Avalon Eagles Newsletter
May 2022
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.
SPECIAL DATES THIS MONTH
DAYS OFF SCHOOL:
MAY 30
Memorial Day
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR STUDENTS:
MAY 23 - 27
School Spirit Week
MAY 25
Avalon Cultural Day
MAY 26 at 6:00 pm
King Arts Complex Dance Team Performance
King Arts Complex, 835 Mt Vernon Ave, Columbus, OH 43203
MAY 27
Field Day
SPECIAL DATES NEXT MONTH
SPECIAL EVENTS:
June 1 - Time TBDKindergarten End-of-Year Ceremony
June 2 - Time TBD
Last Day of School Awards and Assemblies
Columbus Zoo Field Trip
Jacqueline and the Beanstalk
Multi-Cultural Celebration at Avalon
Recipes to try from a variety of Avalon staff and families:
We will continue to receive recipes on an ongoing basis to keep the cookbook growing to include many more flavors! Email Tiffany Edwards, Family Ambassador with your recipe and/or picture of the dish you would like to share!
LET'S GO AVALON EAGLES! WATCH US SOAR!!!
We are having classroom competitions! Classes receive incentives and rewards for classrooms with 75% or higher on iReady math and reading assignments.
iReady data is collected weekly by each classroom. Teachers and staff look at usage & passage in both math and reading. Avalon's school goal is to boost both!
To do this, we would like students to spend:
25-30 minutes per week at home on iReady math assignments
25-30 minutes per week at home for on iReady reading assignments
Eagle Zoom Room
Join School Counselor, Stacy Callahan and Family Ambassador, Tiffany Edwards for a time of learning social emotional skills that can help you and your family. This is a time for you to ask questions and also make sure you are connected to the CCS Parent Portal and other school & district resources.
SECOND GRADE PARENTS & CAREGIVERS
May 2, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pmhttps://ccsoh-us.zoom.us/j/83418906494
Meeting ID: 834 1890 6494
THIRD GRADE PARENTS & CAREGIVERS
May 9, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
https://ccsoh-us.zoom.us/j/81476348844
Meeting ID: 814 7634 8844
Counselor's Corner
All Avalon Elementary School students in grades K-3, participated in a hands-on interactive lesson hosted by DriveOhio, a program supported by the Ohio Department of Transportation designed to prepare Ohio for the future of smart mobility. During the lesson, students worked with a small robot, called an Ozobot. They created their own codes for a road and conceptualized how self- driving cars and other vehicles work. This activity was an introduction to smart mobility STEM concepts, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
In May, Ms. Callahan will present an interactive STEM lesson, funded by a grant to all K-3 students. In this lesson they will have the opportunity to build upon their knowledge and further explore STEM concepts. This addresses the college and career component of the Comprehensive School Counseling Program at Avalon Elementary School.
Cub Scouts K-5
Pack 3613
Ascension Lutheran Church
1479 Morse Rd
Columbus OH 43229
Contact: Patricia Abele
Phone: (614) 855 - 2521
Email: pat@abelefamily.org
- Dens are for boys or girls
- Meetings are Mondays 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm at church year around except holidays
- Troop attends Day Camp in July at Camp Lazarus
- Activities include building and racing Pinewood Derby cars, learning about our neighborhood, healthy food, exercising, being kind to nature and much more
THANK YOU, GIRL SCOUTS!
CHECK AND CONNECT CALLS
GRADE LEVEL NEWS
IN THIRD GRADE READING:
In Reading we have been working on Module 8 answering that essential question: What does it take to make a successful invention?
We have been reading and learning about inventors and inventions from Thomas Edison to learning about the invention of the bicycle from the early 1800’s to present time.
IN THIRD GRADE WRITING:
In Writing, we have been focused on opinion writing. Students have been writing their opinions on many different things, from their favorite foods, favorite subjects, to their opinions about the best invention.
IN THIRD GRADE MATH:
In Math, we are exploring fractions (what is fraction and comparing fractions). We are also learning about how to measure liquid (liters,mililiters) and mass (grams/kilograms).
This quarter in Science, students are studying renewable and non-renewable resources. Students also discussed the importance of recycle. To help understand the difference of what you can or cannot recycle, we created our own classroom landfill. After we created the landfill, students made weekly observations of the landfill. To help them with their observation, they were asked to make observations about our classroom landfill:
- What do you see?
- What do you smell?
- What do you think will happen over time?
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Keily C.
Third grade, Mrs. Barna's class
In writing, Keily gave her reasons for what sports can teach us about working together.
