CES Weekly Communicator

Welcome Back, Chapelfield families.

We hope you were able to enjoy your summer with your child/ren and that you are ready for the 2024-2025 school year. We have been working hard to make our building sparkle! Every Friday you will receive a weekly newsletter from Chapelfield with the most updated activities and events. We will highlight the learning taking place. Make sure to read it carefully for important information like calendars, start times, breakfast/lunch menus and how you can sign up for free and reduced lunches. PTO also takes time to share fun ways to connect to our school community.

We will welcome everyone back to school with our Open House on Wednesday, August 14 from 3:30-5 p.m. You can meet your child's teacher and grab an icee from our PTO. There will be information on how you can join the Parent Teacher Organization! We are always looking for volunteers. School will start sharply at 8:05 a.m. Students that want to eat breakfast can come in at 7:50 a.m.

Sincerely,

Nikki Miller

Currently, there is a small glitch with classroom assignments. When they are posted, I will email all families. Thank you for your patience.

**NEW DAILY SCHEDULE**

This year's start and end times have changed from the past. For Chapelfield (and all GJPS Elementary Schools) the daily times are:

7:50 Doors Open for Students Eating Breakfast At School

7:55 Doors Open for All Students

8:05 School Starts

2:45 School Ends

Arrival

Our doors open at 7:50 a.m. for students who will be eating breakfast at school ONLY. All other students are able to enter at 7:55 a.m. Buses will dismiss students at 7:55 a.m. Kindergarten, first, and second grade students enter through the doors on the right, if you’re facing the building. Third, fourth, and fifth grade students will enter the doors on the left. Students who are driven to school by parents or guardians may be dropped off beginning at 7:55 a.m. They will exit their vehicle and follow the sidewalk to the front of the building. In the case of inclement weather, students will be permitted to come into the building rather than waiting outside. However, this is not until 7:50 a.m, when student supervision begins.

Dismissal

Buses:

Students riding the bus will exit at the front of the building. Bus riders will leave at 2:42 p.m.

Car Riders/Day Car Shuttles:

Students being picked up by car will use the door near the music room, the west door. These students are dismissed at 2:35 p.m. This is a car rider lane ONLY. It is not for parents or guardians to park and pick students up in person. We kindly ask that you refrain from using your cell phone at this time in order to keep all students safe. We will be extended the pick up lane to make this process faster.

Parent Pick Up & Students Walking Home (NOT IN A CAR): Dismissed at 2:45 p.m.

If you wish to pick your child up in person, and not sit in the car lane, please go to the K-1 playground.

• All students will go out the east side doors to exit onto the K-1 playground. Please wait for your child there.

Please note with the change of times, we may monitor and adjust our plan. Please continue to read for updates.

The front office is a busy place the last 30 minutes of school. We ask that parents NOT CALL to make transportation changes after 2:25 p.m. Please make sure students know your plan of pick up before they come to school.

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.

Please review the checklist that is listed below to ensure that your family is ready for the new school year:

____ Log in to Infinite Campus and update your child's information for the 2023-2024 school year. This is a requirement for ALL families (new families and returning families).

*If you do not have access to the internet or are unable to download the information, please call the school office during summer office hours, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and Mrs. Gilzow our school secretary, will be available to assist families in updating information in Infinite Campus.

______ Lunch Menu (Online now at gahannaschools.org). Students can choose to pack their lunch or eat a lunch provided by the school cafeteria.

______ Chapelfield Calendar of Events is on the Gahanna Schools website (gahannaschools.org), and included in our weekly emails throughout the year.

_______Chapelfield School Supply List **Available on the Gahanna Schools website - on the Chapelfield page - gahannaschools.org or by clicking the links below:

Chapelfield School Supply List (PDF)

______Bus Transfer Request Form (Return only if applicable to your child, if your daycare provider says that you ride a Gahanna bus, you must complete this form; available on Gahanna website under transportation tab)

______ Medication Form (If your child will be taking medication at school including over the counter medication; on Gahanna Schools website under health services)

______ Food Allergy Forms (must indicate online and have a written doctor’s note with alternatives (You will turn in the doctor's note to the school office).

______ Pay School Fees through Campus Payment in Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

______ GJPS/Chapelfield Student Handbook (acknowledge on Infinite Campus; a copy of the GJPS Student Handbook is located on the Gahanna Schools website at http://www.gahannaschools.org).

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!

Lunch Options this year will be:

• Hot Lunch
• Yogurt Entree w/ Grain (Protein Plate)
  
• Turkey Sandwich
• WowButter Pocket

• Garden Salad
  

• NEW THIS YEAR: Cheese Sandwich

Lunch Payments-You may apply money on-line to your student's account. This is done on Infinite Campus. Click HERE for directions.

PIN Numbers Will Be Used. Students will need to know their student ID number to access their lunch accounts in the cafeteria. ID numbers can be found on Infinite Campus under your child's profile. Please help them start to memorize this number prior to school starting. Teachers and staff will assist students for the first couple of weeks.

Free and Reduced Lunch Applications: To apply for free or reduced lunch prices, please visit this site for more information.

To report an absence, please call the front office at 614-478-5575 or email gilzows@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.

GJPS Elementary Student Handbook 24-25

• 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
• Free and Reduced Lunch Applications: To apply for free or reduced lunch prices, please visit this site for more information.

*Meet our 2024-2025 PTO Board members!

• President- Kristen Muenster
• Vice President- Cassidy Older
• Co-Treasurers- Cheryl Glenn & Andrea Agan
• Co-Secretaries- Tina Green
• Volunteer Coordinator- Holly Williamson
• Co-Communications Coordinator- Kristi Sayers & Christine Alessio

*Icee Social hosted by the PTO will be during the Open House event on August 15 from 3:30-5 p.m.

• Please stop by the PTO booth to get a sweet treat and sign up to help us to provide wonderful events for our school community.
• See our Spirit wear booth for fun GJPS and CES clothing that night as well to support our 5th grade committee.

*Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground Event-August 17th 11 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Bring your kindergartener and an adult to meet the newest class of Chapelfield students.

*Breakfast with Buddies: Join us on Friday, August 30th from 7:30 a.m.-8:05 a.m. for all students' whose last name starts with A-L and their family. Come have breakfast with your child/ren. M-Z will be on September 13th.

*Our first PTO meeting will be Tuesday, September 10th at 7:00 p.m. in the Chapelfield Library. This will also be our Title 1 parent meeting.

5th grade committee will have limited spirit wear for purchase with cash or checks at Open House and a full array of styles available to purchase online. Clothing samples for sizing and designs can be viewed at Open House.

Wednesday, August 14:

*Welcome Back Open House: Drop off your school supplies, meet your teacher, and pick up a sweet snack from PTO from 3:30-5 p.m.

Thursday, August 14:

*First Day of School for 1st-5th grade students.

Thursday, August 15-20: Staggered Start for Kindergartners; please refer to the letter sent.

Tuesday, August 20: Kindergarten Curriculum Night @ 5:30 p.m. Adults ONLY.

Thursday, August 22: First Day of School for ALL Kindergartners

Friday, August 30th: PTO Breakfast with Buddies for families with last names starting A-L @ 7:30 a.m.

Monday, September 2: Labor Day-NO SCHOOL

2024-2025 GJPS District Calendar (PDF)

2024-2025 School Menus

2024-2025 Bus Schedule and Routes

2025-2026 School Calendar