Updated COVID-19 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance

Columbus City Schools has adopted the newest guidance from the CDC regarding COVID-19 isolation and quarantine procedures, following the recommendation of Columbus Public Health. Learn more about the updated CDC guidance here.

• If You Test Positive for COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, everyone should isolate for 5 days.
• If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your home and return to school/work as long as you continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days.
• Previously, the CDC recommended an isolation period of 10 days.
• If You Were Exposed to Someone with COVID-19, your vaccination status (including whether you have received a booster shot) will determine the need to quarantine and test. Click here for additional details from the CDC.

For any in-school exposures, we are continuing to follow the current Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Mask to Stay/Test to Play guidelines. Students who have an in-school exposure and are asymptomatic can continue to remain in class while wearing a mask and closely monitoring for symptoms.

COVID Tests

If you are having symptoms of COVID-19, you are strongly encouraged to take a COVID test. While the at-home test kits are in short supply in our area, there are providers who are administering PCR tests. Check the Ohio Department of Health website to find a PCR test provider.

CCS has a very limited supply of at-home COVID test kits remaining. We expect to receive a new shipment of the kits next week and will provide more information on the availability of the kits at that time.

CCS COVID Reporting Hotline

If you are a CCS employee or a parent of a student that has tested positive or has had a confirmed community exposure, here’s how to report an exposure or positive case to CCS:

• Call the CCS COVID-19 Reporting Hotline at 614-365-5544 and leave a message with the requested information; OR
• Email your positive COVID-19 test results to the District Administrative Contact Tracers at AdminContactTracing@columbus.k12.oh.us.
• A CCS Contact Tracer will return your call or email to provide further guidance.
• A positive test result should always be reported to your healthcare provider as well.

Vaccines

Our best defense against COVID-19 is the safe and effective vaccines that are widely available. I encourage everyone in our CCS community to get vaccinated. And if you are already vaccinated, be sure to take the time to get your booster shot!

For a list of locations providing the COVID-19 vaccine to ages 5 years and older, visit NationwideChildrens.org/Vaccine or gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov.

As a reminder, next week we will hold the second round of our dedicated COVID-19 vaccination clinics for eligible students ages 5-11 who received their first dose in December. The clinics will be held at CCS elementary and middle schools during regular school hours.

Mask Up

We continue to require all students, staff, and visitors to wear a mask indoors at all CCS buildings. For the greatest effectiveness against the airborne virus, it is important to always wear a mask properly so that it covers your mouth and nose.

Winter weather is here, and 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.

Extracurricular Activities, in the event of class cancellations or early dismissal due to inclement weather:

• Cancellation of School Day - Generally, evening activities, events, and athletic practices are canceled when classes are canceled for the day; however, there are occasions when an event might occur even when schools have been closed. Please monitor the District’s website and social media outlets for special instructions (ccsoh.us).
• Early Dismissal Due to Inclement Weather - Early dismissal for inclement weather will automatically cancel all after-school activities.

HAVE A BACKUP PLAN: When inclement weather impacts the morning commute, the Superintendent plans to determine whether to cancel classes or transition to remote learning, as early as possible. This may be the night before if possible, or no later than 5:30 a.m. the next morning. If bad weather is forecasted for the afternoon, classes may dismiss as early as noon. Have an alternative plan for your child’s day already set.

• Supervision: is your child responsible enough to be home alone or do they need someone to stay with?
• Healthy Food: is there nutritious food available for your child to eat for breakfast and lunch?
• Safe Location: if classes are dismissed early, does your child go home or another location? If your child is under the age of 8, will there be someone to meet them at the bus stop?
• Engaging Activities: what safe activities do you have for your child to do if they are at home for an unexpected amount of time?

• Remember: parents to speak to your student about appropriate use of technology, monitor use of device and assist student during remote instruction.
• Students are to bring back their devices/ charger cord to school during in-person instruction.
• Students are to bring their devices home daily in the event that we must transfer to remote instruction.

Keep in mind if you want to change the method of your child(ren) after school pick up, you must notify the office no later than 2:45 pm

Appropriate dress code includes: no sagging of pants, hats, hoodies must be taken off during the school day for the safety of your students and the safety of others. Masks must be worn at all times! No exceptions.

• CLICK HERE TO SEE THE DISTRICT CALENDAR

• Feb 2nd: All Schools Closed-Professional development
• Feb 21st: All Schools Closed-Compensatory Day for Conferences

Parent teacher conferences will be held February 10th and February 17th, 2022, from 4pm-7pm.

Please look out for an email and in Class Dojo for the opportunity to sign up for a slot.

• View our video profiles of each school
• All Zoom links are also available here

During the scheduled times for the Fair, families can click on the link and chat live with the principal and/or school staff.

High School & Middle School Lottery Applications: Accepted via the Parent Portal the Wednesday, January 5, 2022 through Monday, February 28, 2022. The last date for the acceptance of late lottery applications for students who completed the 2021-22 school year with CCS is July 29, 2022. New students enrolling into Columbus City Schools can submit a lottery application for two weeks after their enrollment date until December 9, 2022.

Elementary School Lottery Applications: Accepted via the Parent Portal Tuesday, February 1, 2022 through Thursday, March 31, 2022. The last date for the acceptance of late lottery applications for students who completed the 2021-22 school year with CCS is July 29, 2022. New students enrolling into Columbus City Schools can submit a lottery application for two weeks after their enrollment date until December 9, 2022.

Selective Admissions: Applications available to eligible students Monday, January 10, 2022 with a submission deadline of Monday, January 31, 2022. Applications must be submitted via the Parent Portal.

Request to Return to Homeschool Application: Accepted via the Parent Portal Wednesday, January 5, 2022 through Tuesday, March 22, 2022.

Download the 7 page list below!

You can click here to view the web version!

Here are some 16 fun lunches to make when its chilly outside and to keep you inspired during the month of February!

If there are resources that you need and do not see them below, please feel free to reach out so that we can research options for you and your family!

Rentful614.com is a simple, easy-to-navigate website that provides renters and landlords key resources to stay in their homes. Our partners at the City of Columbus, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of Central Ohio, the Siemer Institute, and the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio launched this effort to help families stay in their homes by reducing evictions. Studies have shown that on average, 1-in-3 Ohio renters have little or no confidence in their ability to pay next month’s rent. To date during the pandemic, emergency rent assistance has helped more than 15,000 families receive rental assistance.

Rentful614.com is the key to connecting you with resources to prevent eviction. Rentful614.com offers you with valuable resources on where to go to apply for rental assistance, get legal assistance, and be connected to helpful information. For more information visit rentful614.com.