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Important Upcoming Dates!SEPTEMBER
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Sept. 23 Picture Day
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Sept. 23 - Sept. 28 HOCO/Spirit Week
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Sept. 23 Seniors Day - Dress up like a old person
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Sept. 24 00’s Day - Dress up like a 2000’s artist
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Sept. 25 Trading Places Day - Teachers dress like students & students dress like teachers
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Sept. 26 Anything but a book bag day
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Sept. 27 Purple & Gold Day
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Sept. 26 Homecoming Game Briggs vs. Eastmoor
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Sept. 28 Evening Homecoming Dance - 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm
OCTOBER-
Oct. 8-9 PSAT 10th & 11th grade
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Oct. 10 Parent Teacher Conference 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM
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Oct. 10-11 Briggs HS Internship Fair for 9th & 10th grade
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Oct. 18 Professional Development Day Students Not in Attendance
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Oct. 22 End of Quarter 1
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Oct. 23 Records Day Students Not in Attendance
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Oct. 24 Parent Teacher Conference 3:00 PM - 6:30 PM
NOVEMBER-
Nov. 1 Honor Roll Celebration-Student Only Event
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Nov. 5 Professional Development Day Students Not in Attendance
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Nov. 7 Marching Band Banquet/Concert - 6:00 pm
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Nov. 20 Briggs Student Picture Retake
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Tentative Evening of Academic Excellence Student Achievement (Spring 2024 OST, AP & OELPA Testing Scores Achievement) * Event Date and Time to Be Determined
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Nov. 25-29 All Schools Closed - Wellness Week
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Attendance Student Sign In and Sign Out /Updates & Reminders:
- Per Columbus City School policy, parents are only allowed 9 parent authorized attendance excuses.
- Arrival - Student drop off REAR OF BUILDING as early as 7am (breakfast 7:00 am - 7:25)
- Dismissal - Pickup student REAR OF BUILDING 2:30pm
- Parents must come to the front of building to sign a student out. Students will be called from their classroom when you arrive.
- Students that sign in after 10:00am must sign in with a parent/guardian.
- Need parent portal support? Please call CCS Factline at 614-221-3228 or email parentportalaccess@columbus.k12.oh.us
- (in the email upload a picture of your photo ID, your name, your student's name and student's D.O.B)
ESL LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE CENTERTo assist parents, nurses, teachers and other school personnel with district communication needs between 7:30 A.M. – 4:30 P.M. Please Call ESL Department at 614-365-8802. Select the number corresponding to the language you require assistance with:- For Spanish Press #1
- For Somali Press #2
- For Nepali Press #3
- For Arabic Press #4
- For French Press #5
- For Swahili Press #6
- For Kinyarwanda Press #7
- For English Press #8
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Heartbreak Fuels Fire: Briggs Volleyball’s Drive to Rewrite Championship History
by
Columbus — The 2023 season for the Briggs Bruins volleyball team had all the makings of a Disney fairytale, packed with drama, grit, and the hope of a storybook ending. Down two sets to none in the Columbus City League Championship against Whetstone, it seemed like the tale might be over for the Bruins. But as Head Coach Herbert Sharfenaker reminded his players, “Forget the past, work on the next ball, and finish strong,” the team found its spark.
In an electrifying comeback, the Bruins rallied, claiming the next two sets to force a decisive fifth. The crowd held its breath as momentum shifted with every point, the possibility of a historic triumph hanging in the air. With everything on the line, Briggs was within reach of writing an unforgettable ending to their season—a journey that pushed them to the brink of heartbreak and triumph.
This was a night where dreams collided with determination. The question remained: would their fight be enough to rewrite history? The answer, in the end, was heartbreak. Just two points separated the Briggs Bruins from the city championship, but it wasn’t their moment. Instead, they stood on the court and watched as the Whetstone Lady Braves hoisted the trophy, the victory slipping through their fingers. The scene, while devastating, wasn’t the end of their story—it was the spark.
