A Trip Down Goshen Lane

We have begun our second year as recipients of a Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant. This allows each of our students to receive weekly fresh fruits and vegetables to take home to enjoy.

Mrs. Peddicord, second grade teacher, and students enjoyed seeing what was provided to students this week!

It was a great first official week! Our students have been busy learning new routines, getting to know their teachers and classmates, and settling into the rhythm of a new school year. The first week is always filled with excitement and new experiences.

As we move into the second week, routines will continue to be an important part of helping our students feel confident and successful at school. Families can make a big difference by establishing consistent routines at home. A regular bedtime, a predictable morning routine, time to eat breakfast, and preparing backpacks and clothes the night before can help children arrive at school feeling calm, prepared, and ready to learn. If a student lives in more than one home, it is important that those households are on the same page and supporting the same bedtimes and other routines.

Please remember that it takes time for children to develop new habits and routines. Consistency, patience, and encouragement at home and at school work together to help students thrive.

Thank you for a wonderful first week and for partnering with us as we begin a terrific year ahead.

With PRIDE!

Sharon Suriano

Please help us keep our students safe. Car drop offs until 8:05 are in the back car drop off line. Only district buses, daycare shuttles, etc. should be in the front driveway before 8:05. Students leaving cars and walking between buses is not safe. Cars in the front driveway block buses. Student safety is our number one priority. Thank you for teaming with us!

We are excited to introduce our new PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) system! PBIS is a schoolwide approach designed to help students understand and practice the positive behaviors that help everyone learn, feel safe, and belong.

Our school’s PBIS expectations are PRIDE:

P – Positive: Make positive choices.
R – Respectful: Respect myself and my community.
I – Inclusive: Include others.
D – Determined: Be determined to do my best.
E – Empowered: Be an empowered learner.

Students have been learning what these expectations look and sound like in different areas of our school, including hallways, bathrooms, the cafeteria, playground, car pickup, and buses. Staff has been explicitly teaching, modeling, and recognizing students when they demonstrate these behaviors.

Our goal is to create consistent schoolwide language so that students know what is expected, why it matters, and how they can make positive choices wherever they are.

Each month we will be having a focus area that staff will recognize with PRIDE tickets. Our September focus is P - making positive choices.

Families can help by talking with their children about PRIDE and asking questions such as, “How did you show PRIDE at school today?” and "How can we show PRIDE at home?"

Together, we can help every student grow into a Positive, Respectful, Inclusive, Determined, and Empowered learner! 💙

This summer, our operations team was hard at work at Goshen Lane. Thank you to all of the coordination, time, and effort in making Goshen Lane a wonderful place to spend the day and learn.

Hello Goshen Lane families! I hope you all had a wonderful summer. I can’t wait to hear about what you did and what you read. If you happened to find any missing books from the media center make sure to bring them back. Over the summer the media center went through a circulation system update. We have switched from Workflows to Follet Destiny. This new system is a game changer because it will be easier to track student overdue titles and missing books to send more accurate information home. I will be able to send a picture of the book home to ease looking for missing items. As this new year starts, I am planning several exciting units for the students such as using new coding supplies called Microbit AI, that our amazing PTA purchased. In addition to new coding supplies, there are several new books that have arrived that I can’t wait to get them into your student’s hands. Here’s to the 26-27 school year!

Families can now view student assessment results in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. The Assessments section provides a convenient snapshot of results from national (SAT/ACT/AP), state (OST/OELPA/AASCD), and local (NWEA MAP/Acadience) assessments, helping you better understand and monitor your student’s academic progress. If you have questions about specific results, please contact your student’s teacher or building principal.

To access the Assessments section:

1. Login to the Parent Portal

2. Choose a Student

3. Select the Menu icon at the top of the page (three lines on the top, left side)

4. Select “More”

5. Select “Assessments”

Pursuant to House Bill 410, student attendance is calculated in hours. This includes absences that have been identified as both excused and unexcused by the school, as well as planned absences, tardies and early dismissals. Every minute counts!

