The Family Connector

Dear CCS Community,

As we prepare to bring 2022 to a close, I’d like to wish warm season's greetings and a happy new year to all of our students, families, teachers, staff, and community members!

I hope everyone welcomes the upcoming holiday break as an opportunity to spend time with loved ones and reflect on those things most important to you.

Over the past couple of months, I have attended numerous CCS events and I have witnessed many acts of kindness within our schools and throughout our community. It's been a wonderful reminder to me of what I value and cherish the most, and that includes each of you.

Seeing our teachers, staff, and community partners come together to support our students and families will never cease to amaze me. I am so proud of who we are, what we stand for, and our ability to truly embody the Power of One.

Holiday cards

Last year, we debuted a holiday card contest. With much success, all of our schools were once again invited to have student artists submit entries this year. We had so many wonderful designs to choose from, all created by our talented CCS artists.

I’d like to congratulate our four winning students whose designs (pictured below) will be used for our holiday cards to our community partners:

• Tiffany Nguyen, 11th grader, Northland HS, “It's Hot Cocoa Season”

• Kyla Pratt, 1st grader, Liberty ES, “Snowy Tree”

• Mikala Romero, 10th grader, CAHS, “Apple on my Mind”

• Alayia Thomas, 5th grader, Fairmoor ES, “Winter Wonderland”

May you all have a safe holiday season, filled with peace and joy.

Sincerely,

Talisa Dixon

Superintendent/CEO, Columbus City Schools

As students and staff prepare for winter break, the District's Health Services team has some tips on steps we can all take to stay healthy through the holidays and winter months.

The flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) season hit early here in Columbus and around the country. The current surge in these new viruses, alongside our continued cases of COVID-19, has led to many children and families becoming ill with respiratory symptoms such as cough, runny nose, fever, and even shortness of breath. Here are some tips to keep you and your loved ones healthy during our upcoming holiday season!

• It's not too late to get a flu shot! The flu shot is still widely available and can be given alone or with the COVID vaccine booster. Please consider vaccinating the whole family for added protection this winter.
• Did you know that only about 10% of people have gotten the latest COVID vaccine bivalent booster? This booster dose is an important way to protect yourself from severe complications of COVID-19. And it is available for adults and children ages five years and older.
• Holiday traditions and family time are important for all of us to recharge.

As you celebrate, please consider these tips to stay safe and healthy:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Stay home if you are sick or have a fever
• Consider distancing and wearing a mask if you have mild symptoms or are considered high risk

As a reminder, if your student has symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat, headache, congestion, vomiting, or diarrhea, please keep them home and consult with their physician. Staying home when sick lowers the risk of spreading infectious illnesses to others and their school community. In addition, children who come to school with symptoms of COVID-19 may be sent home. The District will continue to follow its current health protocols regarding COVID-19 safety. Important COVID-19 Protocols reminders are found online on the District's Health Hub.

Protect yourselves and others in the days ahead!

Columbus City Schools Health Services.

Have you visited our School Choice Fair website? The middle and high school fair is coming up on January 10, and the elementary fair will be held on February 7. Save the dates and learn more at the link below. #OurCCS

Safely busing more than 38,000 students in Columbus each day to school and back home is a priority for the Columbus City Schools Transportation team. Just as important is our ability to be a reliable partner with parents and families, school staff, and stakeholders. However, the combined impacts of a national shortage of bus drivers and a routing software misstep created an unprecedented challenge to our transportation reliability.

We appreciate the grace shown by our community so far this school year as we’ve worked through this challenge, but we also understand the frustration and difficulty it’s placed on many of our families. That’s why we are implementing unprecedented measures to improve our transportation reliability moving forward.

Our Transportation Reliability Improvement Measures (TRIM) include the following:

1. Improving Bus Route Management

(Versatrans by TylerTechnologies) https://www.ccsoh.us/transportation

We are undertaking an unprecedented mid-year action to update ALL bus routes across the city, effective January 3. This means nearly every student who currently receives yellow bus transportation in Columbus (both CCS students and Charter/Non-Public students) will likely have a new bus driver, new pick-up and drop-off times, and/or a new bus stop location.

Click here to read more about the District's transportation update.

Stay engaged in your child’s education by setting up and signing into the Columbus City Schools Parent Portal. Through the Parent Portal, you’ll be able to securely access valuable information on your student(s):

• Teacher Contact
• Grades and Course Schedules
• Daily Attendance
• Missed Assignments
• Paperless Applications for School Choice, Summer School, and Career Tech
• Update Contact Information
• Pay Fees
• Transportation Information

Our transportation team is implementing a new direct communication tool called EZDistrict, which will be used to send emails and text messages directly to parents when a bus route is delayed or uncovered.

The EZDistrict tool uses the contact information from the Parent Portal/Infinite Campus to send out messages to families. Please make sure that all contact information is up to date.

For more information on the Parent Portal or to set up your account, please visit the Parent Portal page or click the link below.

As winter weather approaches, Columbus City Schools is ready to help you plan ahead should the District be forced to cancel classes or shift to remote learning due to inclement weather or staffing challenges.

Our goal is to announce a class cancellation or transition to a remote learning model as soon as we can, so we are constantly monitoring weather forecasts and road conditions, and staff absences, and will make an announcement the night before whenever possible.

