CAHS Family Update
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CAHS Alumni are planning a fun and interactive way to support our school! Any Dungeons and Dragons fans out there? This idea is open to all....beginners, experts, CAHS students, families, alumni, anyone who wants to hang out with the CAHS community.
"The CAHS Education Association is currently working towards hosting a Dungeons & Dragons charity event, to benefit the CAHS student body and Chorale efforts in particular."
Check out this form and sign up to stay in the loop!
Mark your calendars for a Celebration of Excellence at CAHS! This PTA event will be a fun night of performances, food, a silent auction, and a farewell to staff who are retiring. More details to come!
Students, are you interested in setting up a table to sell or display your crafts and projects at the Evening of Excellence? Please click the button below for the sign-up form!
Dental Clinic Information
School Smiles will be returning to CAHS in the spring, for 6 month checkup. Dates are coming soon.
If your child missed the first dental clinic, you can still sign them up for a cleaning and check-up by completing the online consent form at www.schoolsmiles.com/student-signup.
Nationwide Children's Partnership
We are excited to continue our partnership with Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) to provide transportation for students to clinic appointments during the school day. These appointments can include well-checks, sports physicals, work permit physicals, immunizations, asthma follow-ups, blood work, and specialty care referrals. If you would like your child to take advantage of this service, please contact your school nurse at 380-997-3574.
Illness Prevention
To ensure the health and safety of all students and staff, we ask that you please keep your child at home if they are feeling unwell. If your child must attend school while experiencing cold or flu-like symptoms, we strongly encourage them to wear a mask. Per school policy, students with a fever of 100.4°F or higher must remain at home for 24 hours after their fever has subsided. We also ask that you remind your children to wash their hands frequently, as this is the most effective way to prevent the spread of germs.
Thank you for your continued support in maintaining a healthy school environment.
Tina Peterson RN, BSN
School Nurse
Columbus Alternative High School
614-365-6252
The cast and crew of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe are holding a Family Work evening on January 14th. Students can stay after school. From 5:00-7:00 pm any CAHS families are welcome to join us for a little construction, but mostly painting and hanging items, with some costume, lights, and sound work. (Adults can also arrive earlier but please wait until after 2:45 once the parking lot and buses clear out.) Bring shareable snacks!
We are also looking for theatre families willing to coordinate meals for a weekend Tech Rehearsal and Sunday evening Strike Sunday Feb. 8th (tearing down the set) and closing of the show. Check out the signup genius below for specific food needs. Questions? Ideas? Please email tech director Kristin Allison at: kallison@columbus.k12.oh.us
Thanks for the support!!
The PTA needs your help! We're collecting items for a silent auction as part of the March 26 fundraising event. You can donate items (contact Christy at christyhaynes92@gmail.com) or send us Amazon items for baskets:
Cooking basket
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2H3YS5AEKXZ6W?ref_=wl_share
Family game night basket:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/15ZDGTNEZP6FW?ref_=wl_share
Gardening basket:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3LXK92XFMO3G0?ref_=wl_share
Movie night basket:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/YLYIM6L6WNY5?ref_=wl_share
Picnic basket:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/X4LC5SLNFKLT?ref_=wl_share
Spa day basket:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/NIFPJWDPQ7AU?ref_=wl_share
Sorry for the delay in getting out the Winter Athletes' Newsletter! If you haven't added your athletes details yet, please fill out the form below. We hope to share the details of all the sports our CAHS students are involved in soon!
We have a group started for parents and caregivers who speak Spanish as their primary language! Thanks to parent Leticia Luna-Escobar for hosting this one. Feel free to join using the QR code or link and share with others in our community. It will be an informal way to connect on school-related topics in Spanish.
As part of the District’s overall budget balancing plan to right-size the District's $75 million transportation operation, key changes are being made for the 2026-2027 school year for K-8 students choosing non-100% lottery schools, who do not have specialized needs or are in gifted programs. While the new policy is expected to affect only these students, the change will likely influence where some families choose to send students.
With choice lottery applications and selections happening over the coming months, parents may have new questions and concerns about transportation and School Choice.
Basic information on the lottery will be available online: School Choice/Lottery - Columbus City Schools. Those with specific questions on School Choice can contact the Department of Student Services, at 614-365-7459 or schoolchoice@columbus.k12.oh.us.
Updates on HIGH SCHOOL BUSING:
At this time there will be no changes to High School student busing from current planned operations. While there may be changes based on future Board decisions, there are no major changes for the 2026–27 school year. CCS will work with local partners to continue to analyze options for how to offer the best possible transportation services to high school students.
