Here’s to a fantastic start—let’s make this year memorable!

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or need resources. I’m happy to point you in the right direction or share any information I have. Happy 2025!

We love to learn. Go get 'em, Gators!

Kate Green

Family Ambassador

kgreen2@columbus.k12.oh.us

The dentist is coming to our school soon! The School Smiles on-site dental program provides on-site dental care at our school for ALL students that signup to participate. The dental team will set up inside our school and they accept Medicaid, private insurance, offer self-pay rates and grant through their foundation. Registration is now open online at www.schoolsmiles.com/student-signup with over 100 languages to choose from when completing the online form. See the attached flyer for additional ways to register, don't miss out!

Kim Fackler, M.Ed, BSN, RN

Ohio Licensed School Nurse

Gables ES

P-614-365-5499

f-614-365-6451

Email: kfackler10333@columbus.k12.oh.us

As we continue to prioritize attendance at Gables, we have a fun activity to help your student "Stay in the Game!" Come to school every day after winter break (January 6 - 10th) and win a chance to ask a Crew Player a Question.

With the ice and winter weather please be watching for students and parents during pick up and drop off at the school. Follow the correct protocol and we can all stay safe.

Following traffic patterns in the Gables Elementary parking lot is crucial for ensuring the safety of students, I know we all have places to be in the morning, but the safety of the students should come first. When everyone follows the rules, it creates an organized environment where students and parents can coexist safely, making the parking lot a safer place for everyone involved. Here is a reminder of our traffic patterns for both morning and afternoon parent pick up. Please note you should NEVER drop off children on Becket Avenue, this is for busses ONLY.

PTA Meeting - Join Us on Tuesday, January 14th at 6:30 PM!

We are excited to invite you to our next PTA Zoom meeting on Tuesday, January 14th at 6:30 PM. As always, there are plenty of ways to get involved in the second half of the school year. Whether you’re interested in daytime activities like Book Nook or evening events such as Family Bingo Night, Family Movie Night, or helping organize Teacher Dinners during conferences — we can always use more hands to make these events run smoothly.

Come join the call to learn about upcoming events and discover how you can contribute to making this year even better for our school community!

We hope to see you there!

Januarys Book Nook is coming up! On Friday January 17th, during the school day, your child will be able to purchase a book for just $.50 cents. We need parent, grandparent, and guardian volunteers! Please email gablesgators@gmail.com to help.

If you'd like to sponsor your child's class, a $12-15 donation will ensure every child in the class gets a book. Please email gablesgators@gmail.com to find out exactly how much to send in or paypal.

Do you have books that you've outgrown at your house? We will take them! We are especially in need of books for established readers (grades 3-5). Highly requested books that we never seem to have enough on hand are of graphic novels and books about sports.

When Winter Weather Forces Classes to be Canceled, You Need to Know Right Away

Winter weather is here, and Columbus City Schools is ready to help you plan ahead should the District be forced to cancel classes due to inclement weather.

Our goal is to announce a school cancellation as soon as we can. We are constantly monitoring weather forecasts and road conditions and will make an announcement the night before whenever possible. If weather conditions are such that a determination the night before is not possible, the Superintendent and her Operations team will make a decision no later than 5:30 a.m. Once the decision to close or cancel has been made, the next step is to alert parents, teachers, and staff.

STAY CONNECTED: news about cancellations of classes or the cancellation of extracurricular activities, field trips, and/or student-athletic events due to inclement weather are shared in several ways.

• Make sure the contact information on file at your child’s school is accurate. If you need to update this information, contact the main office in your child’s school or update online in the Parent Portal. (This includes emergency contacts, phone numbers, and email addresses).
• All families and staff will be alerted through an automated call, email, and text message from the District’s phone system. It is important to have your updated contact information on file in order to receive this notification.
• Follow Columbus City Schools on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check our website. As soon as the decision is made to cancel school, we’ll share news and other schedule updates on the District website and on our social media pages.
• Monitor the news on local television and radio stations.

Extracurricular Activities, in the event of class cancellations or early dismissal due to inclement weather:

• Cancellation of School Day - Generally, evening activities, events, and athletic practices are canceled when classes are canceled for the day; however, there are occasions when an event might occur even when schools have been closed. Please monitor the District’s website and social media outlets for special instructions (ccsoh.us).
• Early Dismissal Due to Inclement Weather - Early dismissal for inclement weather will automatically cancel all after-school activities.

HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: When inclement weather impacts the morning commute, the Superintendent plans to determine whether to cancel classes as early as possible. This may be the night before or no later than 5:30 a.m. the next morning if possible. If bad weather is forecast for the afternoon, classes may be dismissed as early as noon. Have an alternative plan for your child’s day already set.

• Supervision: is your child responsible enough to be home alone, or do they need someone to stay with?
• Healthy Food: is there nutritious food available for your child to eat for breakfast and lunch?
• Safe Location: if classes are dismissed early, does your child go home or to another location? If your child is under the age of 8, will there be someone to meet them at the bus stop?
• Engaging Activities: what safe activities do you have for your child to do if they are at home for an unexpected amount of time?

Frequently Asked Questions about CCS weather and school cancellation process.

Flyer in alternate languages: Arabic | French | Nepali | Somali | Spanish

High School/Middle School Choice Fair - January 9, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Elementary School ChoiceFair - February 6, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

During the scheduled times for the Fair, families can click on the link and chat live with the principal and/or school staff.

Lottery Applications:

• School Choice Dates to apply for the 2025-2026 School Year
• High School & Middle School Lottery Applications: Accepted via the Parent Portal for the lottery draw Monday, January 6, 2025 through Friday, February 28, 2025. Late applications are added to the bottom of the waitlist in the date/time order of receipt. The last date for the acceptance of late lottery applications for students who completed the 2024-25 school year with CCS is August 15, 2025. New students enrolling into Columbus City Schools can submit a lottery application for two weeks after their enrollment date until December 5, 2025.
  
