The Family Connector

Dear CCS Community,

We are well into autumn, and the vibrant fall colors remind me each day that there is beauty in every season! As we head into November next week, we already have so much to look forward to before the holiday season begins.

November 1 is National Family Literacy Day, and November is National Family Literacy Month. I want to share with you all the amazing things we are doing to promote a love of reading and ensure our students have the means to nurture that love.

Earlier this week, I had so much fun recording a read-along for the new “Together We Read CCS” virtual series we are launching in November! The series will continue throughout the school year and will include a variety of books read by members of our CCS family. Stay tuned for a link to our first reading – “Red Shoes” by Karen English!

We have continued the Home Library Initiative we launched last year, and the next set of book bundles are expected to arrive at schools in mid-November. In addition to these book bundles, students can choose more books during Pathway Express.

Our Scholastic partnership now includes LitPro (K-8), which gives students access to thousands of books and online learning activities. We also have an online hub of resources for students and families ranging from infants to high schoolers – ccsoh.us/read.

We have been working closely with community partners, like the Columbus Metropolitan Library, to ensure students have access to books that interest them. Students can utilize the SORA Platform in Clever to access FREE e-books 24/7 from the local library.

As many of you know and regularly join, we host weekly Virtual Family Engagement Sessions addressing the most pressing topics and answering questions families have. This year, we will dedicate one session per month - the second Tuesday of every month - to provide insight into our literacy work and share strategies for home. You can learn more on our Family Engagement Sessions RSVP page.

Finally, for our PreK families, I encourage you to join us for our November Early Childhood Education Family Engagement Night, “Love of Literacy,” on Wednesday, November 9, from 6-7 p.m. at the Columbus Metropolitan Main Library Auditorium (96 S. Grant Avenue). You can RSVP here.

I wish you all a wonderful last weekend of October and hope you have a chance to get outdoors and do something you enjoy!

Sincerely,

Talisa Dixon

Superintendent/CEO, Columbus City Schools

The Columbus Promise program has doubled the number of Columbus City Schools graduates enrolled at Columbus State Community College for the 2022-2023 academic year.

The “free college” partnership led by the City of Columbus, Columbus City Schools, I Know I Can and Columbus State has resulted in an inaugural cohort of 629 Columbus Promise Scholars – an 100% increase over 2021, when 313 Columbus City Schools students graduated and enrolled directly into Columbus State that autumn.

The Columbus Promise program is designed to narrow equity gaps in college achievement and to produce a more diverse and skilled workforce in the region.

• Of the 629 Columbus Promise Scholars, 78.9% qualify for a full or partial Pell award, the federal government’s primary financial aid program for low-income students. While Pell eligibility is a combination of household size, income, and expenses, most Pell recipients come from families that make less than $30,000 a year, and almost all make less than $50,000 a year.
• The majority of Promise Scholars identify as Black (51.8%). 14.5% identify as Hispanic, 5.2% as Asian, and 11.1% as white. (The remaining students chose not to provide information regarding race.)
• Students opted to study a wide array of fields, with health sciences (24%) and business and hospitality services (21.9%) leading the way.

“This tremendous outcome for our 2022 CCS graduates reflects the excitement around this amazing opportunity for our students and sets the stage for our 2023 graduates to follow,” said Talisa Dixon, Columbus City Schools Superintendent/CEO. “That first step of completing the FAFSA motivated so many of our students to pursue college. Now, the Columbus Promise is providing the infrastructure to strengthen and grow outcomes moving forward.”

Click here to read more about The Columbus Promise.

There's still time! Parents and guardians, please take 10-15 minutes to complete the Family-School Relationships Survey. The survey window will be open through Friday, October 28th.

Our District values feedback from all CCS families, and we would like to learn more about your child’s school experience this year. CCS is collecting responses for a Family-School Relationships Survey to learn how we can better support our students and families.

To access the survey, click https://surveys.panoramaed.com/ccsoh/familyfall22/surveys.

• Select your student’s school from the dropdown menu and click “Take this survey.”
• If you have children enrolled in multiple schools you have the option to complete a survey for each school.

All responses are completely anonymous and will help us to plan programs, resources, and services to benefit your student and the school community.

Thank you for your feedback.

Check out the scholars of Scottwood Elementary as they use index cards to build the tallest structure! Corna Kokosing Construction Company workers stopped by to show them how it’s done. It’s one pathway a student could take one day! #OurCCS

If you’re trying to balance your budget, buy a home, fund your children's education, or ensure an income for retirement, you might benefit from hearing about financial literacy. Financial literacy and education are key contributors to overall health and wellness. During last Tuesday's Virtual Family Engagement Session, our friends from the African American Male Wellness Agency provided some great tools and tips to not only manage money with more confidence but also have a better chance of handling life’s inevitable ups and downs.

