Avalon Eagles Newsletter
November 2021
Avalon Eagles S.O.A.R.
Optimistic environment, ensuring a focus on
Achievement, and building strong
Relationships with you and your children
Avalon Eagles Practice the 3 Be's
Be Safe
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Avalon Eagles' Vision & Mission
Vision - Every student will exit each grade level prepared for the next academic level.
Mission - Avalon students will become confident learners who are responsible citizens equipped to contribute to the community.
It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of second grade teacher, Ms. Lovelee Kirk
Ms. Lovelee Kirk was a product of Columbus City Schools graduating from Linden McKinley High School and proud HBCU alumni of Central State University. She earned a Master's in Education from the University of Dayton graduating during the pandemic of 2020. Ms. Kirk started her career with Columbus City Schools in 2005 as a Special Needs Instructional Assistant, later joining the reading department as a Burst and LLI reading tutor. She even served as a super substitute taking over classes for long term for the district before landing her very own classroom. This was Ms. Kirk's first year at Avalon, and she was excited to move to a school community that is warm, welcoming, and desiring the success of all.
Ms. Kirk enjoyed spending time with her nine-year-old daughter. Together, they loved trying out new restaurants, playing Words With Friends and relaxing watching Netflix with a cold drink from Starbucks or McDonalds. With both parents being former educators, Ms. Kirk naturally became a lifelong learner and was working on a doctorate degree in Education. Her plan after earning that degree was to earn yet another degree in nursing and open a pediatric home healthcare facility.
We plan to honor Ms. Kirk's life and legacy in a special way - further details will be forthcoming.
There is no school:
Tuesday, November 2
Wednesday, November 24 - Friday, November 26
Monday, November 22 & Tuesday, November 23 - no in-person learning in the school building. Independent work will be given by teachers for students to be completed at home. See message below.
MESSAGE FROM COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS' SUPERINTENDENT, DR. TALISA DIXON
"I am declaring the week of Thanksgiving as "Wellness Week" in Columbus City Schools. Monday, November 22, and Tuesday, November 23, will be asynchronous remote learning days for all students. Teachers will assign independent work to be due after the Thanksgiving break, but there will be no in-person or synchronous remote learning that week."
November 25, 2021
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/feast-thanksgiving-ideas-and-crafts/
NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
"What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose." - The Library of Congress
EAGLES HELPING THE COMMUNITY
The class that brought in the most canned/boxed foods is Mrs. Fisher's kindergarten class with a total of 82 cans/boxed items! Congratulations and enjoy your sweet treat!!! Mrs. Fant's second grade class was a close second at 78 cans/boxed items!
These items were donated to Inprem Holistic Community Resource Center, run by an Avalon Alumnus' Dad. Inprem served over 214 zip codes in 68 counties totaling 28,000 families last year! They are a part of Mid-Ohio Food Bank and open daily Monday - Friday, providing fresh fruits and vegetables without a limit of how many times families can come each week or month.
If you would like to volunteer or check out this amazing food pantry and community resource, call Alex Abrokwah-Clottey at (614) 516-1812 or go to 5757 Karl Road, Columbus, OH 43229. https://inprem.org/
EAGLE ZOOM ROOM
This month's Eagle Zoom Room is featuring Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies for both students AND families. Please come for some great ideas on how to make life better for you and your student!
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ccsoh-us.zoom.us/j/88609707347
Meeting ID: 886 0970 7347
JA DAY IS COMING TO AVALON
Junior Achievement’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. The inspiration piece comes from community volunteers who not only deliver JA's lessons, but share their personal experience. In the process, these volunteers serve as role models helping to positively impact young people’s perceptions about the importance of education, as well as critical life skills.
ALL of Avalon's K-3 classrooms will experience a fun, age appropriate way to increase their knowledge of money, spending & saving, personal finance, work and career-readiness, and entrepreneurship. The goal is for them to enjoy a day of an enriched learning experience that will help them make the connection between what they learn in school and the world outside the classroom.
We are excited to have Junior Achievement back in the building!
New Girl Scout Troop at Avalon!
November 1
November 8
November 15
The goal will be for the troops to meet separately in 2022 or at least separately two times each month. December and 2022 future meeting dates to be announced.
Parents are WELCOME to volunteer to help with troop meetings and activities. Several Avalon parents are already involved. Feel free to participate in any way you can!
Please contact Nicole Johnson if you are interested in your daughter participating or if you have questions.
(614) 487-8101 x8836
GRADE LEVEL NEWS
FIRST GRADE
MEET AVALON'S FIRST GRADE TEAM
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
Amina
First grade, Ms. Allen's class
First grade, Ms. Blosco's class
Dylan is working hard on writing his narrative story!
Annabelle
Annie has been working on creating pictures to describe her vocabulary words. She is a talented artist and a very hard worker. Great job!!!!
Jojanh
First grade, Ms. Peterson's classIn the classroom we are working on writing out sentences with our vocabulary words for the week. For Jojanh, the vocabulary words were 'help' and 'neighbor'. The students had to write how they would help their neighbors using complete sentences! We are continuing working on writing our sentences and now we are even writing a book about something we are an expert on!
