August 5, 2023

Dear Upper School Students and Families,

Wherever you may be in your summer plans, may you still have at least one more s’more to make, one more movie on your bucket list to watch, and many more hours outdoors to enjoy whatever August has to offer. As William Shakespeare wrote, “Summer’s lease hath all too short a date.”

With athletes returning and the first day of school not too far away, I wanted to make you aware of some important items for your start-of-school calendar along with some changes for the coming school year.

Cell Phones

Starting the first day of school, we will be implementing a new policy regarding the use of cell phones during school hours. Students in the Upper School (US) will not be allowed to have them out during the school day unless they get permission to use them in an upper school office, but they may store their phones in their backpacks or put them in their assigned US lockers. This means that places such as the lounges, hallways, library and quad – just to name a few – will all be phone-free. Students who use their phones to check blood sugar, however, will be able to do so.

Our primary goal in making this change is to ensure that students can fully engage in school and learn to interact meaningfully with their peers and teachers. Research, including this message from the Surgeon General, along with over a decade of observations and experiences here at CA, has brought us to this decision. Cell phones and the applications being run on them are vastly different than they were 10 years ago. While understanding there are conveniences associated with cell phone use, their negative impact in a school setting outweighs their benefits. Columbus Academy emphasizes the importance of building healthy relationships and, with attention on mental health and student well-being, we’d be remiss not to make this change for our community.

Last spring, US Dean of Students Matt Thompson and Co-Director of Support Services Dr. Suzanne Ritter met with multiple groups of upper-schoolers to discuss the idea of putting the phones away and, while not immediately popular, there were students who understood why we were looking into it and some who thought it would bring a positive change. Additionally, the faculty are universally supportive and also aware that this does not eliminate all avenues to social media or messaging apps, as iPads and laptops can still facilitate communication. Our efforts are simply to minimize their intrusion and subsequent distraction on students’ school life.

Our first day of school is a unique one built around grade-level activities, some of which are off-campus, but Tuesday will be an opportunity for us to explain the new policy to the whole Upper School during assembly and to answer questions and address any concerns they may have. On Wednesday, students will be expected to adhere to the change. If students are discovered using their phones, they will be asked to turn them in to the US office where they will be safely stored until the end of the school day.

Dress Code

While the dress code is not changing, we are asking more of our students with regards to their adherence to it. Students and faculty alike would prefer any number of conversations over correcting dress code, so we are asking for your partnership and support. Even for returning students, we will assume you have checked dress code clothing for fit, sizing, length and non-CA logos prior to school starting, especially given how our children grow over the summer. Students out of dress code will be asked to change or wear pants, for instance, until skirts/shorts of an appropriate length are acquired. The most common dress code infractions include:

• Hoodie Sweatshirts – Hoodies, even CA ones, are not allowed during the school day or as jackets, especially because it’s too easy to keep wearing them if a student is cold or wants to wear another layer.

• Skirts/Shorts – Many (not all) have gotten inappropriately short. Whether they are rolled up at the waist or too short to begin with, they need to fall two inches below the fingertips (with relaxed shoulders). If you are looking for a new place to purchase skirts, consider School Closet / School Days Uniforms or Land’s End Uniforms. Be sure to search for teen (not youth) sizes as lengths will be better suited to our older or taller students. Conversely, stores such as the Gap or American Eagle, for example, sell clothing labeled as “uniform” but the lengths don’t meet our requirements. Also, some of the favorite skirts/shorts that students liked to wear in years prior do not meet our dress code standard.

• Jackets – Jackets designed for outdoor use (coats, puffy jackets, windbreakers) are not to be worn indoors and should be stored in lockers or cubbies during the school day.

And for your calendar:

Week of August 14-18

Freshmen and new students and families will receive email introductions from their upper school advisors.

Wednesday, August 16: BAND DAY

Attendance from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00-3:00 p.m. is required for all upper school concert band members. Students should report to the band room, which is located just past the Lower School off the turn-around circle across from Hondros Field (view campus map).

Monday, August 21: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Upon arrival, all upper-schoolers should report to the Senior Lounge to check in with the appropriate grade-level faculty member. From there, students should report to their advisors’ classrooms or offices to receive additional instruction on the day’s activities. Students will also gain access to their schedules and list of teachers.

• Grade 9 – Freshmen report to school in dress code and will participate in Freshman Unity Day activities on campus. This includes games and activities designed for ninth-graders to get to know the Upper School and also build rapport with their advisory.

• Grade 10 – Sophomores report to school in appropriate casual attire to participate in service activities with their advisory in the greater Columbus area. Students will return to campus for lunch. Additional details will be sent to students and families from advisors just prior to school starting.

• Grade 11 – Juniors report to school in comfortable/casual attire to participate in activities at Play Cbus. There will be guided activities led by facilitators as well as open time to socialize. Lunch is provided on-site.

• Grade 12 – Seniors should report to school in appropriate casual attire in order to enjoy an off-campus activity that will have them competing for advisory bragging rights as they explore parts of greater Columbus. Lunch locations will be chosen by advisory.

August 22 to September 13: DROP/ADD PERIOD

Students wishing to make a course change must do so in this timeframe. After September 13, only teacher-initiated course changes will be considered. Note: there will be no class changes made the first day of classes.

Wednesday, August 23: SENIOR PARENT NIGHT

Our college counseling office will host its Senior Parent Night, an important informational session designed just for parents of seniors, in our dining hall. An optional pre-gathering social will begin at 6:30 p.m. with the program scheduled from 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, August 29: US BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT

Parents and caregivers of upper-schoolers join us for an evening when you follow your children’s schedules and meet their teachers to hear about course expectations and highlights of their classes.

Friday, September 1: SERVICE DAY & CLUB FAIR

This is a memorable Academy tradition when all upper-schoolers participate in Service Day activities as an advisory group in and around the greater Columbus area. More details will be forthcoming from your children’s advisors. Upon return to campus, students participate in a Club Fair in the Lazarus Courtyard from 2:00-3:20 p.m., when they have the opportunity to learn about and sign up for our various student clubs.

Monday, September 4: LABOR DAY – NO SCHOOL

Friday, September 8: CHARLIE DAVID DINNER

All Columbus Academy families are invited to the Charlie David Dinner, the largest community event of the year, on Friday, September 8, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. Join us for food trucks, games for kids and fun for the whole family before the varsity football game against Fort Loramie. The event will take place in the dining hall and Lazarus Courtyard area.

School Supplies 

There is not an upper school-specific supply list of items that need to be purchased prior to school beginning. Individual teachers will make students aware of any specific requirements in their first class meetings on Tuesday, August 22. However, coming prepared with a notebook and writing utensil is recommended.

Dropoff and Pickup

Families driving their US students to school should use the designated MS/US dropoff circle. For safety reasons, please do not use the parking lots as an alternative site to deliver your children in the morning or wait for your children at the end of the day.

Lockers

Students will get locker assignments and combo information during the first couple days of school.

Student Drivers

If your children are eligible student drivers, please know that all cars will need to be registered with the school. Watch for a Google form to be sent to students in grades 10-12 requesting vehicle information. Once it’s completed, students will receive small parking decals from the US office to put on their cars. Academy car tags hung from the rearview mirrors are no longer in use.

In the coming days, we will be busily wrapping up details for the opening of school. Please do not hesitate to call the upper school office at 614-509-2281 or email if you have any questions.

We’ll see you all very soon!

Cory Izokaitis

Head of Upper School