PBIS Mission Statement

I am prepared and ready to learn.

I will be respectful, responsible and focused.

I will make choices that focus on teaching and learning.

My hands are for helping, NOT hurting.

And my words are for encouraging.

I will be the best ‘me’ I can be.

December 2 - Pre-K Only No School

December 4 - Picture Retakes

December 17 - School vaccination clinic with Columbus Public Health during the school day

December 17 - Family Gingerbread House Building Event 6:00 pm

December 20 - 30 Minute Early Release; students must be picked up by 3:00 pm

December 23-January 3 - No School; Winter Break

The Middle of Year (MOY) testing window is open December 2-20. Watch for communications from your student's teacher regarding the testing schedule for your grade level.

Stay up to date! The calendar for the 2024-25 school year can be found here.

Dear Northtowne Elementary Families,

As we approach the December 23rd - January 3rd winter break from school, we are grateful to everyone for helping to maintain a routine for showing up to school while supporting students and families.

We appreciate everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra time off before the winter break. As long as your child is healthy, please encourage showing up to class when school is in session. Every day of school is an important opportunity for students to learn as well as to connect to their peers and teachers.

In the event that you do experience illness, please remember to notify the school office. You can call the office at 614-365-5488 or use the convenient addenance email noted below in the "Student Absences" section of this newsletter.

We thank:

● Our students and their families who do their best to show up daily even when it isn’t easy.

● Our teachers who go above and beyond to make school a welcoming and safe place for all students to learn.

● Our administrators who help us work together to ensure we create a physically and emotionally safe and engaging learning environment.

● Our support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need.

We appreciate each one of you. May the coming days off be restful and healing.

● If your family or your child needs support, please reach out to Mrs. Hughes (hhughes2654@columbus.k12.oh.us), Dr. Emmerich (jemmeric@columbus.k12.oh.us), or Mrs. Bowman (sbowman@columbus.k12.oh.us) for help.

● We look forward to seeing you again when school resumes on January 6th, 2025.

Thank you for partnering with us!

Did you know that you can send an email to let us know your student will be absent from school? You can! You can also take a photo of the appointment excuse note and attach it to an email. No more wondering if your student remembered to turn in the paper. Contact us with all things concerning attendance here: attendance.northtowne@columbus.k12.oh.us

Hello Families, Caregivers, and Students,

I'm not sure about you, but November felt like a short month at Northtowne Elementary. It was probably due to the well deserved Wellness Week break from school and the fact that that when we returned to school it was already December! December is sure to feel like it goes by in a flash as well. We have a few activities and events planned for students and families. We are also fitting it into only three weeks before the Winter Break! 😮

The Middle Of Year (MOY) testing window is currently open and will remain open until the winter break begins.We plan to use the last week before the break for make-ups only. The better our students' attendance rate this month the fewer make-up tests we will have to administer. Watch for communication from our teachers regarding exactly which dates their classrooms will be using for the iReady Reading and Math tests. It's always a good idea to eat a healthy breakfast, and it is especially true of days when students are testing. Remember, a free breakfast is always available before school in our cafeteria starting at 8:30 each morning.

I am also very excited to invite all Northtowne families to our 3rd annual Family Gingerbread House Building Event! This event has consistently been one of our most highly attended family activities of the school year. This year we will have greater emphasis on science of creating structurally sound buildings. We will also continue to work on the Portrait of a Graduate traits of adaptability, communication, and creativity. We hope our families will come again this year to enjoy all the fun! The date is December 17 and the full details are found below in this newsletter.

With Winter Break also comes a day of early release from school on December 20. Please note and set alarms in your phone for afternoon pick up 30 minutes early at 3:00 pm that day. If your student rides the bus, expect them to be dropped off 30 minutes earlier than the normal drop off time. Our students and staff are all equally excited to begin a well deserved two week break from school. We ask that families arrive on time to the school or bus stops for this early release so that the break can officially begin!

Warmly,

Mr. Taylor

Please stay with your child prior to 8:30 a.m. and/or when there is no adult supervision. For the safety of your child, please wait until a staff member is outside. Children should not be dropped off before 8:30.

If you drive your student to school, please enter the parking lot area and drive beside the sidewalk. Pull forward, as much as possible, until just past the open cafeteria doors.

Breakfast is served starting at 8:30 and is free for any child who chooses to eat.

Cold mornings, freeze warnings, and frosty car windshields have arrived in Columbus! Please, send your student to school dressed for the weather. Warm coats, hats, and mittens/gloves are needed. Boots for walking through snow could be needed at any point as temperatures continue to drop. In Ohio, cold weather often lasts from the end of October through early/mid March.

