Columbus City Schools invites you on a free family adventure at our very own Spruce Run Nature Center. Our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session showcases the district’s 50-acre nature preserve just north of town to share about the upcoming Free Family Open House at Spruce Run - on Saturday, February 4 - which will include an opportunity for children to meet some of the animals found in the woods and creek.

Have you ever considered being a mentor or foster parent? Caring adults can make a real difference in the lives of our city’s children. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our partners from Franklin County Children Services talk about the hundreds of kids who, through no fault of their own, are in need of a safe and loving home. Many of these children also depend on mentors to guide them through difficult times. You might be the right candidate to make a difference.

Columbus City Schools begins the second half of the school year with Dr. Angela Chapman serving as our new Interim Superintendent. We re-start our popular Virtual Family Engagement Sessions with an opportunity for families to ask her questions. We also hear about the efforts to get students back into the routine of regular school attendance as we reach the official midway point of the school year.

The holidays often conjure images of families happily gathered around a home-cooked meal or relaxing in front of a warm fire. But for others, the scenes they envision are of family conflict and tension. So what can you do? Plenty. During our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session - our last before the upcoming Winter Break - our friends from the Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Programs share tips and strategies for strengthening family relationships. Learn some ways for dealing with various types of relational conflict between family members over the holidays.

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The upcoming holiday break and chilly winter days offer a perfect excuse to encourage young readers to snuggle under a warm blanket with a cup of hot chocolate and their favorite book. And whether your child is an enthusiastic bookworm or a little less excited about the whole idea, our Literacy experts in Columbus City Schools have a few suggestions to help keep kids turning pages over the break from school.

The Columbus City Schools FREE Pathway Express program is back this December with a new and exciting destination - the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Who's ready to go see the Wildlights? During Thursday's Virtual Family Engagement Session, our Extended Learning Team shares information on how families can take advantage of FREE admission throughout the month.

Thanks to the generosity of the Robert Weiler Company, COSI is proudly offering the gift of a complimentary one-year COSI Family Membership to Columbus City Schools 5th Grade Students and their families. During the Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, the team from COSI shares more about this incredible opportunity, explains how families with 5th graders can sign up, and previews some of the exciting new exhibits coming to COSI in the coming months.

We are dedicating two special Virtual Family Engagement Sessions to talk about the unprecedented mid-year action to update ALL bus routes plus the new steps to improve how we engage and notify everyone about changes. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we focus on what parents need to do now to update their information in Parent Portal. We also share more about the new direct communication tool which will send emails and text messages directly to parents when a bus route is delayed or uncovered.

We are dedicating two special Virtual Family Engagement Sessions to talk about the unprecedented mid-year action to update ALL bus routes plus the new steps to improve how we engage and notify everyone about changes. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we focus on what parents need to do now to update their information in Parent Portal. We also share more about the new direct communication tool which will send emails and text messages directly to parents when a bus route is delayed or uncovered.

It happens to every parent: you get that eye-roll when you ask your pre-teen to do something. Or maybe it’s when they don’t want to do homework, they don’t want to clean up their room, or when they are fighting with their brothers or sisters. During our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we ask a local expert to share the power of Nonviolent Communication to help get young people to listen. It can help both you and your child better express your emotions through conversation.

Join our Virtual Family Literacy Night and get “Bookelicious.” Another bundle of books will soon be headed home with our elementary students. We're going to help your family get ready for some reading fun. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our Columbus City Schools literacy experts will have easy ideas to help you and your family celebrate reading at home.

As our community sets to enter the holiday season, several of our district’s partners are stepping up to provide help to families who might need extra assistance, including gifts and food. Our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session features our partners at the Salvation Army of Central Ohio, who will share information on what families can do now to get help in time for the holidays. We also talk about ways CCS families can give back to help others in our community throughout the holiday season.

The College Credit Plus provides students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking courses from Ohio colleges. Best of all: College Credit Plus is free for CCS students - no cost for tuition, books or fees. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, the experts from our Higher Education Partnership team answer questions about this program aimed at promoting rigorous academic pursuits and providing a wide variety of options to college-ready students.

Pre-Kindergarten can be a foundational year because, for most children, it provides their initial exposure to school and sets the tone for their educational career. Columbus City Schools offers high-quality, tuition-free, in-person, five-day pre-kindergarten led by licensed, qualified educators… and now we have an opportunity for even more families to provide this early start on learning for their 4-year-olds. During our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our Early Childhood Education team talks about open Pre-K opportunities within schools right now PLUS the innovative new UPSTART at-home preschool program that might work better for your family.