Updates on MIDDLE AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BUSING:
- Beginning 2026–27 school year, transportation will be provided for:
- Elementary and middle school students attending:
- Their assigned neighborhood school by address, who live more than 2 miles from the school; OR
- Students attending a 100% Lottery School; OR
- Students receiving specialized services or in gifted programs who are placed in a school other than their assigned school by address; OR
- Students displaced from their assigned school by address
If a K-8 student doesn't meet one of these criteria, they aren't eligible for transportation. Families who decide to apply for a choice school through the lottery that is not a 100% choice school should plan alternative transportation. The District understands this change may motivate some parents and students to alter their choice school location and/or return to their assigned neighborhood school by address. In either case, families should review school assignments, check distance, update home address, and plan ahead.
- 100% Lottery Elementary and Middle Schools are:
- Arts Impact Middle School, Africentric ES and MS, Columbus City Prep School for Boys, Columbus City Prep School for Girls, Columbus Spanish Immersion, Duxberry Park, Ecole Kenwood, Indianola K-8, Oakland Park, World Language Middle School
- Non-100% K-8 lottery schools include:
- Middle Schools: Buckeye, Champion, Dominion, Hilltonia, Johnson Park, Linden-McKinley (7th & 8th grade), Medina, Mifflin, Ridgeview, Sherwood, South (7th & 8th grade), Wedgewood, Westmoor, Woodward Park
- Elementary Schools: Alpine, Avalon, Avondale, Berwick, Binns, Burroughs, Cassady, Cedarwood, Clinton, Colerain, Como, Cranbrook, Devonshire, Eakin, East Columbus, East Linden, Eastgate, Easthaven, Fairmoor, Forest Park, Gables, Georgian Heights, Hamilton STEM, Highland, Hubbard, Huy, Indian Springs, Innis, Leawood, Liberty, Lincoln Park, Lindbergh, Linden STEM, Livingston, Maize, North Linden, Northgate, Northtowne, Oakmont, Ohio Avenue, Olde Orchard, Parkmoor, Parsons, Salem, Scottwood, Siebert, Shady Lane, South Mifflin, Southwood, Starling, Stewart, Sullivant, Trevitt, Valley Forge, Valleyview, Watkins, Weinland Park, West Broad, West Mound, Westgate, Windsor STEM, Winterset, and Woodcrest
The school board had their first meeting of the new year on January 6. Three new board members who were elected in November joined for the first time. Dr. Antoinette Miranda is the new board president and Ms. Sarah Ingles is the new board vice-president. Next meeting is January 27.
Click the button for district policy regarding cancellations for weather.
- Download the Infinite Campus PARENT or STUDENT app to your phone.
- Type 'Columbus' when it asks for the district then select CCS and Ohio
CAHS students have been involved in this program in the past, formerly called STEM Rocks the Box. This is a free performing arts program for Central Ohio high school students. Check it out! Applications due Jan. 22.
Cooley Art Studios in Worthington offers several art courses for students which include: Monthly Art Classes, Young Artists After School Art Classes, and the Urban Classical Art Initiative. These classes are for students age 14 and up. Feel free to contact CAHS Art Teacher Ms. Barkeloo regarding what options may be a good fit: rbarkeloo1464@columbus.k12.oh.us
On December 18, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther was part of a press conference addressing concerns surrounded heightened ICE presence in Columbus. He referred to a helpful website with resources in multiple languages, All of Us. The website shares the words that he spoke as well, "Columbus is proud to be one of the most welcoming and diverse cities in the United States. Our diversity is a core strength that drives our culture, our economy and our future."
Looking for a fun and educational way to spend your free time? With a Columbus Metropolitan Library card, you can access Culture Passes that grant you free admission to some of central Ohio’s most popular cultural institutions. Whether you're interested in museums, theaters, or other cultural experiences, these passes provide a fantastic opportunity to explore the local arts and culture scene without any cost.
To take advantage of this offer, simply visit your local library for in-person checkout. Culture Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and supplies are limited, so don’t miss your chance! Please note that passes cannot be reserved ahead of time. Visit your library today and see what’s available — it’s the perfect way to discover new adventures around the city while supporting your local library.
For our CAHS families living in the Linden community, check out this wonderful collection of resources and programs.
Columbus Alternative High School
School Year Office Hours
Monday - Friday
7:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/CAHS
Location: 2632 McGuffey Rd, Columbus, OH 43211, USA
Phone: (614)365-6006