GEMS Family Newsletter
July 2021
Upcoming Events
- Wed. Aug. 25 - Back to School Night
- Mon. Aug. 30 - New Student Orientation (K-8)
- Tues. Aug. 31 - First Day of School for All Students
- Mon. Sept. 6 - No School - Labor Day
- Fri. Oct. 1 - No School - PD Day
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Have you registered your Current or New student for the 2021-2022 school year? Your student's spot is not guaranteed until all annual registration forms are received by the school
For RETURNING Students there are 2 ways to register your student:
1. Online Annual Registration Forms
Please Create an account for your student using the invite code that was e-mailed to you. Once you enter the site, your student's information should be pre-populated into the forms. Double check that the pre-populated information is correct, fix any wrong information, complete some new information, and then submit. Check each Section.
- NOTE: If any information has changed, check the box at the end of that section BEFORE trying to update the information.
- NOTE: Please completely fill out Part(s) Two, Five (especially Health History), and Seven.
- NOTE: You may also need to clear the cache.
- If you run into any problems, be sure to let us know with as much detail as possible.
- If it is impossible for you to see any of your student's information or access the website, let us know that too.
- Visit this ESchool - How to.pdf There are step by step screenshots.
To create an online account with OneView to complete the Annual Registration forms for your student online go to https://gems.esvportal.com/. You should have received an e-mail with your student's invite code. If you have any questions, please contact Wesley Owens at owens.2@gemsschool.org or 614-253-4000.
2. Paper Annual Registration Forms
Paper forms;
- May have come home in your student's backpack
- May be picked up at the front desk
- May be mailed to you upon request (614-253-4000) or office@gemsschool.org
- May be printed from the GEMS website
Please fill out the annual registration forms and mail, scan, fax, or drop them off at the front desk.
NEW Students will need to complete Paper Registration Forms:
- Registration forms have been mailed home
- You may pick up registration forms at the front desk (office hours are Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-3:00pm)
- Click here to print the registration forms from the GEMS website
Please fill out the annual registration forms TODAY and mail, scan, fax, or drop them off at the front desk. If you have any questions, please contact the front desk at office@gemsschool.org or call 614-253-4000.
ALL Students:
In addition to the Registration Forms, 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 (dated on or after July 1, 2021). If you do not have a copy of a utility bill, please contact the school at office@gemsschool.org or call 614-253-4000 for other options. Proof of residency must be submitted on or before the first day of school.
We are asking 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 Store.
Have you completed the Free and Reduced Application?
All GEMS students will be offered free breakfast and lunch for the 2021-2022 school year, regardless of the status of family's free and reduced application. We request that all families fill out this form which helps determine school funding. In order to potentially qualify for PEBT, fee waivers, and other benefits families will still need to complete a free and reduced application. A family will need to qualify as free or reduced in order to qualify for these programs. A letter will be mailed out to families and will indicate their free, reduced or full pay status. Please complete the application and return it to the front office as soon as possible by mail or in person. The GEMS front office is open Mon.-Fri. 9:00am-3:00pm. Please contact Kristen Bucci at kbucci.1@gemsschool.org with any questions.
Click here to print and complete the free and reduced application.
Columbus Public Health Offering COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics - Franklin County Residents will receive a $100 Gift Card.
Columbus Public Health is opening 10 new neighborhood satellite COVID-19 vaccine clinics, where Franklin County residents who get their first dose of the vaccine will receive a $100 Visa gift card.
The clinics will be open from July 6 through August 16, from 12:00-7:00 p.m., at the listed locations on the following days.
Mondays:
- Linden Community Center (1350 Briarwood Ave.)
- William H. Adams Community Center (854 Alton Ave.)
Tuesdays:
- Far East Community Center (1826 Lattimer Dr.)
- Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (4099 Karl Rd.)
Wednesdays:
- Barack Community Center (580 E. Woodrow Ave.)
- Somali Community Association of Ohio (3422 Cleveland Ave.)
Thursdays:
- Sullivant Gardens Community Center (755 Renick St.)
- Bhutanese Community of Central Ohio (4646 Tamarack Blvd.)
Fridays:
- Westgate Community Center (455 S. Westgate Ave.)
- St. Stephen the Martyr Church (4131 Clime Rd.)
Transportation Information
If your student(s) was not using a school bus for transportation to and from school during the 2020-21 school year please complete the online application NOW for a Columbus City Schools transportation route: https://www.ccsoh.us/Page/4818
- Returning families, please check your CCS Transportation portal to make sure your information is up to date.
- An email address is required for registration.
- You should receive an email with a link to complete your online application.
- Then you should receive an email confirmation that your application has been submitted.
- CCS Transportation will send your student’s route information separately.
- Note: We do NOT have access to the student’s un-routed information.
For any further transportation questions, contact: Columbus City Schools Transportation
at 614-365-5074 Or visit 1560 Moler Rd., Columbus, OH 43207
Summer Meal Information
All children ages 1 through 18 are eligible to receive free meals during the summer months at participating program sites. Individuals age 19 through 21 who have been identified as having mental or physical disabilities and are following Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) through their current enrollment in educational programs are also eligible for free summer meals. Below is a sample of locations available for the summer of 2019. For a full list of locations, or a location near to you, call 1-866-3-HUNGRY(486479), or visit http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Student-Supports/Coronavirus/Supporting-Whole-Child-Nutrition
- A+ Arts Academy Maybury Campus – 1395 Fair Ave. Columbus, OH 43205
- Africentric Elementary School - 3223 Allegheny Avenue Columbus, OH 43209
- Asbury Elementary School- 5127 Harbor Blvd Columbus, OH 53232
- Berwick Plaza-2745 Winchester Pike. Columbus, OH 43232
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 now donate 0.5% of your total purchase to GEMS. Go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/26-4350069 to get started!
Do you know anyone that might be interested in attending GEMS? Please share this information!
The Graham Family of Schools Summer COVID Policies
- Any visitor or staff member entering the building will be required to have their temperature taken and logged.
- Masks on. If you are entering the building you must wear a mask.
- If you have been sick, have a fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or recent loss of smell please do not enter the building.
- Maintain 6 feet of distance between one another.
- Wash your hands for the safety of everyone. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.
- Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. Use a tissue or your sleeve.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
All of our buildings have contactless thermometers that will be sanitized between each use. If you have any questions or concerns in regards to any of our COVID policies please feel free call the front office at 614-253-4000.
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
Professional Qualifications
The parent or guardian of each student enrolled at GEMS may request information on the professional qualifications of each classroom teacher who provides instruction to their student and the school will provide this information on each applicable teacher in a timely manner.
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 including the family engagement policy and the schoolwide program plan. Please contact Debbie Addison at addison.2@gemsschool.org with any questions.
RESIDENCY VERIFICATION NOTIFICATION
Per House Bill 21 community schools are now required to perform a monthly review of student files and randomly select families for residency verification. Please be sure to 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