Photo: Briggs Volleyball That night, a fire ignited in the hearts of the Bruins, a fire that’s still burning as they prepare to rewrite history in 2024. The pain of coming so close has turned into fuel, driving them to reclaim the championship that eluded them. For the Bruins, it’s no longer about what could have been, but about the revenge they plan to take and the glory they are determined to seize this season.
At Briggs, there is no “me” in team. Coach Sharfenaker constantly drives this message home to his players: “If we are not playing as one, which we have been this season, our team success will be gone. I always refer to ‘we’ over ‘me’; this is critical in remembering that we are a team passionate for success.”
That mindset has been the foundation of their strong 2024 season. The Bruins sit at a scorching 14-1, boasting a perfect 10-0 league record. Now, as they enter the final stretch of their regular season, their magic number to return to the Columbus City Championship sits at 2. Just two more wins out of their remaining three division games will punch their ticket back to the championship game, where they hope to finish what they started last season.
Photo: Briggs Volleyball Every successful team has a cornerstone, a player that the rest of the squad builds around. For the Bruins, that foundation is senior Rose Sanabria-Nieves. “She runs the show,” says Coach Sharfenaker. “She is the glue to the team and is like the mom of the team.”
Surrounding her is a formidable group of teammates, including Senior Outside Hitter Josie Sloan and Juniors Janiah Strong, Eva Lizardo, Jasmine Truss, and libero Kinsey Rife. Yet, Sharfenaker is quick to remind everyone that it’s not just about the standout names: “They all bring something different to this team. The rest of the players play a big role and have been awesome. They get into the match, which further fuels the fire to win.”
Another powerful source of motivation for the Bruins is their close relationship with the boys’ volleyball program at Briggs. Coach Sharfenaker highlights this mutual support: “Our boys’ and girls’ teams push each other. When one wins a title, the other wants it just as bad. They feed off that energy, consistently driving each other to be better. Hard work pays off—both in the classroom and on the court—that’s a philosophy both teams live by.”
Photo: Briggs Volleyball Even with their impressive record, every season has its turning points or moments when key trends emerge. For the Bruins, these have surfaced during critical stretches where they’ve struggled to maintain momentum or faced a surge from their opponents. “There have been matches where we were down, but we showed that ‘don’t give up’ mentality and came back to take the lead,” Coach Sharfenaker says. “And when the other team starts to make a run, we stop their momentum, battle through adversity, and come out on top.”
In practice, the Bruins are constantly pushed to reach their full potential, focusing on areas that could be game-changers. Coach Sharfenaker emphasizes the significance of practice and how it translates to success on the court: “Our philosophy is to compete every day in practice with a never-give-up mentality. This mindset has elevated our program. I tell our players, if you want something, work for it and earn it. They’ve embraced that, hitting the ground running with hard work, determination, and grit.”
Where the Bruins can improve is best explained by Coach Sharfenaker himself, who knows his team better than anyone: “We need to continue to work on our out of system swings. We sometimes get lackadaisical and just want to play an easy free ball over, when we should be aggressive so we can put the pressure on their defense. We have been working on that and it has been improving.”
As for the goals of the program, Coach Sharfenaker lists them with the excitement of a child rattling off a Christmas list to Santa. But he always circles back to the same core message about how they’ll get there. “While we have long-term goals, like winning the South Division, a City Championship, and advancing to the District Round of the State Tournament, it’s crucial to take everything one step at a time—starting with practice and each match.”
Photo: Briggs Volleyball He emphasizes that facing adversity is part of the journey: “When adversity strikes, it’s important to remember that your coaches and teammates are there to support you, whether it’s during practice, matches, or in life. That’s the critical stepping stone to achieving our goals by season’s end.”
The 2023 season concluded with adversity, heartbreak, and a fire that continues to burn brightly for the Bruins. In 2024, their camaraderie, relentless drive for greatness, and moments of resilience highlight that their success is rooted in more than just talent—it’s their grit and determination to overcome challenges that truly sets them apart.
These qualities have molded the Bruins into a team ready to face any obstacle. With a candid and grounded approach, they remain laser-focused on their path to success, both on and off the court, determined to turn past heartache into future triumph.
