For the first time since mid-March, we opened our classrooms last week with very limited numbers of students on campus each day. While getting to know their new teachers and classmates, students also began their adjustments to new surroundings, safety measures and health protocols. View more photos from the first days of the 2020-21 school year by clicking here. Although you will probably see less photo coverage this fall than you normally would expect (because we are being intentional to avoid intruding on carefully spaced out classroom and common areas), we will still try to provide you with glimpses of activities and events. If you are not comfortable with images and/or video of your child(ren) being shared on the school's social media, please let us know by replying to this newsletter or emailing info@columbusacademy.org so that we can honor your wishes.
Charlie David Dinner Goes Virtual
The Charlie David Dinner is an annual event named in honor of a dedicated parent who for many years organized and hosted a pregame dinner for Academy students and parents during the football season to raise funds for all athletic programs. Last year’s tailgate party raised $70,000 and allowed many new team uniforms, warmups, supplies and nets to be purchased. Because we won’t be gathering in the fall for this community-wide tradition, we need your support more than ever to support our 800+ student-athletes. The website for the event will be live soon and will allow you to purchase sponsorships and City BBQ meals to take home on Friday, October 2, as well as to bid on silent auction items (auction will be live from October 2-9). If you have a silent auction item you’re willing to donate, email charliedavid.paca@gmail.com by September 10. We thank you in advance for your generosity in supporting the 62 middle and upper school athletic teams. Also, please click here to learn how you can place ads in Academy's sports and arts programs. The deadline to reserve your spot is September 14th.
CASE Starts Next Week
If you have a child in Grade 8 or younger who needs after-school care, please read this letter and register here by midnight on Wednesday, September 2nd.
Daily Health Protocols
Thank you for continuing to complete the health screening form for every school day your child comes to campus. Employees are currently testing out the SchoolPass app, and we hope to provide that convenient service to families in the coming weeks. If you mark YES for any question on a student’s health screening, please follow this communication plan for notifying the school. Employees should refer to this communication flowchart if they feel ill. Should a student or employee test positive for COVID-19, the school will reach out to all close contacts as quickly as possible to initiate quarantine procedures and will be as transparent as possible with all families and staff while also protecting the privacy of the patient. We ask that all families and employees closely read and follow these Community Expectations in order to maximize our chances for maintaining a positive and healthy school year.
Calendar Changes
Please note our updated Key Calendar Dates. Parent Back-to-School Nights for each division have been postponed. New details about those will be shared soon.
School Spiritwear
Our parent-run Viking Corner store will be open from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursdays this fall. To shop in-store, sign up in advance or call 614-509-2557 for curbside service. And don’t forget you can shop 24/7 at vikingcorner.org, where your items will be shipped within three days of ordering for a $10 flat fee.
College Counseling Notes
Parents and guardians of seniors are invited to Senior Parent College Night on Wednesday, September 2, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. Please look for the emailed Zoom invitation and attend “live” if possible as some timely information will be shared, but presentation slides and a recording will be available. Also, upper school families are invited to the Financing College presentation to be held via Zoom on Wednesday, October 7, at 7:00 p.m. If you are interested in learning about financial aid, this program is highly recommended.
Celebrating the Academy Experience
Community Conversations on Race
Thank you to everyone who participated in last month's pair of Community Conversations on Race. The school has received so much valuable insight from all areas of our community, and you will be hearing about further developments on our progress in the coming weeks. As Director of Diversity and Community Life Dr. Beckett Broh wrote in her August 6th letter: "We are committed to continuing CA’s path forward. We may not always get it or say it right. Change is never easy. But we are committed to working with our community to unravel racism and bias while fostering safety, belonging and equality."
Please Stand a Farrenkopf Apart
Our upper school faculty members created videos offering back-to-school tips that all upper-schoolers are watching during their orientation days. As a teaser, we posted this demonstration of check-in procedures from our English department. We hope to share more of these videos after all of the US orientation days have been completed.
