nnn 10.01.2010Follow us on ... 
2010 Columbus Board of Education  Front, l-r: W. Shawna Gibbs; Ramona Reyes; Stephanie Groce, Vice Pres.; and Carol L. Perkins, Pres. Second Row, l-r: Mike Wiles; Hanifah Kambon; and Gary L. Baker II.
Click here for scheduled meeting dates, podcasts and how to contact CCS Board of Education members.
Fostering Community and School Partnerships
A new School Partnership Registration Process has been developed to encourage a cooperative and easy working relationship with our valued partners in support of the district's mission. Click here for additional information.
Ohio Senate Bill 311
Student Credit Flexibility Apps Due December 1, 2010
Columbus City Schools provides students four different methods to earn high school academic credit toward graduation: Traditional, Integrated, Applied, and Career-technical. Credit Flexibility is an additional opportunity for students to create unique learning experiences. Student proposals could include, but are not limited to: distance learning (online), educational travel, independent study, internships, community service, performance, and field experiences.
Click here to learn more!
Food Allergies: Policy 5161.3
District Amends Food Allergy Policy to Align With New State Law
The prevalence of food allergies is on the rise in the U.S., now affecting 6% to 8% of all children and nearly 1 in 25 school-age children. Click here to learn more. Click here to learn more.
Harassment: Policy 5161.3
District's Anti-harassment Policy Now Includes Dating Violence
Columbus Board of Education Policy 4114.123 forbids the bullying or harassment a student or group of students. Click here to learn more.
CCS Community Survey: Your Opinion Matters!
Columbus City Schools is asking for your opinion on communication between the District and the community. The information we receive will enable us to improve our services. Thank you in advance for sharing your opinion with us. Click here to take the online survey.
|  | Attendance Counts in Columbus City Schools
 Columbus City Schools reminds parents and students that it is critical for students to be in school every day. While the district's graduation rate continues to climb from 55 percent in 2001 to nearly 73 percent today, and the attendance rate is approximately 94% , the district encourages students to attend every day. Student attendance is always important, and especially critical during the state of Ohio's designated "Count Week" Oct. 4-8. The state of Ohio's "Count Week" is used to determine state funding for schools in Ohio. Attendance taken during "Count Week" will be used by the state of Ohio to determine how much funding the district will receive from the state.
State of the District Address: October 14, 2010
 Columbus Superintendent Gene T. Harris, Ph.D., will host the annual State of District Address, beginning at 6 p.m., in the East HS auditorium, 1500 E. Broad St. A light reception will follow. Seating is limited. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. (Click here for the invitation and RSVP notice.) For more information, contact the CCS Office of Communications.
CCS Higher Education Partnership Presidents' Summit
 Columbus City School Superintendent Gene T. Harris, Ph.D., and the presidents of 10 local institutions of higher learning recently convened for a summit to celebrate program successes and recommitting to the work creating a seamless kindergarten through grade 16 transition. Formed in 2002, the Higher Education Partnership has helped hundreds of students in earning thousands of college credit hours while still in high school through the Seniors to Sophomore program. In addition, many CCS students have earned associate degrees from Columbus State Community College and DeVry University while they were also still in high school. Click here to read more!
Three Columbus Schools Named as Schools of Promise
 Three Columbus schools have earned the designation of Schools of Promiseby the Ohio Department of Education. It is the largest number of any district in the state. All public elementary and secondary schools that administer the Ohio Achievement Test and the Ohio Graduation Test and receive a report card rating were considered for the recognition. A total 134 schools were named 2009-10 Schools of Promise.
The 2009-10 honorees are:
The ODE Schools of Promise program recognizes schools across Ohio that demonstrate high achievement in reading and mathematics for all groups of students, despite the fact that 40 percent or more of their students come from low-income backgrounds. Students in these schools met or exceeded the state standard of 75 percent passage in reading and/or mathematics for the school year 2008-09, as well as the federal Adequate Yearly Progress requirement. Click here to review the full selection criteria.
Two Columbus Students Named As National Merit Semifinalist
 Centennial HS' Laura Watkins and Columbus Alternative HS' Grace Holland are of among the approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the annual 2011 National Merit Scholarship program announced recently. These two academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue onward in the competition as a finalist for some 8,400 National Merit Scholarships that will be offered next spring.
Established in 1955, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose goal is to honor the nation's scholastic champions, while encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence. The NMSC provides awards from $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.
International High School Opens Its Doors to the World
 For the 2010-11 school year, the Columbus International High School (CIHS) is hosting an international exchange teacher from France through the Jules Verne Academy program. Charles Cooligan is an instructor within the French immersion section of world history and also teaches a French language class. In return, CIHS will conduct a "virtual exchange" with the Academy through an electronic classroom based on blogs, videoconferences, internet-based exchanges and other electronic communications. Cooligan will act as exchange coordinator.
Read for the Record: Snow is in the Forecast!
 Snow is in the forecast for Thursday, October 7, 2010! The community is encouraged to take part in Jumpstart's Read for the Record program, in elementary classrooms throughout the district and in community centers, schools, libraries, homes, and other gathering places across the United States.
By gathering to read the same book on the same day, everyone can all be part of setting a new world record in a way that engages our entire community. The 2010 campaign book is the Ezra Jack Keats' classic, The Snowy Day, a popular 1962 children's picture book featuring a boy named Peter, who explores his neighborhood after the first snowfall of the season. Click here to learn how to participate!
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