August 10, 2021

Dear Middle School Families,

Welcome to a new school year. I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying the remaining time left before we begin school.

As you know, our Middle School will return to being fully (all students and faculty) in-person when school begins on August 23. Inside of school buildings, we will continue to wear masks. We ask that all visitors wear masks when coming inside the school and to please check in at the Middle School Office upon arrival. Classrooms will operate at pre-COVID capacities, with the proper amount of spacing in between students. More details on the school’s health safety measures will be shared by the COVID Response Team in the coming days. Below is more information about the operation of school.

Morning Dropoff
Dropoff begins at 7:30 a.m. and pickup begins shortly after 3:20 p.m. The dropoff and pickup circle for middle-schoolers is located in between the Dining Hall and Upper School. With student safety in mind, please drive slowly through the carpool line and follow the guidance of teachers, who greet students and provide direction for the carpool line.

Students are not to be dropped off in any of the school parking lots or the bus circle in front of the Middle School. If your child requires special dropoff accommodations, please email me so we can find a solution for your family.

Whether students are dropped off by bus or by car, teachers will be outside to direct them to the areas of the Middle School where students will be gathering by grade prior to going to advisory.

Important Dates
Please note, Back-to-School Night for middle school parents and guardians will be held on August 31. Details for this event will be forthcoming. For more key calendar dates specific to our Middle School for the 2021-22 school year, please click here.

PE Uniforms
Full PE uniforms are NOT required for PE class as we start the year. Students must wear dress code bottoms (shorts, skirts or pants), however, and a Columbus Academy spirit shirt (includes team shirts, class shirts and anything maroon or gray). We are going to continue with this practice from last year, as it maximized class time and proved to be an efficient way for students to move from one period to the next.

PE uniforms and spirit t-shirts may be purchased directly online at VikingCorner.org or at the Viking Corner store located in the Dining Hall, which will be open on Wednesdays from 7:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. (email is VikingCorner@icloud.com).

Please click on the following links for this year’s dress code and information on all middle school student supplies.

Summer Reading
All middle-schoolers should complete their summer reading assignments by August 23.

Final Forms
If you have not already done so, please update and submit your information in Final Forms so that we can have as accurate a snapshot of student vaccinations as possible. I thank you in advance for your cooperation with this.

Student Schedules
Schedules will be available for view in the MySchoolApp on August 23 for parents and guardians to view. Students will be given hard copies of their schedules on that day. Students, if they have them, should bring their school supplies with them on the first day of classes.

Lunch
The Dining Hall will return to the arrangement prior to last year, when we ate at both round and rectangular tables (view welcome-back newsletter from SAGE Dining). We will, however, implement some safety protocols to maintain space and contact-tracing between students. 

Lockers
Hallway lockers will be used in the Middle School. Students will be given lockers in the area of their advisors’ classrooms and will create their unique combinations during the first days of school. Please label student clothing and materials as best as possible.

Dances
Interscholastic dances and social gatherings hosted by CSG, Columbus Academy and Wellington will not be scheduled or planned for now due to current safety protocols for the three schools. Information about dances/activities solely for Columbus Academy middle school students, however, are still under consideration for the school year.

After-School Clubs
Information about the start of teacher-facilitated after-school clubs will be sent out in mid-September. Currently, Math Club (which includes MATHCOUNTS and Chess Club) will operate once a week.

CASE
Families may register for after-school care through CASE (Children’s After School Experience) at https://case.campbrainregistration.com.

iPads
iPads will be distributed to all new students as well as returning seventh- and eighth-graders during the first days of school in advisory. Returning sixth grade students should bring their iPads with them on the first day. They may be taken home once a parent/guardian has signed the iPad loan agreement and your child has submitted it to their advisor. The loan agreement and other important resources can be found on our Family Resources Page.

More guidelines about phones, smart watches and other electronic devices will be sent out in the latter half of next week. 

I am looking forward to the start of a new school year and the opportunity to work with your children. I have always been thankful that each school year affords our students with a fresh start after some months of relief from the routines of school life. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

See you soon!

Head of Middle School