If you need any assistance with getting the necessary outerwear for the Ohio weather, reach out to Family Ambassador Sarah Bowman, sbowman@columbus.k12.oh.us. She will get the details of your needs and connect you with Northtowne Elementary or community based resources to help.

December Holidays and Traditions

December brings winter holidays, of which there are at least 17 celebrated by different groups! Some of these holidays are Christmas, Kwanza, Las Posadas, and Chanukah. This is also a time when families gather in the warmth of their homes. Throughout the month, our thoughts and actions turn toward charity and peace.

Enjoy your upcoming winter break with your family and friends however you celebrate.

During the past month, Guidance lessons have been focused on the STEP process to tackle various challenges. The STEP process, which stands for; Say the problem, Think about solutions, Explore Outcomes, and Pick the best, empowers students to approach problems methodically. By stopping to identify the issue, thinking through possible solutions, evaluating the best course of action, and then proceeding with confidence, students develop critical thinking and decision-making skills that are essential for their personal and academic growth. This structured approach not only helps them solve problems effectively but also fosters a supportive and collaborative learning environment.

S - Say the problem.

• Students are taught to define their problems. Are they big, medium, or small problems? Do they require little to no effort, some effort, or a lot of effort to solve? Why is the problem a problem for you? What is causing the problem to exist?

T- Think of a solution.

• Students are taught to brainstorm solutions. Usually, the first impulse isn't the greatest solution to the problem. Solutions need to address the specific problem. Solutions that address different problems most likely won't solve your problem.

E - Explore different outcomes.

• The next step is to figure out what will happen if you choose one of your solutions. WIll it solve the problem? If it doesn't work, will it make the problem bigger? Might your solution have unwanted side effects?

P - Pick the best.

• Pick the one that gets the best possible outcome. Often times solutions are compromises. You almost rarely get everything you want to happen. Once you have evaluated the outcomes, your job is to pick the one that will most likely be the best for you

Nurse Cassie would like all of our families to know about the following great opportunity from Columbus Public Health at our in school flu vaccination clinic! The flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective in preventing the flu. Even if you get the flu after having been vaccinated it will almost definitely be a less severe case of illness. Getting vaccinated is especially important for members of a household that include very young children or the elderly as their immune systems do not function as well as school aged children and middle aged adults. Columbus Public Health will come to our school to administer the flu vaccine during the school day on December 17th. Students must have returned a signed consent form in order to get the vaccine. Paper consent forms are being distributed. If you would rather complete an on-line consent form, click the button below.

Join us for the 3rd annual Family Gingerbread House Building Event!

Where: Northtowne Elementary cafeteria

When: Tuesday, December 17

6:00 pm-7:30 pm

What: Students are invited to attend with their family and practice their construction skills. The school will provide one set of supplies (graham crackers, icing, basic candies) for each family. Your family is welcome to bring additional supplies or your own gingerbread kit, if you wish.

Building a gingerbread house almost never goes exactly according to plan! Sometimes even making a plan can be challenging when you are working in a group. This family event will be a chance for students to practice Portrait of a Graduate traits such as adaptability, communication, and creativity. This year will also try to give families a few extra tips on the science of structurally strong buildings.

Save spare change and bring the coins to school! Each house will have a jar to collect coins. Each coin is worth it's value. The most points (coin value collected) wins a pajama day and movie. The money collected is a school fundraiser to support our PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) activities. The collection of coins runs from December 2nd through the 18th.

On our quest for continuous improvement Northtowne is starting a Family Advisory Council to more directly partner our families and our staff. A first meeting was held with families we were aware of who specifically expressed interest in being involved with something like this. The next meeting will be open to any of our families attending. Below is some information about what we hope the Family Advisory Council will bring to our school community. Also, the Google Slides show from the first meeting is linked, just click the image to open the presentation. Please, use the contact information at the end of the slide show to let us know of any thoughts and feedback you would like to provide.

Vision: The Family Advisory Council (FAC) will provide families with knowledge and resources needed for students to have a more successful school year.

Mission: Through thoughtful partnerships the FAC will offer families resources and support to have a positive impact on student success.

Core Values:

• Collaboration with families, staff, and community members

• Strong communication providing consistent and meaningful messages

• Respect for all to ensure positive relationships, cultural sensitivity, and inclusion

• Providing resources to families to support development and progress

• Positively influence and empower families to encourage learning at home

Staff Heros Illustrating Northtowne Excellence (SHINE) is an award for our staff that is similar to the TAG awards. SHINE is new for this school year and recognizes that even adults thrive better when they are recognized for their efforts! While staff are able to nominate each other for these awards, the real magic happens when our families get involved too!!

