The Goshen Gazette

Dear Goshen Lane Family,

I am honored to be your new principal and cannot wait to get to know all of our students and families. This is my 25th year in Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools, and have spent that time teaching 3rd and 5th grades, serving as a K-5 instructional coach, and as a member of the Curriculum Department as Curriculum Coordinator of K-12 Math including years with Science, Health, and Libraries. This upcoming chapter as Goshen Lane principal is one I could not be more excited for. While I have absolutely loved my recent years as a Curriculum Coordinator, my heart knew that serving in a building with students, staff, and families was where I was meant to be. Life is coming full circle as I walk back down the halls of Goshen Lane where I spent all of my K-5 years as a student!

I am also proud to be a Gahanna-Jefferson mom of three! Avery graduated from GJPS in 2022 and is entering her senior year at The University of Virginia. Addison just graduated in May and will be starting her freshman year at Miami University. Amelia is beginning her sophomore year at the high school and you will find me this fall on soccer sidelines cheering her on! My husband Mike is the comedic relief in our house and comes from a family of educators, so "he gets me." Fun fact: Mike was the design architect on our new Gahanna Library! Finally, we get a little too excited about our two most hugged family members -- our dogs, Annie and Oakley! When I am not with my family, I love to garden, drink coffee and listen to audiobooks.

Thank you for giving me the privilege to serve you. I am committed to working each day to give care, find joy, and support a strong education for each and every student.

With gratitude,

Sharon Suriano

Every Friday, you will receive a weekly newsletter like this from Goshen Lane with the most updated activities and events. These newsletters will highlight what is taking place at the school. Make sure to read it carefully for important information such as calendars, start times, breakfast/lunch menus, events, and how you can sign up for free and reduced lunches. PTA also takes time to share fun ways to connect to our school community.

This newsletter contains everything you need to know about the new school year. I appreciate you taking the time to read it closely so that your family is prepared the first day of school.

We will welcome everyone back to school with our Open House on Tuesday, August 12, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. You can meet your child's teacher and grab a Kona Ice treat from our PTA. There will be information on how you can join the Parent Teacher Organization! We are always looking for volunteers.

The first day of school is Thursday, August 14 for students in 1st-5th grade as well as kindergartners with last names that begin with A or B. School will start sharply at 8:05 a.m. Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade students that want to eat breakfast can come in at 7:45 a.m. Doors will open for everyone else at 7:55 a.m.

We look forward to seeing you at our Open House on Tuesday, August 12, 5:00-6:30. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns at surianos@gjps.org.

Our school office is now open. If you have questions, you may email or call for help. Our school secretary is Ms. McFadden. She can be reached by calling 614-478-5580 or emailing mcfaddene@gjps.org.

We are so lucky to have the following staff new to Goshen Lane this year!

Staci Aldrich - 4th grade teacher

Amanda Caldwell - reading specialist

Charlotte Dial - school psychologist

Derrick Henry - behavior prevention specialist

Tiffany Horton - EL teacher

Stephanie Sander - alternative Instructor

Alexis Zabor - art teacher

• 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; 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students can pick up breakfast
• 8:05 AM School starts & tardy bell rings (in classroom when bell rings) See #2 below
• 2:35 PM Dismissal begins
• It is important that car riders remain in vehicles until 7:45 and are picked up by 2:55. There is no district supervision for students prior to 7:45 AM or after 2:55 PM.

1. Students arriving and leaving school through parent pick up will enter the building through door #7. Guardians in vehicles will enter the drop off/pick up line in the back of the main building following the designated traffic pattern.
2. 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.
3. To ensure a safe and orderly end of day dismissal process, the school office will close at 2:15 and reopen at 2:45.
4. Guardians wanting to pick up their student(s) early from school must do so prior to 2:15. Please also email the teacher to notify them in advance.
5. If there is a change in a student's end of day transportation, guardians are asked to email the student's teacher and to call the main office prior to 2:15.

This can be a bittersweet time and it's natural to feel a mix of emotions. Please know the staff of Goshen Lane will welcome your little one with an open heart and arms.

