I am thrilled for the opportunity to serve in my second year as the administrator for Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy. I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences working with CSIA students and families. I look forward to continuing our commitment to our school mission of educating our students so they become bilingual and biliterate members of our Columbus and Global Communities.

Sra Sweeney will continue this year as a part-time administrator to support safe and successful classrooms. Sra Joya, returns as our Family Ambassador. She is available to support families with any questions they may have including but not limited to access Parent Portal, resources for uniforms and supplies and much more!

I would like to welcome several new staff members to our building this year. Sra Deborah Bennett - PreK, Sra Carla Colon - Third Grade, Sr Kareem Linsey - PEAK IA, Sra Jamie Serna - Fifth Grade, Sra April Stewart - Physical Education and we will soon be welcoming a new secretary. Please extend a warm CSIA welcome to our new staff.

We will continue with our Aprendemos Juntos events this year, transitioning to in-person meetings once per quarter. Our planned topics are: Available Resources and Supports, Literacy Night, Math Night, Learning at Home and a fun Zumba night! Please look for information coming soon regarding these events.

Check through the rest of this newsletter for information regarding uniforms, arrival and dismissal procedures and much more.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have via email at abeasley@columbus.k12.oh.us, Class Dojo messages or at 614-365-8129. I am looking forward to a wonderful school year.

Sra Beasley

Back to School Night for grades 1-5 will be held Monday, August 22 from 5:00 - 6:00 pm, in our cafeteria. Our Kindergarten students will have their Back to School Night on Tuesday, August 23 from 5:30 - 6:00 pm in the cafeteria.

At Back to School Night you will have the opportunity to meet your student’s teacher(s), sign up for Class Dojo, get help on the Parent Portal and drop off school supplies if you like.

We will not be conducting tours of the whole building at this time. You will be able to visit your student’s classroom during Open House on September 27. If you are interested, we have a virtual tour available here: https://bit.ly/3sma6y2.

PreK families - you will receive communication regarding PreK orientation from your student's teacher upon their return for the school year.

Our arrival and dismissal procedures were developed in order to maintain as much social distance and lessen congestion as much as possible as we work to keep all healthy and safe.

Arrival

Car riders and walkers may enter the building at 8:30. School begins at 9:00 a.m. We do not have supervision for students before 8:30 a.m. Car riders, please enter the parking lot entrance to the school and pull up to the curb and stay in the car. For safety, we need to maintain a single line of cars along the curb. Parents will not be permitted to walk their students into the school. We will have staff outside and inside to direct students to their classrooms on the first few days of school. Bus riders will enter through the bus doors, as we have traditionally entered. Breakfast is available to all students. Any student not eating breakfast will wait in the gymnasium with a staff member until 8:50 at which time they will go to their classroom.

Dismissal

If you plan to pick up your student, please enter the parking lot and stay in your car, in the pick-up line, along the curb. We will have staff walk with our PreK and kindergarten students out to the cars. This will take some time to become efficient, please be patient as we develop this routine with our students. It is helpful if you have a large sign on your passenger door with your child’s name and grade level so that we can easily see the names to call. If the traffic gets stopped at the light, please feel free to park in the parking lanes nearest to Karl Road, and then walk to the sidewalk. We have a teacher on the sidewalk calling names.

Bus Lane

Cars are not allowed in the bus lane. This lane is only for buses and Day Care vehicles. We appreciate your cooperation in making sure that students are safe at dismissal.

Arrival/Dismissal Changes

Please call the office before 2:30 p.m. if you are changing your child’s dismissal plan. We deliver messages to the classrooms between 2:30 and 3:00. During dismissal we cannot answer the phones because we are all working to make sure that students are dismissed safely and efficiently. Some students are arriving by car in the morning but are expected to ride the bus home in the evening, or by bus in the morning but car rider in the afternoon. Please communicate all dismissal changes. If a student is on the bus list, it is possible that the student will be sent home on the bus unless the parent has communicated to the office or teacher that the student is a car rider.

Late Arrivals/Early Dismissal

If your student is late to school or is leaving early, please escort your student to the main office. Your student will need to be signed in or out. A valid id is required for student pick-up, and your child will only be released to adults listed on Infinite Campus. If you are sending someone else not listed on Infinite Campus to pick up your child, please call the office ahead of time to let us know, and make sure the individual has a valid id.

Parent Portal

Parent Portal is a necessary tool for our district and parents. This platform allows you to update your contact information, including address changes, see your student’s teacher, see report cards, and more! We will have a support station at Back to School Night to help with accessing the parent portal. You can also access directions here:

If you’ve forgotten your username/password, click on EXISTING USER in the Portal, then click FORGOT USERNAME/PASSWORD, and the information will be sent to the email used to set up the account. If you no longer have access to the email you used when setting up the account, please send a picture ID to parentportalaccess@columbus.k12.oh.us If you have never created a parent portal account, please send a picture ID to parentportalaccess@columbus.k12.oh.us requesting to set up an account.

Your student’s teacher

Beginning on August 19, you will be able to access your student’s schedule (teacher) through the Parent Portal. This information can be accessed by clicking the Calendar tab and choosing a date when students are in attendance - for example, August 30.

8/22 - Back to School Night (Grades 1-5), 5-6:00 pm

8/23 - Back to School Night (Kindergarten only), 5:30 - 6:00pm

8/24 - First day of school for Grades 1-5

8/24 - 8/26 - Staggered start for Kindergarten. Letter coming soon!

8/29 - First day for Kindergarten

9/5 - Labor day: No School

9/8 - First day for Preschool and Prekindergarten students

10/14 - Professional Development Day, no student attendance

10/15 - Cultural Fiesta (tentative)

10/24 - End of Grading Period 1

10/25 - Records day, no student attendance