• Elementary School Lottery Applications: On-time lottery applications accepted via the Parent Portal for the lottery draw Monday, February 3, 2025 through Monday, March 31, 2025. Late applications are added to the bottom of the waitlist in the date/time order of receipt. The last date for the acceptance of late lottery applications for students who completed the 2024-25 school year with CCS is August 15, 2025. New students enrolling into Columbus City Schools can submit a lottery application for two weeks after their enrollment date until December 5, 2025.

• • Selective Admissions Applications: Applications available to eligible students Wednesday, January 8, 2025 with a submission deadline of Friday, January 31, 2025. Applications must be submitted via the Parent Portal.
  • Request to Return to Homeschool Application: Accepted via the Parent Portal Monday, January 6, 2025, through Friday, March 21, 2025.
  • Reservations: Accepted via the Parent Portal for eligible students from Monday, January 6, 2025, through Friday, January 31, 2025.
  • ROTC: Accepted via the Parent Portal Monday, January 6, 2025 through Friday February 21, 2025.

Give your family the gift of science learning with a free membership to COSI! Thanks to the generosity of the Robert Weiler Company, Columbus City Schools 5th-grade students and their families can receive FREE year-round visits to COSI!

Memberships are limited. Don't wait. Apply today! First come, first served. Application closes on February 28th, 2025.

Please use the link below to register for your FREE membership.

Here are some important dates to be watching for activities and registrations at Carriage Place for Columbus Parks and Recreation Department.

• January 9: Winter 2024 Class Registration
• January 16: MLK Day: CENTER CLOSED
• January 17: Winter 2024 Classes Begin
• January 31: Gymnastics Meet @ Franklin Park
• February 20: President’s Day: CENTER CLOSED
• February 22: Outdoor Rec Summer Camp Registration
• February 27: CRPD Summer Camp Registration
• February 28: Gymnastics Meet @ Franklin Park
• March 9: Winter Classes End
• March 12: Spring Class Registration
• March 12: T-Ball & Coach Pitch Baseball Lg. Registration
• March 13: Gymnastics Meet @ Franklin Park
• March 19: Spring Classes Begin
• March 25-29: CP Spring Break Camps

Here is the link for the calendar of events happening around Columbus for the entire month of January. There are over 60+ events to choose from for just this coming weekend!

https://www.columbusonthecheap.com/events/calendar/

Here is a list of Columbus Community Partners providing assistance.
Asian American Community Center - is a non-profit community-based organization serving needs of all Asian Pacific Islanders in Central Ohio. AACS has led efforts to empower and develop the local Asian community through its expansive and proactive programs and services.

LSS 211 offers services from homeless shelters to senior living. Call 211.

City of Columbus CARES Act offers assistance with utilities.

Cap4Kids provides resources for families in the areas of meals, housing, utilities, mental health and lots more.

Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio offers pharmacy services and medicines, counseling on proper medication usage, health screenings, wellness education, and social program assistance for those who cannot afford them. (614) 227-0301
Community Refugee and Immigration Service (CRIS) is an independent non-profit agency serving refugees, asylees, and immigrants in central Ohio. They help refugees and immigrants achieve successful integration into the central Ohio community.

Clintonville Resource Center serving all of Central Ohio by providing assistance through the food pantry, child and youth programs, senior services and kinship care programs.

Ethiopian Tewahado Social Services (ETSS) assists immigrant and refugee families and low-income individuals in Central Ohio through education, training, supportive services, and self-development opportunities.

Franklin County Childrens Services Guide provides information on local emergency or non-emergency assistance to families.
Mid Ohio Food Bank provides food locations by zip code.

MY Project USA is a non-profit organization. It is the first and the only national initiative that is addressing the challenges facing the American Youth, especially in the immigrant and refugee communities from various Muslim countries.
OhioKAN ensures every kinship and adoptive family who wants support navigating the resources available to them can get it.

Project Connect provides help to families living in shelters, car, motel, campground and doubled-up families.

Teaching Tolerance provides guidance for educators on how to handle students that are going through the stress/fear of deportation.

Click the links below for helpful resource lists and tools:

• Columbus Winter Warming Centers – Interactive Map
• Columbus Winter Warming Centers – PDF
• Clothing, Hygiene Items, and Home Goods Resource List
• Utility & Housing Payment Assistance Programs
• Best Gas Prices in Columbus
• Free Home Weatherization for Income-Eligible Franklin County Residents
• Grief Support, Support Groups, Substance Use Help, and More
• Emergency Food Help
• Emergency Housing Help
• Helpful Hotlines
• Columbus Street Card
• How to Prepare Your Home for Winter Weather

If you are calling the school office about your student, and your call is not answered, please leave a message on the Gables Office voicemail and your call will be returned promptly.

Attendance Email:
If your child will be absent, please email below. If you are just running late to school, please bring your child into the school, you do not need to call ahead.

attendance.gables@columbus.k12.oh.us

Attendance Phone: 1-380-997-6025

PTA Email: gablesgators@gmail.com
Family Ambassador: Kgreen2@columbus.k12.oh.us

FACTline Email: factline@columbus.k12.oh.us

FACTline Phone: 614-221-FACT (614-221-3228)

Email: gableses@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: ccsoh.us/GablesES
Location: 1680 Becket Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: 614-365-5499

Learn the Gator Way!

Be Responsible!

Be Respectful!

Be Safe!

Be Kind!

That's the Gator Way!

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
• Grades and Course Schedules
• Daily Attendance
• Missed Assignments
• Complete your Annual Update