Kindergarten at Goshen Lane begins with a staggered start. A staggered start means that small groups of students will come to kindergarten for one day. Teachers and students will begin to learn about each other, and students will begin to learn school routines. Below is the schedule to see what day each kindergartener will arrive for their small group staggered start day. Each kindergartner only attends ONE of the staggered start days.

Then, ALL kindergarten students will come to school every day starting on Thursday, August 21.

If you have questions about when your child should come to school, call the school office at (614) 478-5580.

Please save the date for the following activities!

-Tuesday, 8/12 Meet the Teacher Night, 5p - 6:30p. You can bring your child's supplies this night! GLES students receive a free cup of KONA ice ticket from their teacher! Additional cups available for purchase!

-Wednesday, 8/13 Chalk the Walk, 4p - 5p

(meet by cafeteria doors, weather permitting) link to sign up: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxZlrpLX_YW3a3XA7cUldyNM-CS3u0zgSCVzmv0BvDLObbDg/viewform

-Friday 8/22 Welcome Back Family Fun Night at ChuckECheese Morse Rd. 3p - 9p.

-Tuesday, 9/9 First PTA meeting of the year, 7p-8p in the Library. Light refreshments and childcare will be provided! Meeting will feature a recap of last year, introduction to the PTA for new members, and special guest, Mrs. Suriano!

We are so grateful for our PTA Board Members - THANK YOU!

Anna Ferron, President
Kristin Harper, Vice President
Arora Griggs, Anna Ferron, Kristin Harper, Treasurers

Anna Ferron, Kristin Harper, Secretaries

Committee Lead positions available!

Please email GoshenLanePTA@gmail.com for more information.

We'd love to have you!

Click here to see each grade level's 2025-26 school supply list.

If your child is going to be absent from school, please email Ms. McFadden at mcfaddene@gjps.org AND email your student's teacher. Or, you may call to notify the school office attendance line at 614-478-5580 prior to 8:00 a.m.

Goshen Lane will have an additional bus this school year, so your child's bus number/animal might have changed.

To find your student's bus route for the 2025-26 school year, visit Transfinder. This web-based service provides Gahanna-Jefferson families 24/7 flexibility and access to route information based on their home address!

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!

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 Goshen Lane Elementary: If you are a new family to Goshen Lane (including all of our kindergarten families), you will receive an email from Ms. McFadden, school secretary, soon detailing directions on how to log into the Parent Portal of Infinite Campus to update your information. You can also feel free to stop by the school office during Meet the Teacher Night, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 5:00-6:30 and Ms. McFadden will be happy to help families to update their portals.

Dear Gahanna-Jefferson Families,

We want to inform you of an important update regarding the Infinite Campus Payment Portal. Beginning this month, Infinite Campus is transitioning to “Stripe” as its new merchant service provider. This change affects how online payments are processed for food service accounts and student fees (including instructional, athletic and technology fees).

To help you prepare, please review the important dates and action steps below.

Temporary Payment Portal Outage: July 11 - July 23

During this time, online payments will not be accepted. You may still make payments by:

• Mail: Send check or money order to:
  Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools
  630 Morrison Rd, Suite 200
  Gahanna, OH 43230

  • Important: Include your child's Student ID Number to ensure proper processing.
    
    

• In Person: Bring cash, check or money order to the address above.

Action Required

Portal Reopens: July 23

When the payment portal returns, you'll need to update your payment information and re-enter any recurring payments, as your previous data will not carry over.

1. Add Payment Method(s)

Payment methods are used for both food service and school fees. Your current payment information will not be transferred. For security reasons, you must manually re-enter your payment methods.

You can add:

• Credit/debit cards

• Bank accounts

  • To validate bank accounts:

    • Automatic Validation: Log into your bank to confirm.

    • Manual Validation: A 24-48 hour delay for confirmation.

Steps to Add a Payment Method:

1. Go to "Food Service" in the Infinite Campus menu.

2. Click on "My Accounts."

3. Select the "Payment Methods" box.

4. Click the blue "New" button, enter your info, and hit "Save."

2. Re-establish Recurring Food Service Payments

Recurring payments will not carry over for security reasons. You must reconfigure them using your newly established payment method.