Space Research by Panya Bhinder
"My team researched how microgravity can be used to expedite the development of a vaccine for COVID-19," wrote Academy senior Panya Bhinder about her summer participating in the prestigious Student Enhancement in Earth and Space Science internship hosted by The University of Texas at Austin’s Center for Space Research. "We researched protein crystallization on the ISS and created an experiment to compare virus mutation rates in microgravity versus on Earth and presented our project to NASA. My team is continuing to collaborate with NASA and ISS astronauts to conduct the experiment." Learn more by clicking here.
Access CA's Daily Lunch Menu
Want to know what is being offered for lunch each day on our campus? Go to https://www.sagedining.com/menus/columbusacademy and look for the dropdown window on the upper left to choose menus for Lower School or Middle/Upper Schools. You can also download the Touch of SAGE mobile app, where the toggle between the slightly different offerings can be found by clicking on the three vertical dots on the upper right. The mobile app also provides information on allergen filters and COVID-19 safety measures and protocols in addition to helpful dining and wellness tips.
Commencement 2020 Video
Wrapping up our 2020 Commencement coverage, click here for complete footage from the July 25th socially distanced ceremony on Hondros Field professionally produced by Best Light Video and alumnus Andy Brush '06! Be sure to watch the slideshow at the end featuring outstanding photography by Cindy Wilson and Dr. Andy Morris '85. For more coverage and photos, please click here.
Fall Sports Senior Nights
Since nothing is guaranteed these days, our fall sports teams are celebrating their seniors earlier in the season starting with our boys soccer program last week (view photos). Dates for upcoming Senior Nights are:
Football on September 4th
Girls Soccer on September 8th
Girls Tennis on September 10th
Cross Country on September 12th
Volleyball on September 15th
Field Hockey on September 15th
Golf TBD
Golf Outing Supporting Financial Aid
Although pre-registration by our alumni filled all the open spots in the upcoming Columbus Academy Golf Outing on September 21st, families and businesses can still show their support for providing financial aid to deserving students by purchasing a sponsorship. Please click here to learn more about sponsorship fees, which range from $100 to $500.
Sydni Ratliff Profiled for Tennis Prowess
Academy senior Sydni Ratliff, the defending Division II singles state champion, was recently profiled on a tennis recruiting site as well as in a ThisWeek article previewing our girls tennis and girls golf seasons. Our girls tennis squad is off to a 3-1 start (with the only loss coming at Division I #1 Mason) while our girls golf team topped Worthington Christian yesterday 179-208 after runner-up finishes at both the MSL-Ohio preseason tournament and Worthington Christian Invitational (view photo). Click on the links below for more sports news:
When our faculty and staff members returned to campus to start their professional development training last month, a heartwarming surprise awaited them on the very first day as they walked to pick up their lunches. Lining the Senior Quad were upper-schoolers cheering (while socially distanced and wearing masks, of course) and holding signs welcoming them back. View more of the photos by clicking here. Also, check out these resources from our wellness team:
Please help us welcome 15 new faculty and staff members who joined us either during the end of last school year or over this past summer. We encourage you to learn more about them by clicking on their names: Susan Brookhart (US Chemistry), Janny Cann (Explorers Program), Diane Chattman (Kindergarten), Betsy Claman (US Math), Elly Davis (Afternoon Receptionist), Susan Goode (Bursar), Nicole LaMar (Advancement Services Manager), Tamara Markey (US Physics), Nyima Porter (Student Equity Specialist), Andy Rhiel (US History long-term substitute), Keith Scowden (Fourth Grade), Nancy Velasquez (Admissions Office Assistant), Nan Wagshul (Administrative Assistant, Facilities & Grounds), Shannon Walder (Benefits Specialist) and Ree Wickerham (MS Spanish). Also, click on the following links for more news about Academy's outstanding educators:
