
GEMS Family Newsletter
August 2022
Upcoming Events
- Wed. Aug. 31 - Back to School Night
- Mon. Sept. 5 - No School - Labor Day
- Tues. Sept. 6 - First Day of School
- Thurs. Sept. 29 - Fri. Sept. 30 - No School - PD Days
Haga clic en "Translate" (Traducir) a la derecha para ver esto en español.
Don't Miss Back to School Night!
We are looking forward to welcoming our students back for the 2022-23 school year. Please join us for Back to School Night, Wednesday, August 31. This is an evening for PARENTS AND STUDENTS TOGETHER!
This is an important opportunity to turn in last minute forms and documents; meet your student's teachers; see the school building; participate in the Title I meeting, and meet community partners.
Important School Information
- Important Back to School Information
- Academic Calendar 22-23
- GEMS Office Hours - 7:45am-4:30pm (School day - 8:15am-3:15pm)
- Kindergarten School Supply List
- 1st Grade School Supply List
- 2nd Grade School Supply List
- 3rd Grade School Supply List
- 4th Grade School Supply List
- 5th Grade School Supply List
- 6th Grade School Supply List
- 7th Grade School Supply List
- 8th Grade School Supply List
We're Hiring! Check out TGFS employment opportunities for the 22-23 school year!
All Registration forms must be completed before school starts!
These forms are required by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) and our sponsor, Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO), to be updated annually or when there is a change in information regarding the student. This information MUST be updated every year for the safety & well-being of our students and MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE STUDENTS MAY ATTEND CLASSES. Forms can be completed online (OneView information below) or by paper. Click here to print and complete a paper registration packet. Please call the Front Office at 614-253-400 or office@gemsschool.org to have a paper registration packet mailed to you. Paper registration packets may be mailed or dropped off at the school.
ONLINE ANNUAL REGISTRATION
OneView Login Page: https://gems.esvportal.com/
- Already have an account? Use the same login you used for the 2021-22 school year. If you did not create an account last year, you will need to create an account first using the invite code OR your student's ID number.
- Review this How to pdf for what you'll see when you enter the eSchool site.
ANNUAL SCHOOL FEE
We ask our families to help with expenses by making an annual school contribution of $35.00. You may pay with credit card, cash, check or money order in person or by mail. You may also pay with a credit card online via the GEMS School Store.
PROOF OF RESIDENCY
In addition to the Registration Packet, we are mandated by the Ohio Department of Education to obtain a new proof of residency every school year. This may be a copy of a utility bill or bank statement (dated on or after July 1, 2022). Please mail, drop off or e-mail your proof of residency to office@gemsschool.org. But it must be submitted on or before the first day of school.
FREE AND REDUCED SCHOOL MEALS APPLICATION
The USDA will not be extending the pandemic related food service program waivers for the 2022-23 school year. This program has allowed The Graham Family of Schools and other school districts to provide free lunches and breakfasts to all students since the spring of 2020. All families should fill out a Free & Reduced School Meals Application to see if they qualify for free or reduced meal pricing. Please complete the application and return it to the front office as soon as possible. The GEMS front office is open Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-3:00pm. Click here to print complete the application.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact, Wesley Owens, Registrar & Community Outreach Liaison at owens.2@gemsschool.org or 614-253-4000.
Attention Kindergarten/First Grade Families
Parents & Guardians:
In accordance with Ohio Law, all students entering kindergarten or first grade for the first time will receive hearing & vision screening. Graham Elementary and Middle School will conduct screenings for each student in August, January and February.
Why is it important to have your child’s hearing screened?
• Hearing is important for speech, language development, reading and learning • A hearing screening can detect if your child needs further hearing testing.
• Even if your child has passed a hearing screening previously, their hearing can change. • Hearing problems can be related to medical problems.
• Hearing loss is invisible and the child may appear to be not paying attention. Hearing screening will consist of the following test:
o Audiometry - Screening of hearing acuity.
Why is it important to have your child's vision screened?
To identify if your child has vision problems or might be at risk for vision problems. Vision screening will consist of any of the following tests:
1. Observation.
2. Monocular Distance Visual Acuity.
3. Stereopsis test.
4. Color Deficiency test (males only).
A vision screening provides only a snapshot of how your child performs on the day the test was administered and is not a substitute for a complete eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
If you do not wish to have your child screened, please send a signed written statement to the effect that you do not wish to have your child screened.
You will only receive results if your child did not pass the screening and needs a more in-depth exam by a specialist.
Please direct any questions to the school’s front office at 614-253-4000 or office@gemsschool.org .
Valerie Hessler, RN, BSN School Nurse
Graham Elementary and Middle School
GEMS is on Facebook and Instagram! Please like and follow!
Interpreter Services for Families
We have support through the MARTTI interpretation service for families to call the school through a professional interpreter. This service is totally free for families. To use this service, please call the phone number below. It will ask you to choose an option — common languages are offered in the menu, or you can request a different language from the operator.
To be clear, you can use the service even if you want a language other than the languages in the menu. Those options repeat twice, but stay on the line. After about 15 seconds, it will go to an operator who will get you an interpreter for your language. The GEMS MARTTI phone-in number is (614) 665–0902.
Please use this service any time you want to talk to teachers or staff at the school. If you have questions, please feel free to contact Chris Spackman at spackman.1@thecharlesschool.org.
Columbus Metropolitan Library’s School Help Centers Now Open
Columbus Metropolitan Library’s School Help Centers are now open, offering after-school help to the students in grades K-12 in your family. Plus, they can get connected with virtual tutors for one-on-one help Monday through Friday from 2-11 p.m. through Brainfuse’s HelpNow program.
Visit columbuslibrary.org/school-help to learn more.
When you shop at Kroger, and/or Amazon you can help GEMS raise money for expeditions!
Kroger
Go to: www.krogercommunityrewards.com or call 1-800-837-4483 to enroll in the program. Add GEMS to your card. You can search for GEMS by name or use our school code: FD086. Shop! Every time you shop and use your Kroger Rewards Card GEMS gets rebates. Kroger totals those rebates and sends GEMS a check.
Amazon Smile
When you make a purchase on Amazon Smile they will donate 0.5% of your total purchase to GEMS. Go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-4350069 to get started!
More Free Covid-19 Tests
Click here to complete the online form to request MORE free at-home COVID-19 tests
from the federal government.
Covid-19 Vaccine Locations:
EL Education
Our partnership with EL Education empowers our teachers to unleash the potential of their students. EL Education is built on ten design principles that reflect the educational values and beliefs of Kurt Hahn, founder of Outward Bound and co-founder of EL Education. These principles also reflect the design's connection to other related thinking about teaching, learning, and the culture of schools. The 10 design principles are: The Primacy of Self-Discovery, The Having of Wonderful Ideas, The Responsibility for Learning, Empathy and Caring, Success and Failure, Collaboration and Competition, Diversity and Inclusion, The Natural World, Solitude and Reflection, Service and Compassion.
GEMS School-wide Title 1
GEMS is a School-wide Title 1 program, enabling us to receive Federal Funds to ensure that our students receive the support they need to reach and exceed grade level goals particularly in reading and math. We welcome parent involvement in planning, review and improvement of Title 1 programs. Please contact Debbie Addison at addison.2@gemsschool.org with any questions. Follow this link to the Parent Pact.
RESIDENCY VERIFICATION NOTIFICATION
Per House Bill 21 community schools are required to perform a monthly review of student files and randomly select families for residency verification. Please contact the school immediately in case of an address change. Proof of residency must be submitted within two weeks of an address change. If evidence is not provided, requests for additional documentation or a home visit may occur.
GEMS
Email: office@gemsschool.org
Website: https://www.thegrahamfamilyofschools.org/gems_home.aspx
Location: 140 East 16th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
Phone: (614) 253-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Graham-Elementary-and-Middle-School-109578509098428