Brookside Bulletin
School Newsletter for Brookside Families
January 13 - PTA Meeting
January 19 - MLK Holiday - No School
January 30 Deadline to Order Yearbooks
February 2-6 Conference Week
February 6 - PTA Wellness Night
February 6 - Worthington Education Foundation Gala
February 16 - NO SCHOOL
March 5 - State of the Schools
March 30-April 3 - Spring Break
Welcome Back, Brookside Families!
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a joyful and relaxing winter break filled with quality time with family and friends. As we kick off the second semester, our focus remains on fostering a kind, safe, and rigorous learning environment. The second semester is often where we see the most significant academic growth, and we can’t wait to see what our students achieve.
We are renewing our commitment to a simple but life-changing habit: reading every day. Research shows that students who read for just 20 minutes a day are exposed to nearly 2 million words per year and consistently score higher on standardized tests than those who do not. But beyond the statistics, reading together builds vocabulary, sparks curiosity, and provides a wonderful way to wind down after a busy day.
How you can help at home:
Keep it fun: It doesn’t always have to be a chapter book! Graphic novels, magazines, and cookbooks all count as reading.
Story Time/Read Alouds: Even if your child is an independent reader, they still love being read to. Try a family read-aloud before bed.
Model the Habit: Let your child see you reading for pleasure. Whether it's the news or a novel, your example speaks volumes.
Thank you for your partnership and here's to a wonderful 2026!
Warmly,
Dr. Jenny Wielinski
Dear Families,
We are excited to invite you to attend two upcoming Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) workshops for parents and caregivers of children ages 1–12. These FREE sessions offer practical strategies to support your child’s behavior and strengthen positive family relationships. All families are welcome, and childcare for school-age children will be provided. Space is limited, so please RSVP in advance or contact Nathan Kellenberger (nkellenberger@wscloud.org) with any questions.
Session Details:
Topic: Managing Fighting and Aggression
Date: Wednesday, January 21st
Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Granby Elementary School
Topic: Hassle-Free Bedtimes
Date: Wednesday, February 11th
Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Worthington Education Center
We look forward to seeing you there and supporting you on your parenting journey!
Parents, grandparents, and community members tell us all the time that we have wonderful teachers, office staff, specialists, assistants, custodians, bus drivers, etc. Now it is your chance to recognize a Brookside staff member for their outstanding dedication, commitment to excellence, and genuine care for others. This is your opportunity to share how you, as a valued member of our school community, have experienced the positive impact of their hard work and uplifting attitude at Brookside Elementary. Simply click the link and fill out the form to nominate an outstanding staff member. Thank you for supporting this new initiative. Golden Bobcat Award Nomination Form
Congratulations to our November Golden Bobcat, Mrs. Sprunger!
Dear Worthington Schools Community,
There is something special happening in our classrooms every day—and on Thursday, March 5, we’re bringing it all under one roof.
You are cordially invited to join us for the 2026 State of the Schools at Worthington Kilbourne High School. This isn't just an update; it’s a celebration of the creativity, innovation, and heart that define our district.
Why you won’t want to miss it:
Live Performances: Be inspired by the incredible talents of our Elementary, Middle, and High School student entertainment groups.
Stories of Excellence: Watch exclusive new videos highlighting the extraordinary students and staff who make us #WorthingtonProud.
The Future of Our Schools: Get an inside look at the progress of our Master Facilities Plan and tour the stunning upgrades at the "New" Worthington Kilbourne.
Innovation in Action: Discover the cutting-edge programs transforming how our students learn and grow.
Exclusive Swag: We’ll have special free goodies available only for those in attendance!
Event Details:
When: Thursday, March 5, 2026
Time: 6:30 PM
Where: Worthington Kilbourne High School
We can’t wait to share this experience with you and celebrate the bright future of Worthington Schools together. #ItsWorthIt
Sincerely,
Trent Bowers Superintendent
We are now collecting mittens/gloves, socks, hats, and headbands, etc. for our Giving Tree!
Every year we collect the above items and place them on the Giving Tree for students who need them. Nothing is worse than having cold toes, fingers, and ears during the cold and wet winter months. Our Giving Tree is in the lobby during December through February and our students are always so appreciative of your generosity. Thank you so much! 🧤🧦🧣
***The PTA is hosting a social meeting January 13th at Aardvark, 7-8PM. Please RSVP here.
***Save the Date: Wellness Night is Friday, February 6th from 6:30-8:00. We are looking for volunteers at various stations around the event to help make the night a success, sign up HERE.
We have a new attendance email address for the Brookside office. If your child will be absent for any reason, please call (614-450-5300) or email (broattend@wscloud.org) attendance. If you know about a planned absence, please share that information prior to the absence.