SHINE is an opportunity for staff, caregivers, and students (with the guidance of their adults at home) to share a moment of greatness that was noticed and appreciated. Did a staff member go above and beyond? Were they especially helpful? Were they responsive to your needs or concerns? Even small actions can make a big difference for the people they impact, let’s share these positive moments and appreciation with each other!

To nominate a staff member, fill out the “SHINE” Google Form with the date, your name, name of the nominee, and reason for the SHINE. A SHINE award certificate will be filled out and delivered to the appropriate staff member for each nomination made in the Google Form. The link for the form is here: https://forms.gle/Zhs76dZ6kgLY16DF6

Do you have concerns about how your student is managing school expectations (academic, behavior, social, etc.)? Click the link below to fill out a form that will let the school know about your concerns. Your communication with us helps us to be sure that no one in need is missed.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWUlEYRyPMJkDPvLB5DLRO-6aYS6JJErlVyZokHqc4rV1s1A/viewform

Join us December 11th at 12:00 noon for an insightful Lunch and Learn session where presenters from Nationwide Children’s Hospital School-Based Clinics and the Triple P Parenting Program come together to explore how schools and families can collaborate to support children's well-being. Learn about the vital role school-based clinics play in addressing health and behavioral needs and discover how the Triple P Parenting Program provides parents with practical strategies to promote positive behavior and emotional growth. This session will offer valuable resources for educators, healthcare providers, and parents, equipping them with tools to foster healthier, stronger families and more successful students. Whether you're a teacher, counselor, or parent, you'll leave with actionable insights to make a difference in the lives of children and families.

Many of our families already know and believe that something special is happening with the education of students at Northtowne Elementary. While test scores and State standards don't tell the whole story, they do tell an important part of the story. Northtowne Elementary is one of 44 schools in our district has been recognized as achieving 3 or more stars on the most recent Ohio Department of Education Report Cards. While our overall rating was 3-stars, it is worth pointing out that in the sub-categories of Progress (growth students are making based on their past performance) and Gap Closing (reduction of education gaps between various student groups) we scored 4-stars! Way to go Northtowne!

Destination #2: Columbus Zoo Wildlights (REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!)

Saturday, December 14, 2024

3 - 6pm

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (4850 W Powell Rd., Powell, OH 43065)

Family Learning Experiences include:

• Free Flu Shots

• Marine Life Exploration with the Watters Aquatic Conservation Center

• Environmental Responsibility Awareness with Keep Columbus Beautiful

• Free Books and Giveaways (While Supplies Last)

• Experience the Magical Zoo Lights!

During December’s Pathway Express event, learning will be centered around Critical Thinking, a key quality in our Portrait of a Graduate. This means helping our students analyze and apply evidence-based reasoning to understand “big picture” challenges and how solutions affect other parts of a system.

Families must register in advance for tickets by going to the link below.

Free transportation is provided! Buses will shuttle families from Northland, Walnut Ridge, South, and West High Schools to the zoo and back. Buses will depart from each school at 3:00 p.m. and will depart the zoo at 8:00 p.m. to drop families back off at the school that evening.

It's back again this year! Columbus City School (CCS) families who have a 5th grader in the home are eligible for a FREE year long family membership to COSI!

Thanks to the generosity of the Robert Weiler Company, COSI is proud to offer a complimentary one-year COSI Membership to Columbus City Schools 5th Grade Students and their families. You are invited to give your family the gift of science learning with year-round visits to COSI. It’s simple when you click on the button below!

It’s absolutely FREE and absolutely FUN!
YOUR COSI MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:
• FREE year-long admission to COSI
• FREE reciprocal admission to 360+ science centers worldwide*
• Invitations to Member Previews & Events
• Discounts on parking, Museum Store, and the Atomic Café
* Some restrictions apply. Pricing and benefits subject to change without notice.

Limited number of Memberships available. First come, first served. Application window will close January 31st, 2025.

Second Saturday Kids Days are free events that take place in the Ross Community Studio at the WOSU headquarters. At each Second Saturday event, children will experience learning through characters they already know and love and explore themes that combine imagination, interaction and technology to investigate art, science, math and reading.

Follow your curiosity at the next Second Saturday Kids Day! This month we are partnering with Buckeye Paws to have exciting hands on learning experiences and activities. Meet special guest Clifford from the hit PBS show Clifford the Big Red Dog, play with sorting, and more!

Activities include:

• Meet therapy dogs from Buckeye Paws!
• Create a dog puppet
• Dramatic play care center
• Color
• Airbrush artist
• Book Nook
• Meet and Greet with Clifford

Materials may be limited and activities are on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is free, but advance registration is required.

When: Saturday, December 14th, 2024

9:00-11:00am
Where: WOSU Ross Community Studio
1800 N. Pearl Street, Columbus, Ohio 43201

What is the Project Connect Program?

