Glacier Ridge Gazette

As a principal with years of experience in Dublin City Schools, I’ve witnessed firsthand how our district has grown and evolved. This growth is a testament to the quality of our schools, our students, and our entire community. However, with this growth comes the challenge of redistricting—a process that I’ve been through three times during my tenure as principal. I understand how deeply these changes can affect children, parents, and staff, and I want to share my thoughts on how we can navigate this process together.

Earlier this week, the district released proposed redistricting maps to gather feedback from the community. It’s natural for families to feel a sense of uncertainty or concern, whether they anticipate a move to a new school or are staying put. Redistricting impacts everyone, whether you're moving or staying, and emotions will be high. It’s important for us to acknowledge those feelings and support each other throughout this process.

Supporting Students Through Change

It’s vital that we’re mindful of how we talk about redistricting, especially around our children. Every child is different, and what you say to them will depend on their age, maturity, and personality, as well as your family’s situation. That said, a few general principles can help guide these conversations.

Acknowledge Emotions but Don’t Dwell on Them: It’s easy for us as adults to dismiss a child’s feelings if we don’t share the same concerns. However, a child’s fear or worry about redistricting is real to them, just like their fear of the dark might have been at a younger age. Validate their emotions, listen to what’s troubling them, and give them space to express themselves. Eventually, with your guidance, they can reach the point of realizing that things will be okay.

On the flip side, be careful not to heighten their emotions by projecting your own worries. If you react strongly, children may interpret that as a sign that they should feel more anxious. Instead, help them process their emotions and empower them to brainstorm solutions or coping strategies. Remember, our role as adults is to teach problem-solving and emotional regulation, not to manage emotions for them.

Understand Both Sides of the Situation: Whether a child is staying at their current school or moving to a new one, redistricting is a big change. Children who remain in their current school may worry about losing friends, while those moving to a new school may feel nervous about the unknown. It’s important to help them consider how others might feel and to remind them that every child is facing their own challenges. Practicing empathy helps children not only understand their own emotions but also those of others.

Focus on Resilience and Flexibility: Change is hard, but it’s also a chance to grow. One of the most valuable skills we can teach our children is how to be resilient in the face of adversity. It’s important to help them see challenges not as something to fear but as opportunities for growth. Resilience takes time to build, and it starts by helping students manage their emotions and see problems from multiple perspectives.

How to Talk About Redistricting

Here are some questions that might help guide your conversations with your child or even with other community members during this process:

• How are you feeling about this?

• What makes you feel that way?

• What do you think others staying/going are feeling?

• Are there any benefits to this change for you or others?

• What can we learn from this situation?

• Remember when you faced something tough before—what was something good that came out of it?

• What are some things you can do to feel better? Who can you ask for help if you need it?

These conversations encourage both self-reflection and empathy, helping children build skills that will serve them throughout life.

The Pros of Growth: A Thriving, Diverse School Community

Redistricting can feel disruptive, but it’s important to remember why we’re going through it: Dublin City Schools is a place where families want to be. Our district’s size and diversity allow us to offer more resources, programs, and opportunities for every student. The quality of our schools is directly tied to this growth, and that’s something we can all be proud of.

Being part of a large, growing district means access to world-class academic programs and extracurricular activities, as well as the chance to learn alongside peers from diverse backgrounds. These experiences prepare our students to thrive in an interconnected world. While there are challenges to redistricting, it’s part of ensuring we continue providing the best educational environments for our growing community.

Preparing for a Smooth Transition

Although the redistricting maps are still in draft form, we are already planning for how to support our students through this transition. In the spring, principals will begin communicating directly with students who are moving to new schools, helping them feel connected and prepared for the changes ahead. We will make sure these students are introduced to their new environments, helping ease any anxieties they may have.

Meanwhile, students who remain at their current schools will be welcomed in the fall with just as much love and excitement. Every child—whether staying or going—will be valued and supported as they begin the new school year. Together, we can make this transition a positive experience for all.

Moving Forward Together

As we navigate this redistricting process, please know that Dublin City Schools is committed to supporting students, families, and staff throughout the journey. This is the third redistricting I’ve experienced as a principal in this district, and I can assure you that we will continue to communicate and provide resources to make this as smooth as possible for everyone involved.

For accurate information, updates, and opportunities to provide feedback, I encourage everyone to visit the district’s redistricting website. Let’s move forward together and ensure a bright future for all our students.

Sincerely,

Pete Kurty, Ed. D

Principal

Cropper GIS encourages everyone to take a few minutes to complete this survey, which allows you to provide feedback on the proposed boundary changes. Whether your feedback is positive or suggests areas for improvement, all input is valuable and will help guide the final decisions. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and participating in this important process!

Families are kindly asked to bring in supplies to support our troops serving overseas. Boxes will be in front of the library in order to collect: toothpaste, toothbrushes, decks of cards, magazines, hard candy, powdered drink mix, chap-stick, baby wipes, and small toys such as balls and yo-yos.

Also, if you have a family member currently serving overseas, we would like to send them a care package. Please email Mrs. Gould at (gould_angela@dublinschools.net) their APO address or fill out this Google Form.

Thank you for supporting our troops!

Sona, Marie, Madelyn, Lydia, Lillian, and Mrs. Gould

GRE Student Leadership Veterans Day Committee

The students and staff of Glacier Ridge Elementary are excited for our annual Veterans Day Celebration. This year our celebration will be held on Monday, November 11th at 9:50 AM. Veterans, as special guests of our Glacier Ridge students and staff, are invited to attend. We will honor our veterans with an assembly, followed by a brief reception in the commons. GRE students are encouraged to invite a family member who is a veteran.