Mael
First grade, Ms. Taylor's classMael is working hard on his Spookly the Square Pumpkin writing. Mael is such a hard worker and loves to share his ideas with our class.
SPECIALS NEWS
MUSIC
Kindergarten and first grade has been learning and exploring different rhythms and beats with rhythm sticks and maracas. We have also learned how to play instruments while singing at the same time!
Second and third graders have been exploring different music and sounds with rhythm sticks, maracas, tambourine, and boomwhackers. During the month of October, second and third graders worked on a song called “Kye Kye Kule” from Ghana. We learned some history about Ghana and the language/lyrics, how to sing the song, and then learned how to play drum and maraca while singing the song.
NURSE'S CORNER
Thank you for helping us keep Avalon SAFE by being RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE in sending your student to school with his/her mask on (and keeping extras in the backpack) and keeping him/her home if any of the following symptom(s) are present:
- New or worsening cough
- Fever (100.4 or higher)
- New onset of severe headache
- Sore throat
- Chills/body shakes
- Body/muscle aches
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- Loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Congestion or runny nose
- Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
Please call the office by 9:30 am the morning your child exhibits symptoms to let them know your child will be absent that day. You may also want to send a message via Dojo or email to your child's teacher as well. If you decide to take your child to the doctor, please request a doctor's note and turn it into the office upon your child's return to school.
Stephanie Dillon, BSN, RN, LSN
You may also want to visit the CCS COVID-19 DATA DASHBOARD: https://www.ccsoh.us/Page/9000
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Support and is mandated in the state of Ohio. PBIS is a research-based framework that encourages schools to create a positive, predictable, and safe learning environment to ensure success for all students.
At its heart, PBIS calls on schools to teach students positive behavior strategies, just as they would teach about any other subject—like reading or math. PBIS recognizes that students can only meet behavioral expectations if they know what the expectations are.
We have a set of expectations that are taught to all students to create a common language. These expectations are the same for all students and staff in all areas of the school, including zoom meetings, playground, lunchroom, classroom, and bus.
At Avalon we focus on the Eagle Way which is our 3 Be's:
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Safe
Students earn Caught Being Good tickets to acknowledge behaviors that align with the 3 Be's. Every Friday a student from each class is selected by their teacher and will be recognized with a Caught Being Good certificate and prize of their choice.
Additionally, Avalon students have a chance to participate in quarterly school wide celebrations.
Ms. Stacy Callahan
DISTRICT RESOURCES
Special Education Parent Mentor Program
- Describe special education programs (preschool, school-age, and transition into adult life) offered by Columbus City Schools.
- Explain the Individual Education Program (IEP) process and the parents role in the development of the IEP, as well as attending meetings with parents until they are familiar with the process.
- Organize and conduct workshops, and support groups for parents and professionals.
Parent Mentor: Brandi Muhammad
Parent Mentor Student Support Services
Phone: 614-927-6277
CCS Parent Mentor Office: 380-997-4927
LEARNING RESOURCES
Vineyard Community Center
AfterSchool Programming
September 7, 2021 - May 26, 2022
K - 8th grade
Monday - Friday
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm
9th - 12th grade
*Ask about our workshops, seminars, and conference schedule*
Contact vccyouthed@vineyardcolumbus.org for more details.
Columbus Metropolitan Library
Check out the dates & times below for the Northern Lights branch and the Karl Road branch!
Culture Pass Program
COLUMBUS—Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML) offers its cardholders free admission to select central Ohio cultural institutions. The Culture Pass program enables CML customers to borrow passes just as they would a book: using their library card. This onetime pass, which must be checked out in person, grants customers limited free access to institutions that would otherwise charge admission fees.
CML piloted the program in 2018, offering Culture Passes to Franklin Park Conservatory and the Wexner Center for the Arts. Since then, CML has worked to expand the number of participating organizations. Newly added this month: the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
“With the help of our community partners, we’re working to expose all central Ohioans to the many renowned cultural gems we are fortunate to have at our doorstep,” said CML Chief Community Engagement Officer Donna Zuiderweg. “As a public library, our role is to ensure equal access to all, and that goes well beyond books.”
Current participating cultural organizations:
- Columbus Museum of Art: Passes available at all 23 CML locations
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium: Passes available at CML’s Main Library and Barnett, Driving Park, Franklinton, Hilltop, Karl Road, Linden, Marion-Franklin, Martin Luther King, Northern Lights, Northside, Parsons, Shepard and Whitehall branches
- Franklin Park Conservatory: Passes available at CML’s Driving Park, Martin Luther King and Shepard branches
- National Veterans Memorial and Museum: Passes available at CML’s Main Library and Barnett, Franklinton, Martin Luther King and Parsons branches
- Ohio History Center: Passes available at CML’s Karl Road, Linden, Northern Lights and Northside branches
- Pizzuti Collection of the Columbus Museum of Art: Passes available at all 23 CML locations
- Wexner Center for the Arts: Passes available at all 23 CML locations
The Culture Pass program offers each participating institution the opportunity to select which specific CML locations will offer their passes based on the neighborhoods and communities associated with their outreach, diversity and inclusion goals. Therefore, Culture Passes are only available for in-person customer checkout at the specific CML locations listed above. Culture Passes cannot be reserved like traditional library items, however customers can check their availability at columbuslibrary.org by typing “Culture Pass” into the catalog search bar.