Please click here to RSVP for upcoming Virtual Family Engagement Sessions.

Our sessions are recorded and posted in our Virtual Family Engagement Session Library in case you are unable to attend.

FAFSA season is upon us! The completion of FAFSA documents continue to be the leading predictor of college enrollment for our students. Every year Our partners I Know I Can host Fall FAFSA Workshops! This fall we will host FAFSA workshops at each high school building and the IKIC office. Families may register to attend any session at any location through the month of November.

It’s flu season! If your child needs a flu shot, remember they can go to the Nationwide Children's Hospital school-based health clinic at many of our schools.

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 or contact your school nurse.

To Schedule Mental Health Services: Contact the school counselor or school social worker, or call (614) 355-2590.

Columbus City Schools is encouraging our students, families, and community members to spend some time outside this fall at Spruce Run Nature Center.

Spruce Run is just 13 minutes north of the Hoover Reservoir off Sunbury Road. This 50-acre wooded area is a popular spot for CCS students to visit to learn about nature and the ecosystem. This fall, the public will have the opportunity to visit and experience some fall fun during weekend open houses.

There are two upcoming fall open houses: Saturday, October 29 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm and Saturday, November 5 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Both days will provide family-friendly activities like nature scavenger hunts and leaf crafts. There are also several trails available for scenic hikes around the grounds.

If you are unable to visit in October or November, there will be additional open house dates in the future. If you have any questions about the community open houses, contact Heather Allen at hallen704@columbus.k12.oh.us.

The tutoring and resource guide was designed with you, CCS families and students in mind! The listed agencies, organizations, and individuals throughout the guide are independent contractors and are listed in the hands-on Central Ohio directory as tutoring resources in Franklin County.

The Upward Bound Program is more than just a program, it is a mission. Those individuals who are accepted into the program are expected to attend and meet with Upward Bound staff during weekly in-school advising sessions, attend Saturday Academy sessions, traveling classroom experiences, cultural events, community service projects, a six-week Summer Institute held on the campus of The Ohio State University and Columbus State Community College.

The Upward Bound Program seeks to enroll high aspiring college bound high school students who are dedicated to their academic and personal success and believe in the mission statement of Upward Bound. We highly encourage first-generation and/or low-income college bound 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students who attend or live in the service areas of Briggs, East, South, or Walnut Ridge High Schools to apply for admission. To apply to our program, please see the below links for the OSU/CSCC Upward Bound Application.

To apply for the OSU Upward Bound application, please click here.

To apply for the CSCC Upward Bound application, please click here.

Veggie Van is a mobile grocer and food education program on wheels. Local Matters partner with schools, places of worship, and other community organizations to create a consistent range of fresh food access points throughout the city.

Reliable access to healthy food is key to increasing food security and preventing diet-related disease. Veggie Van brings affordable, convenient food access to neighborhoods across Columbus. To ensure all customers can shop at Veggie Van, cash, credit, SNAP/EBT, Produce Perks, are accepted. You are invited to order from Veggie Van's year-round mobile market for all your fresh, local-when-possible produce, shelf stable items, and meal kits!

To find the Veggie Van market nearest you, click here!

Interested in empowering young girls and making an impact in the community? Check out Girls in Gear. Girls in Gear is empowering young girls in our community with lifelong lessons on and off the bike. If you or someone you know is interested in signing up to be a Girls in Gear Mentor, visit the link below.

The TECHCORPShack coding event gives high school students the opportunity to learn about computer science in a fun, engaging and inclusive environment. Over the course of the experience, students learn how to use MIT App Inventor to explore the world of mobile app development and create an app that tackles a real-world need or problem. Deadline to register is TODAY, October 28.

Click here for more information.

Columbus Division of Police and the Columbus Division of Fire are partnering for a family-friendly #TrunkOrTreat. It will be a spooktacular time! Officers and firefighters will be handing out candy and families can get an up-close look at police and fire equipment. Sponsored by Byers Auto Group, CME Federal Credit Union, and Giant Eagle.

Sunday, October 30

4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Marconi Boulevard

Join the Urban Family Development Center for their Trunk or Treat event on October 31 from 6 - 8 p.m. This FREE community event will have fun for the entire family including a live DJ, bouncy house, and over 20 community partners passing out candy, and much more.