Monthly Update, October 18, 2024

There will be no school for GJPS students on Monday, October 21 and Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Big thank you to our energetic cheerleader from Middle School East for the reminder!

Congratulations to elementary school music teacher Karen Dawson and Bus 60 Driver Jason Streeter, our first two Heart and Pride Award winners for this school year. They had spectacular nominations and were selected for making a profound impact on our Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools students.

Our two recipients were announced during staff meetings in their building/department and recognized at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

As a reminder, we will be recognizing two staff members each month during the school year. If you know of a GJPS staff member, regardless of position, who is deserving of the award, be sure to nominate them!

If you know of a student that may be gifted in an area of the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) and would like for them to be screened for possible gifted identification in that particular area, please complete the Visual and Performing Arts Nomination Form linked below.

Nominations will be accepted until noon on Monday, November 18, 2024, and will only be accepted using the Visual and Performing Arts Nomination Form linked below.

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Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools implements a whole child approach which considers students’ academic and social emotional development. Essential to this charge is the GJPS mental health team, a group of professionals who provide the link to home, school, family and community. Below you will find the members of this team and the important roles they play in supporting our students.

School Counselors: These professionals provide academic guidance, college/career readiness and social-emotional support for all students. With the aid of a school counselor, students learn to develop effective collaboration and cooperation skills, to practice perseverance, to develop time management skills and how to adapt to new environments. School counselors see students individually, in groups and also conduct classroom lessons.

Mental Health Specialists: Mental health specialists ​​provide individual and group school-based counseling support to address school avoidance, social-emotional, mental health and other issues negatively impacting a student’s educational performance. Mental health specialists also collaborate with community members and colleagues to promote student progress and address/remove barriers to student success.

Concord Counseling Services: Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools also partners with Concord Counseling Services to provide prevention programming to many GJPS sites. Concord prevention specialists support GJPS schools by providing proactive intervention and support for students. Prevention counseling services help students build coping skills, resilience and find healthier ways of thinking and behaving.

As October is Ohio School Safety Month, we wanted to showcase our revamped Safety and Security webpage. There you can find information on preparedness and crisis protocol, our standard response, prevention and family education. Be sure to check out the webpage to learn more about our multi-layered approach toward physical and emotional safety for our students and staff.

We appreciate our principals every day, but especially in October during Principal Appreciation Month!

Royal Manor Elementary was all smiles during a recent visit!

Middle School South sixth graders rocked the day with old friends, new friends and great activities at the Sixth Grade Adventure Day at Hannah Park.

We are thrilled to highlight the incredible achievements of our GLHS students! Join us in celebrating these three groups of award-winning students who have recently earned prestigious academic honors.

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National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
National Merit Scholarship Commended Students

College Board Nationally Recognized Students

Join us in celebrating the installation of new COMMUNICATION boards installed at FOUR Gahanna parks. These communication boards will support accessibility and inclusion for our Gahanna-Jefferson community, making our parks more welcoming for all!

Thank you, Gahanna-Jefferson Education Foundation, Gahanna Parks & Recreation, Gahanna Parks & Recreation Foundation and the City of Gahanna, for partnering with us on this meaningful project.

RIBBON CUTTING

Oct. 21, 2024: Comp Day - No School

Oct. 22, 2024: Staff Work Day - No School
Nov. 8, 2024: PD Day - No School
Nov. 27-29, 2024: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Dec. 23, 2024-Jan. 2, 2025: Winter Break - No School
Jan. 3, 2025: Staff Work Day - No School
Jan. 20, 2025: Martin Luther King Day - No School
Feb. 14, 2025: PD Day - No School
Feb. 17, 2025: Presidents Day - No School
Mar. 10, 2025: Staff Work Day - No School
Mar. 31-April 4, 2025: Spring Break - No School
April 18, 2025: Comp Day - No School
May 2, 2025: PD Day - No School
May 23, 2025: Last Day of School for Students
May 24, 2025: Class of 2025 Commencement

2024-25 GJPS District Calendar (PDF)

The Heart and Pride Award recognizes two outstanding staff members each month who make a profound impact on our students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.

This nomination form will remain open year-round and is open to any member of our staff, regardless of position.

In November 2020, voters in the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools district approved a bond and operating levy to fund Phase Two of the GJPS Master Facilities Plan.

Phase Two of the Master Facilities Plan Includes:

• Additions and renovations to High Point and Blacklick Elementary
• Additions and renovations to Middle School East
• New Lincoln High School on current site

Master Facilities Plan & Building Projects Webpage

Phase Two Building Projects Webpage
Phase Two Elementary Projects Webpage

Phase Two Middle School East Project Webpage

Phase Two Lincoln High School Projects Webpage

GJPS has very active Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube accounts.

Please check us out and LIKE US, give us a COMMENT and SHARE us on your channels!

Have a question about something school related? We bet you can find the answer on our Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools website at www.GahannaSchools.org.

The newsletter you are reading (the GJPS NEWS TO KNOW District Newsletter) is emailed to our families and GJPS community each month.

If you live in the GJPS community and want to stay in the know about what's happening in YOUR school district, please SIGN UP for our monthly update.

(Psssst, families of current GJPS students already receive this newsletter, so there is no need to sign up again, but please share with a friend who does not receive it.)