High Point Elementary Updates

Thank you to Girl Scout Troop 6814 for beautifying our Reading Garden behind the school last weekend for their service project. This is such a great space for our students and teachers to use.

You can find almost anything you need on the Gahanna School Website at https://www.gahannaschools.org.

• Infinite Campus: Please log-in to the parent portal and update all Emergency Medical Forms, make sure all contact information is current, apply money to lunch accounts, and more! DIRECTIONS
• Bus Information: find your student's bus route, contact information, and download the bus app.
• District Calendar
• High Point Events Calendar
• Free and Reduced Lunch Applications: To apply for free or reduced lunch prices, please visit this site for more information. If you need assistance please contact Missy George at georgeme@gjps.org.
  
• Volunteer Application-If you are interested in volunteering at High Point this year, please fill out the an application. More information can be found here.

If you use Google Calendar, feel free to add our public calendar to your device by using this link.

We are still in need of volunteers for Walkathon. This is our ONLY fundraiser throughout the year! We need volunteer shirt sizes ASAP. Please click on the link below for more information: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qjnZd4NMAKeTY__Ht9JiSXFOO4ej3_csnoi7RcADtTc/edit?usp=sharing

September is National Childhood Cancer Month, and we will be wearing GOLD on Friday, Sept. 13 to honor and offer support to all children facing cancer. We hope you will join us!

This year all of our Gahanna-Jefferson elementary schools will be participating in Start with Hello week from September 16th-20th. This week was developed by Sandy Hook Promise with the goal of creating connections and a sense of belonging. Each day we will have a different clothing theme and we will have special guests greeting our students as they enter the building. We want our students to know the power of starting with "Hello!" Please see this flyer for the clothing themes for the week.

Welcome to the new school year! My name is Jennifer Diol, and I am the School Counselor at High Point Elementary. I am here every day, and am available via email at diolj@gjps.org or phone at 614 643-0811. Joining me this year is Jadean Frost, our new Prevention Clinician from Concord Counseling. Together Jadean and I will provide monthly lessons in classrooms, small group counseling sessions and one-on-one support to students. Please reach out if there is anything we can do to support your child's mental health or success at school. We will be starting out the year with a couple of small group opportunities. Please see below for more info!

New Student Groups-These groups will be for any 1st-5th grade student who are new to High Point. The purpose of this group is to ensure that our new students are feeling comfortable at their new school, learn all about the different activities and opportunities available at High Point, and to help them develop friendships. If you have a student who is in 1st-5th grade and you would like them to participate in this small group please sign them up here.

Anxiety Groups-As you may know, the beginning of the school year can be a stressful time for students. We would like to conduct small groups to help your child(ren) cope with any anxious feelings they may be having regarding the start of the school year. This will be a multi-week group based on grade level. It will allow your child to identify signs of anxiety and build coping skills while spending time with their peers. If you are interested in enrolling your child into one of these groups, please fill out the following google form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpCngyOCtW-PoZNxkM9-9GNYPp0gUgbYdhod25R3pdW76Dhw/viewform?usp=sf_link

We need your help! Please complete this volunteer interest survey form if you would like to help the PTA with various activities at High Point throughout the school year.

Please complete the interest form by selecting yes for ALL volunteer opportunities you might like to assist with this year. This does not commit you but rather will show interest to learn more information for each event or activity.

For any questions, please reach out to High Point PTA President, Crystal Ott at hpptapresident@gmail.com.

Survey link: https://forms.gle/sFNEAgcKXQGq39aG6

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.

Do you know a staff member who you feel makes a profound impact on students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools? If so, nominate them for the GJPS Heart and Pride award. This award is open to any staff member. regardless of position. Each month, the district will take the nominations to the Heart and Pride Committee, which is composed of community members and former staff members. The committee will select two winners a month that will be recognized by our Board of Education at the monthly meeting. If you have a staff member in mind, please complete THIS GOOGLE FORM. Nominations can take place all year.

Come and join the fun, whether you dash, walk or run!

Come see the progress of the new GLHS!

Do you own a business or work at a business that would like to have a decorated trunk at the Stash?

If you would like more information, please contact Dianna Bessignano at bessignanod@gjps.org OR (614) 269-4262.

Sept. 23, 2024: PD Day - No School