Steps to Set Up Recurring Payments:

1. Click on "Food Service" in the Infinite Campus menu.

2. Select "My Accounts."

3. Click the "Recurring Payments" box.

4. Under "Food Service," click "View."

5. Set your frequency, amount and payment method.

6. Click "Save."

For more detailed instructions, including screenshots, please see the attached document. There are no other changes to the way you experience online payments.

We appreciate your attention to this important update. If you have any questions or need help, please fill out the Infinite Campus Help Form.

How to Add Fee Payments to Infinite Campus

Thank you,
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools

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?

Click on the link below and fill out the necessary information:

Volunteer Form - Link is currently activated for the 25-26 school year!

2025-2026 Food Service Information

A plate lunch is $2.75.

Breakfast is $1.50. *Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders can enter the building beginning at 7:45. Grade 3, 4, and 5 graders can enter the building at 7:55.

Lunch Menu

Breakfast Menu

*These will be updated soon.

*New this year - 2 hot lunch options will be available for students to choose from for lunch each day. Please see the lunch menu for details. Students not interested in the hot lunch options will be able to select Yogurt/roll, Wowbutter sandwich, Garden Salad, Cheese Sandwich, or a Turkey Sandwich.

Families are again asked to complete and submit a 2025-2026 Free/Reduced-Priced Meal Application if they believe they may qualify. Applications are available in the Chapelfield school office or online at: GahannaSchools.org. If approved, the completed application will cover the student for the entire 2025-2026 school year, and no other steps will be necessary unless there is an income change during the school year.

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.

Pursuant 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.

GJPS Elementary Student Handbook 25-26

Here is a Curriculum Overview for Families.

Check out Bridges Family Information if you would like to learn more by clicking on your child's grade level.

If your student is in need of after school care, the YWCA Columbus offers services right here at Goshen Lane. If you are interested, please contact them directly.

Eager Engineers is an after-school experience right here at Goshen Lane. If you are interested, please contact them directly.

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 2025-2026 school year. This is a requirement for ALL families (new families and returning families).

______ Lunch Menu (Online now at gahannaschools.org). Students can choose to pack their lunch or eat a lunch provided by the school cafeteria. (Note the menu will be updated soon.)

______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.

______ GJPS/Goshen Lane Student Handbook (acknowledge on Infinite Campus; a copy of the GJPS Student Handbook is located on the Gahanna Schools website.

Rising West 6th Graders

Schedule Pick-up - August 7, 2025

Open House - August 12, 2025

Take Your Child to Work Day - April 23, 2026

*More details will be sent from Mr. Lamarr, the Middle School West principal

Ohio State Testing Dates are ready for the 2025-2026 school year. Please avoid scheduling vacations or appointments over these dates.

Aug. 12, 5p - 6:30p: Meet the Teacher Night

Aug. 12 (UPDATE: There is NOT a PTA meeting on this date as originally listed. The first PTA meeting is Sept. 9th.)

Aug. 13, 4p - 5p: Chalk the Walk

Aug. 14: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

Aug. 21: First day of FULL kindergarten group

Sept. 1: Labor Day - No School

Sept. 9, 7p - 8p: PTA Meeting in Library Meet Mrs. Suriano!

Sept. 12: School Picture Day

Sept. 25, 3p - 7p: Family Conferences

Oct. 1, 3p - 7p: Family Conferences

Oct. 2, 2025: PD Day - No School
Oct. 3, 2025: Conference Comp Day - No School

Oct. 14, 7p - 8p: PTA Meeting in Library

Oct. 22: Picture Re-take Day
Oct. 20: Staff Work Day - No School
Nov. 10: PD Day - No School

Nov. 11, 7p - 8p: PTA Meeting in Library
Nov. 26-28: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Dec. 22 - Jan. 2: Winter Break - No School (Jan. 2: Teacher Work Day)

2025-2026 District Calendar

Student Handbook

Bus Schedule and Routes