If your child is going to be absent for any portion of the school day, please notify the school. You may report an absence by using our Online Absence Reporting available in the Parent Portal in Infinite Campus. To enter a request follow these simple steps:

1.Log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account.

2. Select your child’s profile.

3. Navigate to the Absence Request section.

4. Fill in the required information, including the date and reason for the absence.

5. Submit your request.

You will be able to view the status of your request using the View Requests button.

You may also call Goshen Lane at 614-478-5580 or email Mrs. McFadden, school secretary, at mcfaddene@gjps.org to view the status of the request.

Medical excuses from a doctor can be submitted to Mrs. McFadden or you can send in a paper copy.

Planned absences can be reported by completing this form out and shared with Mrs. McFadden.

There are three opportunities, Eager Artists, Eager Engineers, and Drama Kids, for afterschool enrichment this school year for grade 1-5 students . Please see the fliers below for information including dates, cost, and registration info. For questions, please reach out to the email addresses or phone numbers included on each flier.

FIND FORMS YOU MAY NEED

Please review the checklist that is listed below to ensure that your family is ready for the new school year:

____ Log in to Infinite Campus and update your child's information for the 2026-2027 school year. This is a requirement for ALL families (new families and returning families).

______ Bus Transfer Request Form (Return only if applicable to your child, if your daycare provider says that you ride a Gahanna bus, you must complete this form; available on Gahanna website under transportation tab)

______ Medication Form (If your child will be taking medication at school including over the counter medication; on Gahanna Schools website under health services).

______ Food Allergy Forms (must indicate online and have a written doctor’s note with alternatives (You will turn in the doctor's note to the school office).

______ Pay School Fees through Campus Payment in Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

Infinite Campus is our parent portal and student information system. This site will allow parents/guardians to access school information electronically. For example, Infinite Campus will allow you to update email addresses and other important information regarding your child as well as view your child's report card electronically.

ALL Families (either new to Goshen or returning families) need to update your information in the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus. Directions for how to update Infinite Campus are linked below:

1. Log into the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus at: https://gahannajeffersonoh.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/gahanna_jefferson.jsp

2. Click MORE from the left hand column

3. Click on ONLINE REGISTRATION from choices on the right

4. Click START next to "Existing Student Registration"

5. Go through each step to complete the registration

Families New to Gahanna Schools: If you are a new family to Gahanna Schools (including all of our kindergarten families) you will need to be provided your Infinite Campus access code. Please stop by the school office during Open House, call the school office at 614-478-5580, or look at a Talking Points message you will receive the first few days of school.

The 2026-27 school supply lists can be found by selecting the link here or by scanning the QR code below.

• 8:05 AM - 2:45 PM School Hours
• 7:45 AM Student drop off begins; doors open for K, 1st, and 2nd grade students eating breakfast
• 7:55 AM Doors open for all other students; interested 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students may go to the cafeteria to pick up breakfast at this time
• 8:05 AM School starts & tardy bell rings (in classroom when bell rings)
• 2:35 PM Dismissal begins
• It is important that car riders remain in vehicles until 7:45 at drop off and are picked up by 2:55. There is no district supervision for students prior to 7:45 AM or after 2:55 PM.

Guardians in vehicles will enter the drop off/pick up line in the back of the main building following the designated traffic pattern.

Guardians dropping students off at school after 8:05 must come to the main office through the front door and sign their student(s) into school.

The front office is a bustling place! To help us keep our school day running smoothly and ensure all students stay safe, please keep these quick guidelines in mind:

• Plan Transportation Ahead: Please make all end-of-day transportation plans with your child before they leave home in the morning.

• Cut-Off Time for Changes: If an emergency change is unavoidable, please call the office before 2:00 PM at 478-5580.

• Dismissal Closure: The front office closes at 2:15 PM until all students are safely dismissed.