Angela T.
Third grade, Mrs. Martin's class
Angel wrote an informational report. She researched about the country of India. Angel needed to research the language, food, music, holidays, clothing, and other interesting facts. Then, Angel took her research and created a google slide presentation on the information that she learned.
Kamari D.
Third grade, Ms. Straughter's class
In Room 16 the past few weeks students learned about fractions. They understood that shapes can be in different groups but may share the same features. They were also able to classify (arrange) triangles, quadrilaterals (rhombuses, rectangles, and squares) and polygons (up to 8 sides) based on the number of sides and right angles. At the end the topic, the students created a Fraction Timeline about their lives. Each interval represents the years of their life.
Fahima M.
Third grade, Mr. Whyte's classFahima made the following prediction in Science: I predict that most of the things will break down into the dirt. Another thing I think I would smell is rust because dirt sometimes smells like rust when you put stuff in it. I would see some brown in the dirt because the color of the items we put in there might go into the soil and blend altogether.
Fahima also gave all her reasons why her favorite fast food is Chick-fil-A on her writing assignment.
Avalon Student Support Staff
Kate Butler
Katherine Butler is a speech-language pathologist. She has been with Columbus City Schools for 27 years and at Avalon for seven years. She is a Cincinnati Bearcat and went to the University of Cincinnati for her bachelor and master degrees. She lives with her husband, Martin and two dogs (Everest and Meadow). Her children are grown now. Adam (32) is a structural engineer who lives in Mississippi. David (29) is a jazz pianist who plays at many Columbus venues and also gives piano lessons. Mrs. Butler's favorite hobbies are her backyard gardens and her chickens. That’s right! She has chickens in their backyard! They are all different breeds and lay beautiful eggs of many different colors.
Stacy Callahan
School Counslor
Ms. Callahan is excited to be the school counselor at Avalon Elementary School. She is passionate about removing barriers to learning and equipping all students with the skills to be successful in school and life. She provides a comprehensive data-driven, evidenced based school counseling program, that addresses your child’s social emotional learning, academic, and career development needs. This is delivered through Tier 1 classroom lessons, Tier 2 targeted SEL small groups, and Tier 3 individual brief-solution focused counseling. Ms. Callahan is in her 13th year as a school counselor; she previously served diverse populations in several states in the Southwest region of the United States, before joining Columbus City Schools three years ago. Ms. Callahan earned her bachelor's degree from Ohio University and her master’s degree in School Counseling from West Virginia University. She is an avid supporter of the visual and performing arts and enjoys traveling.
Email: scallahan@columbus.k12.oh.us
Ashley Callicott
School Physical Therapist
Ashley Callicott "Ms. Ashley" is the school physical therapist and loves working at Avalon! She is from Westerville and is a proud Ohio University Bobcat but came back to Columbus for graduate school to become an official Ohio State Buckeye. She has been a physical therapist for 14 years and has worked at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The James Cancer Center and even spent a few years in that "state up North" before joining the Columbus City Schools team. This is her fifth school year with CCS and she has loved seeing kids back in school again this year! Ashley lives with her husband, two-and-a-half year old daughter and two small but old dogs, Gus and Buddy. She enjoys playing the piano, spending time with family and friends (bonus if it's outside!), dancing, and live music...she can't wait until all these things are safe again! Fun Fact: Ms. Ashley has a giant sweet tooth (as pictured!), and her favorite ice cream is Whit's Penguin Tracks 😊
Lesley George
School Occupational Therapist
This is Mrs. George's 19th year at Columbus City Schools as an occupational therapist. She has also worked for Marion City Schools, Delaware County Board of DD and Grady Memorial Hospital. She graduated from Ohio State and is married with two kids (a 13-year old daughter and 17-year old son) and three step children (all boys - ages, 14, 16, and 20). Mrs. George enjoys almost any outdoor activity such as walks and hiking with her family and dog and kayaking. She also enjoys hanging out with her friends, Bible studies and vacations at the beach and lakes.
Email: lgeorge@columbus.k12.oh.us
Michelle Meffley
Michelle Meffley is the school social worker at Avalon Elementary School. She has been a social worker for 11 years now. Ms. Meffley's experience includes having been a school-based counselor with North Community Counseling Centers working in Columbus City Schools and Worthington City Schools as well as running their school-based program for four years. She truly enjoys working with children and families. Her goal is to positively impact others as much as she can.