Our Adult and Community Education Program has something for everyone, with FREE English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESL), high school equivalency (adult diploma option), postsecondary preparation, and career training for adult learners. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our Adult Education experts share more on how parents in Columbus City Schools can take classes that will help them earn a bigger paycheck and put them on the pathway to a new career. Hear how our experienced industry professionals provide adult students with the knowledge, skills, and credentials necessary for in-demand, good-paying jobs like Practical Nursing, Nurse Aide, Commercial HVACR repair, and Microsoft Office Specialists.

If you’re trying to balance your budget, buy a home, fund your children's education, or ensure an income for retirement, you might benefit from hearing about financial literacy. Financial literacy and education are key contributors to overall health and wellness. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our friends from the African American Male Wellness Agency provide some great tools and tips to not only manage money with more confidence but also have a better chance of handling life’s inevitable ups and downs.

It’s better than asking Alexa! Imagine your child having a personalized online bookshelf filled with titles aligned to their favorite interests and reading levels. In Columbus City Schools, we’ve got it. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our district’s literacy experts share more about our new Literacy Pro tool that drives students toward books that capture their interest and curiosity.

We’ve got a seat for you at our Virtual Big Table. Columbus City School joins the Columbus Foundation for The Big Table - a day of intentional, community-wide conversations designed to create space for all voices to be heard while we imagine a bright future together. During our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we host our own Virtual Big Table to hear from you. The more voices, the better – as we talk, listen, and learn from one another.

The Columbus City Schools Pathway Express returns this school year, and students, families, and staff can expect a host of new, exciting learning experiences. The outside-the-box, community-based learning experiences kick off in October with FREE admission to the Ohio History Center. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, families will hear how to participate in Pathway Express and about all the great free benefits, including experiential learning opportunities, a glimpse into work students are doing throughout the year, fun activities, giveaways, prizes, and more.

Getting to activities after classes or on the weekends - like tutoring, the library, football games, part-time jobs, and even having some fun - should be easier this year for our high school students… and maybe for their parents as well. Columbus City Schools is partnering with COTA for a special Educational Pass - unlimited COTA rides at no cost. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, our partners at COTA share some tips and strategies for students to maximize their free COTA pass and safely catch a ride. They also share information about a special pilot program that offers 50% off COTA fares to qualifying adult riders.

Columbus City Schools and the Columbus Crew have officially kicked-off a new partnership to promote improved school attendance as part of the "Stay in the Game! Keep Learning, Every Day" Network. Learn more about this statewide initiative designed to promote the importance of school attendance and put an end to chronic absenteeism. Our Thursday Virtual Family Engagement Session includes the Columbus Crew and our partners in the Stay in the Game Network, with tips and strategies to engage and excite your child to come to school every day, on time, when they're healthy.

For more than a century, Charity Newsies has provided new clothes to students of every age in Columbus City Schools... and now is the time for your family to register to receive free school clothes. The application process is easy. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we hear from our partners at Charity Newsies and about their mission to make sure no child skips school because of a lack of adequate clothing.

Every child should have a favorite book. What’s your child’s favorite? Columbus City Schools is committed to empowering students to discover their love of reading and improving literacy skills across all grades. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we introduce you to the “Together We Read CCS” initiative and our expert literacy team. Hear about our efforts to provide free literacy resources at home and give your child even more access to tools for success in the classroom and for their future.

News about your child’s grades, attendance, and teacher info can be found in the Columbus City Schools Parent Portal. Have you logged into it yet? Do you know how to update your family's contact information so you don’t miss out important announcements? During this Virtual Family Engagement Session, our tech experts show you how to access all the valuable information that's updated regularly on the Parent Portal. We'll also give you some tips on what to do if you forget your password.

The safe transportation of students every day is an important job and one that Columbus City Schools takes seriously. The District recently transitioned to a new routing system meant to streamline our process. But in the first few days of the new school year, our Transportation team has identified several issues impacting our students getting to and from school. As our transportation team works diligently to resolve the issues, they'll take time during this Virtual Family Engagement Session to explain how they are correcting the routing system and helping students who have yet to be routed.

How was your child’s first day back in the classroom? On Monday, Columbus City Schools students and teachers returned to full-time, in-person learning in our school buildings. We want to hear how your child's first day of school went. During our Tuesday Virtual Family Engagement Session, we check-in with several of our school principals to hear about the first days of the new school year.

Columbus City Schools begins the new school year with online learning only. To help families, our district's Academic team has created an online learning resource guide designed to be a one-stop shop on how to approach online learning and ensure student success. During this Virtual Family Engagement Session, we guide families through the alternative online learning plan for these first days of the new school year and review how attendance will continue to be important.

With the start of the new school year less than a week away, we want to give families an opportunity to hear about plans for the first day and ask questions about the District's Alternative Opening Plans to help families make essential preparations. During this first virtual session of the year, we'll also share information on the CCS Back-to-School Family Resource Fair and our online Back to School Hub.

Due to technical issues, the first few minutes of the session were not recorded. We apologize for the inconvenience.