In preparation for this day, we ask that anyone in our GRE family who would like to bring a veteran, please RSVP by completing this form by Tuesday, November 5. This will allow us to properly plan for and recognize each of our guests.

Registration is necessary in order to plan appropriate seating and support. Family members are welcome to attend along with our veteran guests; however, seating may be limited for additional family.

*** PLEASE NOTE - The assembly start time is later this year than in the past. Our students and staff will be ready to greet you upon arrival starting at 9:40 AM. Please do not arrive earlier than 9:40 as students will be in class until that time.

It's that time of year where kids are bundled up in coats and hats for the morning commute, only to find them in t-shirts and shorts by the time they come home!

Check out lost and found HERE . Ask your children to stop by the table outside the clinic to claim their items by Friday, November 1. Unclaimed items will be donated to One Dublin.

We are seeking 2-3 volunteers per grade level (K-5) to support our OneDublin Adopt-A-Family program. The first meeting will take place on October 29th.

Please click the link below to sign-up.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050948A4A823A5F94-52384534-2024

Team up with the Dublin Girl Scouts to get winter coats to those in need. Please donate your new or gently used, laundered coats to benefit the kids and families through the Capital Kids Campaign of Columbus and Help My Neighbor Food Pantry.

All sizes of coats are welcome!

There will be a collection bin in the commons close to the front doors.

Donate today through November 1st!

Thank you for helping others stay warm this winter!

Date: Thursday, October 31, 2024

AM Kindergarten (10:45 a.m.)

• AM kindergarten students should come dressed in their costumes.

PM Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th grades (2:30 - 3:15 p.m.)

• PM kindergarten students should come dressed in their costumes.

• All volunteers must exit the building by 3:25

Costumes

Costumes are welcome, but not required. It is up to the child/family whether or not to wear a costume and each choice is equally respected. For those that choose to wear a costume, please consider the appropriateness of your child’s costume choice. Simulated weapons or any other dangerous costume parts should be left at home. Grim and violent costumes can scare young children and should be reserved for trick or treating in the neighborhood. Students must be able to dress themselves in their costumes.

KINDERGARTEN (AM & PM): Students should come to school dressed in their costumes and be able to remove their costumes themselves.

Volunteers

VOLUNTEERS: Classroom parties are limited only to those parents, volunteers, and families who planned the party. Due to space within the classroom, the number of volunteers may be limited by the room parent and teacher. The parties and volunteers are coordinated collaboratively with the room parent(s) and classroom teachers.

Volunteer Schedule:

• Volunteer Arrival: Parent volunteers can go to classrooms no earlier than 2:15 p.m.

• Volunteer Dismissal: Volunteers must be out of the building by 3:25 and out of the way of dismissal/bus traffic.

Parking for Volunteers

Please observe the No Parking signs along Glacier Ridge Boulevard. All cars parked in the dismissal lanes must be removed prior to 3:30. Also, observe the Fire Lane Restrictions on school property. Local police may ticket you. We also will open our playground for parking.

Volunteers Signing Out Students

Volunteers can sign out their own child in the classroom in which they volunteer. Teachers will have sign-out sheets. If volunteers also want to sign out siblings, they must do so in the office. Please do not go directly to the sibling’s classroom.

Food

Please adhere to the food allergies of the students in the classroom. All food items should have the ingredient list on the packaging. A letter from the clinic should have come home with students in classrooms that have known food allergies. Please use the SnackSafely allergy guide. Please do not send items that contain ingredients on the allergy list. If you have questions about allergies in a particular classroom feel free to call the office. Parents of students with allergies are welcome to send alternate food items for their child as a safety precaution.

If you have questions regarding the party, please feel free to contact the school at 614-733-0012.

VOLUNTEERING: Dublin City Schools takes the safety of our students and staff seriously and requires a background check for all volunteers interacting with students. In order to attend field trips or volunteer in the classroom, you much go through the background check process. The process is free and easy and takes only a few minutes to complete. This is required for any parents or caregivers wishing to volunteer with students.

Would you like to start your day saying “Hello!” to everyone at Glacier Ridge in the morning? Are you in 2nd thru 5th grade? Then sign up to read the morning announcements! If you would like to find out more about this opportunity and sign up to be a Tiger Student Announcer then go to the sign-up link below.

Students can sign up only 1 time per week.

Glacier Ridge Elementary believes in creating a caring and comfortable environment for it's community of learners. This begins as students enter the front doors of the school in the morning. Sign up your child to be a greeter. Students gain confidence, become leaders, and learn how to present themselves in a positive way.

Click on this link to find out more specific information.

October 28th- Operation Kids for Troops collection begins

October 31st- Harvest party

November 1st- Feed the Kids candy collection begins

November 3rd- Daylight savings day

November 2nd- PTO cookie dough & pastry sale begins

November 5th- No school (staff professional day) Election Day

November 27th-29th- No School Thanksgiving Break

To help students discover their interests and enrich their learning, Dublin City Schools partners with local businesses and community organizations to offer After School Activities outside of school hours. These experiences, which vary in content, time, location, and cost, are taught by course instructors employed by a sponsoring business or organization.

If your child will be absent from school, please email our attendance line at gres_attendance@dublinschools.net.

Email: glacierridge_info@dublinschools.net
Website: https://glacier.dublinschools.net/
Location: 7175 Glacier Ridge Boulevard, Dublin, OH, USA
Phone: 614.733.0012
Twitter: @greDCSD