Ms. Meffley's favorite forms of self-care are spending time with her family, rooting on her Buckeyes, and running! She is very excited to be a part of the Avalon family!
Email: mmeffley@columbus.k12.oh.us
Liesel Parsons
Mrs. Parsons is in her 14th year with Columbus City Schools and eighth year at Avalon. She also serves students at Northgate Intermediate and in the Columbus Hearing Impaired Program (CHIP). She is originally from Cleveland and went to Ohio State for her Master’s degree. Mrs. Parsons lives in Westerville with her husband, son (14), and daughter (11) and has two dogs and a cat. Her hobbies include reading, traveling, and watching her kids play sports, and yoga.
Book Bundles Have Been Going Out!
Scholastic has partnered with Columbus City Schools to provide 25 books to each student!!! Five bundles of five books each will be distributed between now and the end of the school year to students at school. Look for them in your student's backpack!
Along with this FREE home library, fun learning activities have also been compiled by grade and housed on a shared Google Drive. Click on the grade level at which your student's teacher has indicated your student is reading. Make sure your student is confident and comfortable in the activities at that level before trying the next grade level. We realize each student reads at their own pace and level no matter what actual grade they are in. We want students to enjoy reading and have fun with the learning activities. Look at the slideshows, print off the fill-in-the-blanks, writing assignments, and ideas for fun activities. More content will be added in the coming weeks.
DISTRICT RESOURCES
Care Connection School-Based Health Services
Care Connection is a partnership between Nationwide Children’s Hospital, area schools and your child’s doctor to provide additional access to health care at your child’s school.
The services provided are not meant to replace your pediatrician or family doctor. When your child has any medical need, your first call should always be to your pediatrician. If your child does not have a pediatrician or family doctor, we will connect you to one.
To Schedule Pediatric Services: Call (614) 355-2590, email Tifini.Ray@NationwideChildrens.org, or contact your school nurse.
To Schedule Mental Health Services: Contact the school counselor or school social worker, or call (614) 355-2590.
To Learn About COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics at Schools: Information about school-based COVID-19 vaccine clinics is available in the "Clinics" tab below.
ADULT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION
(380) 997-7636
Aspire
High School Equivalency Programs including testing options, free Reading and
Math Remediation, and free Adult Diploma Programs offering industry certifications.
(380) 997-7633
- Email: tharry2373@columbus.k12.oh.us or
- Complete this online form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddPqfUy-wClUEvEe2oYUndwMgNUr49QDYVydNllq7h0uVxGg/viewform
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Columbus Zoo Hosting CCS Family Days in May
Limited number of free tickets available for CCS students for select weekends throughout the month.
Hello CCS Families,
Our friends at the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium are partnering with the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation to host CCS Family Days throughout May. CCS families will receive two free tickets per student on the following days:
● May 7;
● May 14-15; or
● May 21-22.
Click here to reserve your CCS Family Day tickets.
Each family day event includes a limited number of tickets, and does not include parking. The zoo is partnering with COTA to provide transportation – and additional discounted tickets – for families.
In addition to the upcoming CCS Family Days, we’ve also teamed up with the zoo to host a unique “Zooventure” photo scavenger hunt. As you explore the zoo, you’re encouraged to capture and share your incredible photos using the hashtag #CCSZooventure and tagging Columbus City Schools and Columbus Zoo & Aquarium in your posts.
Brainfuse HelpNow Live Tutoring
Did you know there is an option to have live tutoring in English or Spanish? See the link below:
https://www.brainfuse.com/highEd/liveTutoring.asp
A library card is NOT required for use of Brainfuse HelpNow live tutoring.
Columbus Parks & Rec
- Outdoor Education Camp registration opens Feb. 24 at 7 pm
- Community Center Camp registration opens March 1 at 7 pm
- Register here
- Camp details and themes will be available online on February 1
- Camp locations include: Camp Terra, Discover Boating, Gram & Gramp Camp, Indian Village Day Camp, Teen Camp, & Adaptive Outdoor Recreation Camp
- Summer Camp begins June 13 and runs for 10 weeks through August 19
Need Furniture?
furniturebankcoh.org
614-272-9544
Joseph’s Coat of Central Ohio
josephs-coat.org
614-863-1371
Bike Safety Program
Call (614) 355-0661 for more information.
Triple P (Positive Parenting Program)
For more information, visit NationwideChildrens.org/TripleP
Email: TripleP@NationwideChildrens.org
Call: (614) 355-8099
LEARNING RESOURCES
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 43229
Phone: 614-365-5361
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/134270649947642