Thank you so much for your partnership in making the start and end of our school day a success!

The elementary students handbook has been prepared for the purpose of answering questions that are frequently asked by students and families. It contains essential details about our Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools. Please take time to read this information, review it with your students, and keep it for your reference throughout the school year.

**One important update in 2026-27 is that GJPS students are not permitted to have food delivered to school from UBER eats, Grubhub, DoorDash, etc..**

2026-27 Elementary Student Handbook

Your student's bus route for the 2026-2027 school year is available on Transfinder. The web-based service provides Gahanna-Jefferson families 24/7 flexibility and access to route information based on their home address!

When using Transfinder, be sure to enter only the street number and street name. Do not enter zip code, grades or school. (Entering more than the street number and name may cause inaccurate information to display.)

When you receive your bus information, please check over it carefully. If something does not make sense, please contact transportation at (614) 751-7581.

We are excited to offer the mobile device app Here Comes the Bus. This app allows families to view the real-time location of your child's school bus on a smartphone, tablet or computer using GPS technologies with which each school bus is equipped.

How to Get Started with Here Comes the Bus:

1. Download the Here Comes the Bus app or visit www.HereComesTheBus.com.
2. Click the “SIGN UP” button at the bottom of screen.
3. Follow directions on screen to create an account using the GJPS school district code: 29231
4. You will be sent an email to verify your email address and activate your account.
5. Return to app and add your child’s last name and STUDENT ID number.
   (STUDENT ID NUMBER IS THE SAME AS STUDENT CAFETERIA PIN NUMBER)
6. Click “ADD STUDENT” to add other children in your household.
7. You are now ready to begin following the location of your child’s bus!

Families are asked to complete and submit a 2026-2027 Free/Reduced-Priced Meal Application if they believe they may qualify. Applications are available in paper form in the Goshen Lane school office, in a printable form here, or you can fill out information digitally starting Monday, August 10th in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

Breakfast

Each student has the option to eat breakfast at school every morning.

Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders eating breakfast can enter the building beginning at 7:45.

Grade 3, 4, and 5 graders can enter the building at 7:55.

**Please let your child know if they should/should not be eating breakfast at school as this will help some students from being confused in the mornings when they see others going to the cafeteria.**

Breakfast is $1.50.

Lunch is $2.75.

Money can be added to your child’s lunch account through Infinite Campus.

Menus can be viewed in a yearlong color-coded version or by clicking on the Breakfast Menu and Lunch Menu digital versions. Here you will find a Friday pizza schedule. Students also have the option to pack their lunch.

Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools Food Service Department is committed to assisting families and making this transition back to normal operations as easy as possible. Please feel free to contact Food Service Supervisor Stephen Ismael (Ismaels@gjps.org) if you have any questions.

PIN Numbers Will Be Used. Students in 1st-5th grade will need to know their student ID number to access their lunch accounts in the cafeteria. ID numbers can be found on Infinite Campus under your child's profile. Please help them start to memorize this number prior to school starting. Teachers and staff will assist students for the first couple of weeks.

To report an absence, please call the front office at 614-478-5580 or email mcfaddene@gjps.org by 8:30am if possible.

Due to House Bill 410, student attendance is now calculated in hours. This includes absences that have been identified as both excused and unexcused by the school, as well as planned absences. Being late or tardy to school does calculate into the total hours absent.

In an effort to encourage regular, on-time attendance and avoid habitual truancy, families are encouraged to:

• Make getting to school on time every day a high priority.

• Discuss the importance of regular school attendance and the negative impacts of excessive absences.

• Create a safe space for students to discuss what is keeping them from school.

• Develop a backup plan for getting your student to school when transportation challenges, illness, or other challenges arise.

• Schedule vacations during a time when school is not in session.

• Monitor your student’s attendance records to identify any disruptions or patterns of change.

• Contact your student’s school to discuss preventative services and supports available to promote regular attendance.