Each participating organization offers their passes to CML and its customers for free. CML does not purchase passes as it does with traditional library materials. Each organization sets its own rules for how many individuals are covered under its passes and on which days the passes will be honored. Partner organizations also set the number of passes allotted to each designated CML location. Many of the participating organizations remain closed – or open in a limited capacity – due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, customers who check out a Culture Pass are advised to call the organization ahead of their visit for hours and rules, or to redeem their pass for a timed ticket.
School Help Center and After School Snack
Come early if you can as spaces fill up quickly!
Northern Lights Branch
3:30 pm - 6:30 pm School Help Center Monday - Thursday
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm School Help Center Friday
4:15 pm - 4:45 pm After School Snack Monday - Friday
Karl Road Branch
4:00 pm - 7:00 pm School Help Center Monday - Thursday
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm School Help Center Friday
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm After School Snack Monday - Friday
HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
FREE SCHOOL CLOTHES FROM CHARITY NEWSIES
Children are eligible for one set of clothing per school year.
Clothing Packets will consist of one winter coat, knit hat and gloves, 3 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, 6 pairs of socks and underwear. All clothing will conform with the published uniform and/or dress code policy of each child’s school. For schools that allow a uniform only, a uniform voucher will be provided in lieu of the shirts and pants, as applicable. A shirt/uniform voucher will also be provided for those schools requiring a school logo shirt in lieu of the standard shirt selection.
All clothing applications will be on-line only. Applications will be accepted through noon on Friday, Dec 3, 2021. No in person applications will be offered at our headquarters or public libraries as in previous years.
Appointments for curbside pick-up will be set in one hour increments between the hours of 9am-noon, Monday thru Thursday. Appointment times will be emailed within 3 hours of application confirmation. Please check your junk or spam box if you don’t locate your message.
Columbus Museum of Art- Celebrate Dia de los Muertos & more activities
Ohio Kinship Caregivers Connect Support Group
We are an online, statewide, support group for kinship caregivers in Ohio. We meet every Thursday from 6:30-7:30pm on Zoom.
We have a presenter/organization come for some meetings to present resources relevant to kinship care. We discuss topics like parenting strategies, legal services, navigating legal systems and trauma informed care. There is no attendance commitment and you are welcome to come whenever you’d like.
Caregivers can add their information via the link and begin to receive weekly invitations to join the support discussions. If they are unable to attend, there are resources on their website.
This page provides more information on the group and has a resource hub for caregivers:
School Closet Coupon Code
From now through November 14, you can save 20% on your entire school uniform purchase from School Closet online or in-store with coupon code: THANKS. The sale excludes custom orders and backordered items.
In-store hours:
10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Thursday
10:00am to 4:00pm Friday
10:00am to 1:00pm Saturday.
Dressing rooms are open.
Locations include 73 N. Stygler Road in Gahanna and 4507 N. High Street in Clintonville.
AMAZING OPPORTUNITIES
LUNABOTICS JUNIOR CONTEST
NASA seeks young engineers to help design a new robot concept for an excavation mission on the Moon. The Lunabotics Junior Contest is open to K-12 students in U.S. public and private schools, as well as home-schoolers.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-challenges-students-to-design-moon-digging-robots
#UnfoldTheUniverse Art Challenge
NASA’s biggest and most powerful space telescope ever is launching soon! The James Webb Space Telescope, or Webb, will travel a million miles away to reveal the universe as never seen before. It will look at the first stars and galaxies, study distant planets around other stars, solve mysteries in our solar system and discover what we can’t even imagine. Its revolutionary technology will be able to look back in time at 13.5 billion years of our cosmic history.
What do you think we’ll discover when we #UnfoldTheUniverse?
Show us what you believe the Webb telescope will reveal by creating art. You can draw, paint, sing, write, dance — the universe is the limit! Share a picture or video of you and your creation with the hashtag #UnfoldTheUniverse for a chance to be featured on NASA’s website, social media channels, and the Webb telescope's historic launch broadcast.
FAA AIRPORT DESIGN CHALLENGE
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS!
Otterbein University (America Reads & Sports Pals)
Avalon Parent & Family Resource Site contains the following sections:
Avalon Elementary
Students are in-person at school from:
9:00 am - 3:10 pm
Students may be dropped off no earlier than 8:30 am.
Early dismissals must occur before 3 pm.
To change dismissal plans, we require a written note or email from parent or guardian. No phone calls.
Latchkey is available for a fee:
7:00 am - 8:30 am
3:10 pm - 6:00 pm
Email: amoorman@columbus.k12.oh.us
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/AvalonES
Location: 5220 Avalon Avenue, Columbus, OH, USA
Phone: 614-365-5361
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/134270649947642