Blacklick Bulletin

Dear Blacklick Families:

We are off to a great start as we finished our first full week of the 2024-2025 school year! We loved welcoming all of our kindergarten students back to the building last Thursday and Friday! We continued to teach and reinforce our Blacklick PRIDE expectations of being Respectful, Responsible, Positive, Prepared and Safe.

Help needed! The front office is a very busy place the last 30 minutes of the school day. We understand that emergency situations do come up but we kindly ask that parents NOT CALL to make transportation changes after 2:20 p.m. Please make sure students know your plan of pick up before they come to school. We appreciate your support!

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns at 614-759-5100 or by email at grovesk@gjps.org.

Respectfully,

Kristen Groves

Our fall assessment window opens this week. Our students in kindergarten and first grade will take the Acadience assessment in literacy. Our teachers will assess our students literacy skills in a one to one setting.

Our students in grades 2-5 will take the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Assessment in reading and math. The MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) 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. Students take this assessment on a chromebook. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next question is easier. The results are one data point that will help to provide a more complete picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn, helping staff better plan instruction to meet their needs.

Our MAP testing schedule is listed below:

Grade 5: August 27 (Reading) and August 29 (Math)

Grade 4: September 4 (Reading) and September 5 (Math)

Grade 3: September 12 (Math) and September 17 (Reading)

Grade 2: September 10 (Reading) and September 11 (Math)

If your child is absent on an assessment day, we will be sure to have him/her make up the assessment when they return to school.

Students in kindergarten and first grade will not take the MAP assessment until the winter.

School picture day is scheduled for Friday, September 13, 2024. Order forms will be coming home with students soon.

Mrs. Groves is looking for interested parents/guardians that are willing to help with picture day. This includes walking classes of students to the photo location, assisting photographers with set up, walking students back to class, etc. Mrs. Groves needs volunteers from 8:15 AM - Noon on September 13. Please EMAIL Mrs. Groves at grovesk@gjps.org if you are interested in volunteering by September 5! Thank you in advance!

Mrs. Ball is looking for volunteers to shelve books in the library! If you can commit to coming in for about an hour one day per week and are willing to help keep our library in order, please email Mrs. Ball about the details. Thank you in advance for considering!

We are so excited to announce that we now have a Book Vending Machine at Blacklick! It is located in the cafeteria flex space. Students will receive a special token on their birthday (or half birthday if they have a summer birthday) to choose a book from the vending machine!

To report an absence, please call the front office at 614-759-5100 or email lindseyk@gjps.org by 8:30am if possible.

Pursuant to House Bill 410, student attendance is now calculated in hours. This includes absences that have been identified as both excused and unexcused by the school, as well as planned absences. Being late or tardy to school does calculate into the total hours absent.

In an effort to encourage regular, on-time attendance and avoid habitual truancy, families are encouraged to:

• Make getting to school on time every day a high priority.

• Discuss the importance of regular school attendance and the negative impacts of excessive absences.

• Create a safe space for students to discuss what is keeping them from school.

• Develop a backup plan for getting your student to school when transportation challenges, illness, or other challenges arise.

• Schedule vacations during a time when school is not in session.

• Monitor your student’s attendance records to identify any disruptions or patterns of change.

• Contact your student’s school to discuss preventative services and supports available to promote regular attendance.

PLANNED ABSENCES (Such as vacation):

The time missed will be counted as an authorized, UNEXCUSED absence but shall not be a factor in determining grades unless the make-up work is not completed. Students who are absent 38 hours in a month or 65 hours in a school year with or without legitimate excuse are now considered Excessively Absent. These students will receive a letter from the District and will be required to follow the District Truancy Plan.These hours include approved planned absences. Planned absences will not be approved if your child has already met or will meet (based on this request) the absence threshold for Excessive Absence and/or Habitual Truancy.

If you have a planned absence, please fill out this form and send it in to the office. For more information or questions, please visit the GJPS website.

Parent Portal Annual Update

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 Blacklick Elementary: If you are a new family to Blacklick (including all of our kindergarten families), you will receive an email from Mrs. Lindsey, 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 614-759-5100. Mrs. Lindsey will be happy to help.

We are very lucky to have an amazing related arts team at Blacklick! We look forward to highlighting the wonderful work your students are doing in related arts classes in future newsletters!

Back Row (left to right):

Art: Mrs. Perkins and Ms. Petree

Library: Mrs. McGrew and Mrs. Ball

PE: Mr. Bower and Mr. Harvey

Front Row (left to right):

Music: Mrs. Wolfe and Mrs. Dawson

Mrs Ciaira Warfield, School Counselor

warfieldc@gjps.org 614-643-0773

Mrs Warfield is our School Counselor. She will be providing classroom lessons for grades K-4 as well as supporting students with school concerns as requested. Mrs Warfield works with students using a short term, 3-5 sessions, solution focused model. Mrs Warfield provides both group and individual counseling sessions as requested by students, teachers and parents.