Authorized under Federal law through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act, the Columbus City Schools’ Project Connect Program provides services to ensure that identified children and youth experiencing homelessness have access to a free and appropriate public education by removing barriers due to homelessness. As advocates for educational rights, there are various services the program provides to assist families in transition.

How can the Project Connect Program help?

Project Connect works with students, parents, Columbus City Schools (CCS) employees, partner agencies, and other local school districts to provide assistance with:

• school selection and enrollment
• school transportation o wellness checks and on-going social and emotional support
• book bags and school supplies for students
• assistance with high school graduation fees and expenses o addressing barriers that affect school attendance and full participation
• obtaining necessary documents such as birth certificates, school records, and medical records
• dispute resolution regarding school choice and enrollment

Who may qualify for the Project Connect Program?

The term “children and youth experiencing homelessness” means individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate night-time residence. It includes those who are:

• sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of home, economic hardship, or similar reason
• living in motels or hotels
• staying in trailer parks or campgrounds due to the lack of alternative adequate accommodations
• living in emergency or transitional shelters
• abandoned in hospitals
• living on their own, such as youth who have run away or have been put out of their home

How do families access homeless services through CCS?

• Parents and students may call the Project Connect Office at 614-365-5140
• Email: ProjectConnect@columbus.k12.oh.us

At the following links you can find a collection of community resources. These resources are ones that are consistently available on our Central Ohio community. Each link has a different theme to the resources contained in it. These resources have been found and the information is maintained by a team of Family Ambassadors. If you discover outdated information or links that do not work please help the Family Ambassador team by notifying the Family Ambassador at your school. If there are additional resources that would be helpful to you, please notify your Family Ambassador so that the team can work on those additions.

Did you delete a Northtowne News email and then realize there was a resource you still wanted to check out? Do you remember seeing a newsletter announcement about a community resource but now you can't remember the name of the organization and you can't find the email from the newsletter? Don't worry! The information you need is not lost! All prior Newsletters and mid-month updates are available on the Northtowne Elementary web site. The button below will take you directly to the newsletter archive.

Parents Right To Know Information as Required by the Elementary and Secondary Education

Act (ESEA) (Section 1112(e)(1)(A) and the Every Student Succeeds Act (Section 1112(e)(1)(A)

As a parent of a student attending a school that is receiving Federal Title I dollars, you have the right

to know the professional qualifications of the teacher(s) and instructional paraprofessional(s) who

instruct your child, Federal law required every Title I school district to comply and to provide you

with the requested information in a timely manner.

We are happy to provide this information to you. At any time, you may ask:

• whether the teacher met state qualifications and certification requirements for the grade level

and subject he/she is teaching

• whether the teacher received an emergency or conditional certificate through which state
• what undergraduate or graduate degrees the teacher holds, including graduate certificates and

additional degrees, and major(s) or area(s) of concentration.

You may also ask whether your child receives help from a paraprofessional. If your child receives this assistance, we can provide you with information about the paraprofessional’s qualifications.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) which was signed into law in December 2015 and

reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1956 (ESEA) includes additional right to know requests. At any time, parents and family members can request:

• information on policies regarding student participation in assessments and procedures for

opting out, and;

• information on required assessments that include:
• subject matter tested
• purpose of the test
• source of the requirement (if applicable)
• amount of time it takes students to complete the test, and
• time and format of disseminating results

Our staff is committed to helping your child develop the academic knowledge and critical thinking

skills he/she needs to succeed in school and beyond. That commitment includes making sure that all of our teachers and paraprofessionals meet applicable Ohio state requirements.

Thank you so much for your support and involvement with your child’s learning. Whether it’s conferences, attending the family meetings, or a quick chat throughout the day, we appreciate your involvement and efforts to build the lines of communication between home and school.

Lots of school communication and information is in the Parent Portal. If you need help accessing the Parent Portal please contact our Family Ambassador, Sarah Bowman. She can even link families to interpreters (Bilingual Engagement Liaisons or BEL) to help with understanding the Parent Portal set up process. Email: sbowman@columbus.k12.oh.us or you can call or text: 614-859-9654

Send a note to let us know what you thought, make suggestions or ask a question. We would love to hear from you. Please send a note to your child’s teacher or send a message.

Contributors:

Austin Taylor, Principal

Phone: 614-365-5488

Fax: 614-365-5487

Email: ataylor4@columbus.k12.oh.us

Sarah Bowman, Family Ambassador

614-859-9654

Email: sbowman@columbus.k12.oh.us

Susan Bryant, Building Coach

614-365-5488

Email: sbryant9569@columbus.k12.oh.us

Frank Beickelman, Grant Provider

614-365-5488

Email: frankmindfulleducation@gmail.com