PLANNED ABSENCES (Such as vacation):

The time missed will be counted as an authorized, UNEXCUSED absence but shall not be a factor in determining grades unless the make-up work is not completed. Students who are absent 38 hours in a month or 65 hours in a school year with or without legitimate excuse are now considered Excessively Absent. These students will receive a letter from the District and will be required to follow the District Truancy Plan.These hours include approved planned absences. Planned absences will not be approved if your child has already met or will meet (based on this request) the absence threshold for Excessive Absence and/or Habitual Truancy.

If you have a planned absence, please fill out this form and send it in to the office. For more information or questions, please visit the GJPS website.

If you are visiting Goshen Lane for any reason, you will need to enter the building through the front doors.

We kindly ask that ALL visitors follow the steps below each and every time you visit Goshen Lane:

1. Once at the front, exterior doors of the school, press the buzzer. A member of the office staff will ask your reason for visiting Goshen Lane.

2. Once inside the vestibule, you will enter your drivers' license or state ID into the scanner. ALL visitors/guests/guardians need to scan their drivers license EACH and EVERY time they visit Goshen Lane.

3. Once your license has been scanned and processed you will be permitted to enter the main office area to pick up your visitor/volunteer badge.

**As a reminder, if there is a non-guardian planning to visit Goshen Lane for any reason (visit the bookfair, take your child to an appointment etc.), we ask that the guardian email the teacher and front office (mcfaddene@gjps.org) to let us know prior to the visit.

Background Checks are needed each year for all volunteers!

To increase safety and security protocols, all GJPS volunteers who may have the potential to interact with students in an unsupervised setting or may have access to confidential information will be required to complete an online application that includes a background check. The district will provide the background checks at no cost to the volunteer. Background checks are required EACH school year. If you completed a background check last school year, you will need to complete the process again for the 2025-2026 school year.

EXAMPLES

• Examples of volunteer experiences include but are not limited to: fundraising volunteers, book fair volunteers, mobile dentist volunteers, etc.

Interested in Volunteering? Volunteer Form

Wit & Wisdom is our K-5 English Language Arts curriculum. Here is a Curriculum Overview for Families.

Bridges Mathematics is our K-5 Mathematics curriculum. Check out details about your child's grade level by visiting the Bridges Family Information.

Visit the 2026-27 GJPS Calendar for several important dates in the year ahead.

• Tuesday, August 18 4:30-6:00 (Grades 1-5)
• Wednesday, August 26 5:00-6:00 (KINDERGARTEN only)

2026-27 Parent-Teacher Conferences

• Thursday, October 8
• Thursday, October 15
• Thursday, February 11
• Thursday, February 18

2026-27 Ohio State Tests Dates

Did you know your child can access their online educational apps at home like they do in school? These resources include Lexia and DreamBox, educational accounts to build reading and math skills. Click here to read how.

FIND GJPS NEWS AND UPDATES

Sept. 7: Labor Day - No School

Sept. 8, 7p - 8p: PTA Meeting in Library; Meet Mr. Tolbert, our new Assistant Principal!

Sept. 11: School Picture Day

Sept. 21: Teacher PD Day - No School

Oct. 8, 3:00 -7:00p: Parent-Teacher Conferences

Oct. 13, 7:00 - 8:00p: PTA Meeting in Library

Oct. 15, 3:00-7:00p: Parent-Teacher Conferences

Oct. 19: Conference Comp Day - No School

Oct. 20: Staff Work Day - No School

Oct. 21: Picture Re-take Day

Nov. 9: Staff Professional Development Day - No School

Nov. 10, 7:00 - 8:00p: PTA Meeting in Library
Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving Break - No School

Dec. 8, 6:00 PTA Decorating Night
Dec. 23 - Jan. 4: Winter Break - No School (Jan. 4: Teacher Work Day)

2026-2027 District Calendar

Student Handbook

Bus Schedule and Routes