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Download the Football Season Schedule Today!
For information regarding Columbus City Schools Athletics, please click here.
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School Supply Lists for 2024-25
Attention families, all school supply lists for the 2024-2025 school year can be found here!
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BRIGGS BOWLING TEAM USES TEAMWORK AND A STRONG WORK ETHIC TO SECURE CITY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
March 5, 2024 – Coach Art Susi believes the Briggs High School bowling team is the only team in the District that gets excited when they roll a seven-ten split.
The split is renowned as one of the most difficult skills to pick up in bowling, but Briggs bowlers know that if they succeed in knocking both pins
down, there is a reward in their futures. “My team doesn’t mind having a seven-ten split because they know that if they pick it up, I’ll buy them Waffle House,” Susi said with a laugh.
The Waffle House agreement is just one of the ways the team bonds and builds camaraderie. Susi said the most important thing for the team to do is stay positive and have a good time playing. He wants his bowlers to do well, and the best way they can do that is not by maintaining a winning record but by being there for their teammates.
“I might bowl a gutterball, but I still have people smiling, laughing, and high-fiving me,” said AJ Motley, a Briggs senior. “We keep the energy up. When we’re having fun, we get loud, and the whole alley knows we’re having a great time.”
The team’s positive mentality is one that Susi has worked hard to foster since starting up the team six years ago with fellow coach, Joe Coplan. Since the team was created, the school-wide enthusiasm for bowling has grown. Susi and Briggs Athletic Director Cameron Pangallo are proud of where the team is today, and they attribute much of that success to the support of the community.
One of their strongest supporters is the AMF Stardust Lanes bowling alley, the location where the team practices. They allow the team to use their lanes to improve their bowling game, and then, they ensure the students have the equipment they need to succeed as bowlers.
“They understand [the needs of our students],” Pangallo said. “They understand that the equipment can get very expensive very quickly, and they provide us with that equipment for students to use. They’re there to support our kids. If we didn’t have their generosity, I don’t think we would be in the same spot as a team that we are.”
The alley wants to see Briggs students succeed as much as Pangello and Susi do. Jason Lundquist runs the pro shop inside the AMF Stardust Lanes. Since opening the pro shop, he’s donated bowling equipment to students across Central Ohio. He ensures that the Briggs bowlers have what they need to play by taking high-quality used bowling balls and refurbishing them for competition use.
Lundquist’s love for helping the team goes beyond donating equipment. He coached the Briggs girl’s bowling team for several years and succeeded in bringing the team to the state competition.
Susi said Lundquist’s dedication to the bowlers shows what everyone connected with Briggs already knows: westside students are talented and can succeed at anything they put their minds to.
“You have to invest in our kids because they can and will achieve anything that another District kid can,” Susi said. “I’m a product of this side of town, and let me tell you, there are a lot of success stories.”
One of those success stories happened during the 2024 City League Boy’s Bowling Championship. Briggs had a four season winning streak until the 2023 championship match where they missed out on the winning spot. This season, they vowed to bring the trophy back to the Briggs trophy case, and after an exciting match, they were successful.
Senior Peyton Brobst’s first City League championship match was when he was a sophomore. The team took home the first-place title that year, and Brobst was eagerly looking to continue the streak in his junior year. That year was 2023 when the Briggs bowlers fell to cross-town rival Walnut Ridge. After the loss, Brobst knew he had to help the team retake the title in his senior season.
“When we lost, I knew the next year I wanted to push [for the win],” Brobst said. “I pushed as hard as I could to get to where we ended up – champions. It felt great to win again and bring the trophy home.”
The 2024 season marks both an achievement and an end. Susi plans to retire from coaching the boy’s team, and his departure is bittersweet. He looks back on all that he’s accomplished with the team, and more than anything, he’s proud of the boy’s sportsmanship.
“The phrase we always say is, ‘When you have fun, good things will happen,’” Susi said. “I don’t let these kids do anything other than stay positive [because] when we believe, we succeed. I’ve got my daughters at home. These students are my sons.”