If weather conditions are such that a determination the night before is not possible, the Superintendent and her Operations team will make a decision no later than 5:30 a.m.

Once the decision has been made, the next step is to alert parents, teachers, and staff.

STAY CONNECTED: News about cancellations of classes, a shift to remote learning, or the cancellation of extra-curricular activities, field trips, and/or student-athletic events due to inclement weather or staffing challenges, are shared in several ways.

• Make sure the contact information on file at your child’s school is accurate. If you need to update this information, contact the main office in your child’s school or update online in Parent Portal. (This includes emergency contacts, phone numbers, and email addresses).
• All families and staff will be alerted through an automated call, email, and text message from the District’s phone system. It is important to have your updated contact information on file in order to receive this notification.
• Students should take their assigned Chromebook and charger home each night, should the decision be made to transition to remote learning.
• Follow Columbus City Schools on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or check our website. As soon as the decision is made to delay or cancel school, we’ll share news about school cancellations, transitioning to remote learning, and other schedule updates on our social media pages.
• Monitor the news on local television and radio stations.

Hello CCS Families

A limited number of FREE Pathway Express tickets to the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium are still available, and families can use their passes to explore the zoo or experience Wildlights any time during Winter Break.

As a reminder, advanced tickets are REQUIRED to receive free admission and parking: https://bit.ly/CCSPathwayExpressZoo.

Our friends at the Columbus Zoo have also partnered with us to create a unique scavenger hunt to add more fun to your visit. As you’re learning more about the 600+ species that call Columbus “home,” you’re encouraged to follow clues on your way to literacy-themed prizes.

Don’t wait. Make sure you reserve your tickets TODAY!

The Ohio History Center is excited to welcome Columbus City Schools families and provide them free admission through the end of the school year! More than 1000 families were able to visit the museum this fall during our first Pathway Express event, and this offer is perfect for anyone who wasn’t able to join us - or families that want to make a return trip to the Ohio History Center.

Present this ticket for FREE admission! Please note: Ticket offers are only valid for one visit.

Thanks to the generosity of the Robert Weiler Company, COSI - Center of Science and Industry is offering a complimentary one-year family membership to all CCS fifth-grade students. Click the link below to learn more about this incredible opportunity!

Winter Break is right around the corner for Columbus City Schools students, and the holiday season is perfect for enjoying time with family and friends. The two-week break from the classroom is also the perfect time to cozy up with a book, and join K-8 students and families across the CCS in our Snow What Fun! LitPro Reading Challenge.

From December 20 through January 3, elementary and middle school students are invited to log into their Clever dashboards and LiteracyPro to access any one of the thousands of e-books waiting for them. Students who log the most books during the winter reading challenge will win prizes from Scholastic, as well as earn prizes for their school.

In addition to a personalized digital bookshelf, LiteracyPro also gives students access to online activities to enhance their reading experience and get a deeper understanding of their favorite books.

Visit www.ccsoh.us/read to learn more about our Snow What Fun! LitPro Reading Challenge and discover more literacy resources.

The ACE Educational Savings Account program provides qualifying families with a $500 credit that can be used to pay for a variety of enrichment activities that will accelerate learning for students impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These funds can be used for:

• ​Day camps, including camps for academics, music and arts.
• Fees for learning extension centers.
• The purchase of curriculum and material for home-school families.
• Educational, learning or study skills services.
• Field trips to historical landmarks, museums, science centers and theaters – including admission, exhibit and program fees.
• Language classes.
• Musical instrument lessons.
• Tutoring.

The Ohio Department of Education is accepting requests from families to determine eligibility. Merit International, Inc. will provide eligible families with their savings accounts and a marketplace to purchase allowable services and materials. Click below for more information.

Clintonville Community Resource Center

14 W. Lakeview Ave. Columbus, OH 43202

Contact: (614) 268-3539

Columbus Dream Center

38 W Greenwood Ave Columbus, OH 43201

Contact: 614-547-3138

United Methodist Church & Community Development for All People

Free Store and Christmas Shop.

946 Parsons Ave, Columbus OH, 43206

Contact: 614-445-7342

Central Community House Christmas Food Basket Giveaway

1150 E Main St, Columbus, OH 43205

Contact: (614) 252-3157

St. Stephen's Community House

1500 E 17th Ave, Columbus, OH 43219

Contact: 614-294-6347

Firefighters for Kids. To learn more and register for assistance with toys and gifts for children in Franklin County under the age of 14, Contact: 614-633-5259

P.E.E.R Center - Contact for additional information

East Center 205 N Hamilton Rd, Columbus, OH 43213

Contact: (614) 453-4830

West Center

860 / 866 West Broad St. Columbus, OH 43222

Contact: (614) 453-4840

Salvation Army Neighborhood Services (NSI)

1950 N 4th St, Columbus, OH 43201

Contact: (614) 297-0592

Victory Ministries Center of Hope

3964 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213

Contact: (614) 252-2500

Broad Street United Methodist Church (UMC) Outreach

501 East Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Contact: (614) 221-4571

Stowe Mission of Central Ohio

888 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, OH 43206

Contact: (614) 445-8400

* Please note: Each agency has its own guidelines and availability of food and gifts. Please contact agencies directly to ensure holiday help is available. Many of these agencies require donation requests several weeks prior to the holiday. Please plan accordingly.