Mrs Dawn Jenkins, Mental Health Specialist

jenkinsd@gjps.org 614-479-1327

Mrs Jenkins is our Mental Health Specialist. She will be providing classroom lessons in grade 5 as well as social lunch opportunities for students who request to eat with a small group of their peers. These are prevention opportunities and are not counseling groups. In addition she will be working with students who need long term counseling support in both individual and group counseling. Mrs Jenkins will reach out to you for permission if your child has been referred for counseling support.

If you feel your child could benefit from counseling support please reach out to your child's teacher or one of our counselors for guidance and referral information. We are always happy to help!

GRIN Snack Bag Sign Up

Dear Blacklick Elementary Families,

Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN) has partnered with Blacklick Elementary to offer a “Weekend Snack Pack” program for our students.

The program is to benefit families who are experiencing food insecurity or who NEED supplemental food at home for the weekend.

If you would like to participate in this program you will receive a bag of non-perishable food items that will be sent home from school with your child every Friday. No refrigeration is required.

In order to participate, please complete the form below. If you have more than 3 students complete the form until you have entered all children.

We want students to be engaged in learning and not distracted by devices.

"CELL PHONES & SMART WATCHES

Cell phones are permitted at school, but must remain off and in the student’s book bags throughout the school day AND while riding on the school bus.

Smart watches are also permitted, but should only be used as a clock while at school. Please make sure that your child's smart watch is in school mode prior to coming to school.

Students are not permitted to send or receive text messages or phone calls on cell phones or smart watches during the day or while on the bus. Additionally, photos may not be taken with cell phones or smart watches at school.

On state testing days, smart watches are not permitted to be worn.

If a parent/guardian needs to reach their student during the school day, they should call the school office at 614-759-5100. The school is not responsible for cell phones or smart watches that are lost, stolen, or damaged.

We are excited to be implementing new Math (Bridges) and Reading/Writing (Wit and Wisdom) Curriculum throughout the district this year in all K-5 classrooms.

Our teachers have participated in training for both curricular tools at the end of last school year as well as just prior to the beginning of this school year. With anything new, there is a learning curve and teachers will continue to learn as they dive into the tools and planning process.

Below are resources for families for both math (Bridges) and reading/writing (Wit and Wisdom) if you are interested in learning more:

BRIDGES MATH

WIT AND WISDOM

Please reach out to Kristen Groves with any questions at grovesk@gjps.org.

Please click on this document to learn all about Blacklick!

"Everything You Need To Know About Blacklick Elementary - The Blacklick Basics"

Please visit You can find almost anything you need on our website

www.gahannaschools.org

• Infinite Campus: Please log in to the parent portal and complete the Annual Information Update. Update all Emergency Medical Forms, make sure all contact information is current, apply money to lunch accounts, and more! Click Here for DIRECTIONS
• Bus Information: find your student's bus route, contact information, and download the bus app.
• District Calendar
• Free and Reduced Lunch Applications: Apply for free or reduced price lunch using the Parent Portal. Directions and more information can be found on the Food Service Website. If you need assistance please contact our head cook, Lisa Hughes at hughesl@gjps.org.
• LUNCH MENU LINK with ingredient information.
  

GJPS Elementary Student Handbook 24-25

The first PTO meeting of the school year is scheduled for September 10, 2024 at 6:30 PM in the Blacklick library. All parents/guardians are welcome and encouraged to attend!

PTO Officers for 2024-2025

Karen Davidson - President

Kristin Stewart- Vice President

Ashley Dean - Treasurer

Jess Waxler - Secretary

Need to contact the PTO?

PTOBlacklick@gmail.com

The elementary Chinese Enrichment Program is now accepting registrations for the 2024-2025 school year. This program is open to all students in grades 2 through 5 with classes taking place before or after school. Please visit our website for more details. Registration will be accepted online now through August 30, 2024.

September 2 Labor Day No School for Students and Staff

September 10 PTO Meeting in the Blacklick Library at 6:30 PM

September 12 First Grade Vision Screening

September 13 School Photos

September 23 Teacher PD Day No School for Students

October 3 Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 8 PTO Meeting in the Blacklick Library at 6:30 PM

October 10 Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 18 End of Quarter 1

October 21 Conference Comp Day - No School for Students/Staff

October 22 Staff Work Day - No School for Students

October 25 Report Cards for Quarter 1 go home with students

The Heart and Pride Award recognizes two outstanding staff members each month who make a profound impact on our students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools. Families are encourage to nominate a staff member today! The Heart & Pride Nomination Form will remain available year-round and is open to any member of our staff, regardless of position.