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February 07, 2024 -- Habibo Abdiaziz and Sheila Warbington play important roles at Briggs High School. As family ambassadors, the two of them work to ensure all families are aware of opportunities available to students, both academic and extra-curricular.
Along with working at the school, both Abdiaziz and Warbington are Briggs alumni. As Bruins, they have the insight needed to keep families informed. They were once Briggs students themselves, and they know that the best way to keep families in the know is to build a personal relationship with them.
“Parents talk to me all the time,” Abdiaziz said. “They love and appreciate the fact that I am there with whatever they need.”
Warbington said that often, there will be resources that students aren’t aware of or don’t share with their parents. Through the connections the ambassadors have built, parents have come to trust Abdiaziz and Warbington to keep them up-to-date with these resources.
An example of this is the Briggs APEX tutorials. APEX is an online learning platform allowing students to take additional classes outside the typical classroom curriculum. By doing APEX, they get ahead or obtain credentials for classes they still need to pass. Through APEX, students can stay on track for graduation or even prepare to graduate early.
Though students are informed about APEX, the information doesn’t always reach their families without the assistance of Abdiaziz and Warbington.
“A lot of information is shared with the students, but the parents aren’t always receiving that information,” Warbington said. “I think by us sharing information with the parents, it’s like we’ve become a team.”
With this knowledge, parents can encourage their students to take advantage of all the opportunities Briggs offers, and it has a LOT of opportunities! As alumni, both Abdiaziz and Warbington want to show people how incredible the school is, and they love that their role allows them to highlight the excellent opportunities at Briggs.
“Since [we’ve been] here, the parents feel more connected with the school,” Abdiaziz said. “I love to show people all of the amazing things that are happening at Briggs."
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Briggs School Choice Fair
Learn more about what Briggs High School can offer you! We have a highly talented staff and can't wait for you to learn more about our school.
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Congrats Briggs Boys Volleyball team on winning their 5th straight City Championship Title.
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WELCOME TO BRIGGS HIGH SCHOOL. GO BRUINS!
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Joining Together for School Safety
Columbus City Schools takes the safety of its schools, students, and staff very seriously. Threats or violence, even those meant as a joke, are taken seriously. We're joining together with the Ohio Department of Public Safety for school safety.Watch this video about what you can do to better protect our schools and your student. -
The Student Handbook: Your Guide to Student Success
The 2024-2025 Guide to Student Success is now available! Check out this resource for everything you need to know ahead of the upcoming school year.
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Wellness Wednesdays with Tei Street
For our Staff Wellness Initiative's first Wellness Wednesdays video for this school year, hear from Mifflin High School alumna, Tei Street.
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Columbus City Schools Challenges Attorney General's Petition on Expanded Student Transportation Obligations
An update regarding transportation from Columbus City Schools.
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Governor DeWine, Lt. Governor Husted Announce CCS Career-Technical Education Program as Recipient of Education Equipment Grant
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced Columbus City Schools (CCS) as one of 34 schools receiving awards through the second round of the Career Technical Education Equipment Grant Program.
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All Aboard, Pathway Express Launches with a Fun-Filled Day of Early Literacy at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum
Columbus City Schools kicked off Pathway Express with an exciting start at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum, where families gathered to celebrate early literacy.
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Superintendent/CEO Dr. Angela Chapman's Message to the Columbus Community Regarding Transportation of Charter/Non-Public Schools
Superintendent/CEO Dr. Angela Chapman addresses the Columbus community regarding the transportation of Charter/Non-Public Schools.
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Columbus City Schools to Host Transition Fair
Got an IEP or 504 Plan? Get help planning your child's future at the Transition Fair! On Saturday, Sept. 14 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at East High School, you'll learn from CCS Departments and 50+ Community Partners about how to support your child as they move from Pre-K to High School and beyond.
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All Aboard the Pathway Express! First Stop: Veteran's Memorial & Museum on September 14, 2024
The first destination of the Pathway Express experience includes activities and resources to expose students to service-learning outside the classroom. Students and their families will enjoy FREE admission from September 1st through November 30th, as they explore and honor stories of courage and sacrifice.