Please have your child arrive to school and be an active and engaged learner by our tardy bell at 7:40am. It is important that your child arrives on time as school attendance is calculated by the minute and accumulates quickly when tardy.
Arrival occurs between 7:30am and 7:40am. The tardy bell rings at 7:40am.
Free & Reduced School Meals for Students
Worthington Schools offers Free & Reduced-Price Meals for students who qualify. A new application must be submitted each school year—eligibility does not carry over from the previous year. If you haven’t yet applied for the 2025–2026 school year, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible to avoid any interruption in benefits. For more information and to access the online application, click HERE. Paper applications are also available in the school office.
Student Lunch Accounts
Families can add money to their student's lunch account through My Payments Plus by clicking HERE. You can also use MPP to track your student's account and see much money remains on it. My Payments Plus is also used to pay other fees, like high school parking permits and AP testing fees.
We’re teaming up with Stay in the Game and our regional partner, the Columbus Crew, to promote strong attendance and keep our students “in the game” all year long.
Why does attendance matter so much? Missing just two days of school a month can add up to over three weeks in a school year—that’s considered chronic absence. And just like on the field, being part of the team every day makes all the difference for learning, growth, and success.
Families are key teammates in this effort. To learn more, check out Stay in the Game’s Family Resources. You can even show your support by taking the Attendance Pledge—let’s make attendance a winning goal!
By working together, we can keep our students in the game and set them up for success—on and off the field.
See a video from members of the Columbus Crew HERE. And, then sign the STAY IN THE GAME pledge.
Dear Worthington School Families: Circle of Grandparents (COG) is a character education program that operates in the Worthington School District, having been established in the year 2000. With the support of Worthington Schools and the nonprofit Partners for Community and Character, senior volunteers use community-chosen qualities to teach students the importance of good character. We’re looking for volunteers! Our goal is to have a grandparent in each Worthington School elementary classroom. As a “Grandparent”, you can draw from your own life experiences and individual talents to teach concepts of character to your “adopted” class. No classroom or teaching experience is required, COG will provide support and materials to you through monthly, optional meetings. You do not have to be an actual grandparent to participate, however, if you are a grandparent to a child in the Worthington Schools, you may request your grandchild’s class. Any “Grandparent” has the option to choose the school and grade level they wish to assist. This is a wonderful opportunity that benefits all who are involved. Interested in learning more? Please contact Jim McElligott at jamestmcelligott53@gmail.com.
Please read this INFORMATION SHEET to understand what we look for in volunteers.
Brookside uses a car loop for parents who choose to drop their children off in the morning. Please be sure your child is ready to exit the car in a quick, but safe manner on the passenger side only. We do this for safety puproses. Please keep your speed to a crawl. Now and then we have family members who are not familiar with our process or are simply new to our school community so your patience is appreciated. Feel free to park in the front parking spaces to drop your child off should you not use the car loop.
Thank you in advance for adhering to our guidelines. 🙂
For the safety of children, do not send any nut or peanut items to school in your child's lunch, snack, or school party item as we are a nut and peanut free school. It could literally mean life or death to another child. Thank you in advance for your understanding and compliance.
- Pedestrians: Where neither sidewalk nor shoulder is available, pedestrians shall walk as near to the outside edge of the roadway and only on the left side of the roadway, facing traffic. Any pedestrian upon a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway. Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections.
- Cyclists: Cyclists should ride on the right half of the roadway, riding with traffic instead of against it. Please wear a helmet!
- Drivers: Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks.
Please be sure you are observing road safety laws and educating your student(s) as well. Please always stay vigilant.
FIELD TRIP CHAPERONES
Field Trip volunteers/chaperones must have their volunteer badges. If you are interested in volunteering in our school or for a field trip. Please go to the district website and follow the instructions HERE.
Contact Information
CONTACT INFORMATION: Parents, if you have not done so this year, please make sure to verify/update information in the Emergency Data Review through the parent portal. You can access the portal* on the WCS website. This process must be completed every year in case of an emergency and in order for your child(ren) to participate in class field trips. Instructions for using the parent portal appear here.
Special Education Key Communicator
Worthington’s Special Education Key Communicator Committee strives to build positive, productive and collaborative relationships and partnerships amongst the educators and community of families whose children receive special education and related services. We will engage in two-way communication, with the goal being to provide a circle of influence where we can share out and learn from and with each other.
The key communicators will convey information from their building to the committee, as well as information from the committee to their buildings.
The Key Communicators for Brookside are Sandra Sell at snsell74@gmail.com and Emily Smith at lightseekerem@hotmail.com 614-563-3687. Please reach out to either of our communicators if you have questions or topics to discuss.