For 2020 August Athletics Guidance including the mandatory Liability Waiver Form, click HERE.

First Day of School for Students - August 27, 2020 - Remote Learning 2.0 and Virtual Learning Academy

First Day of Blended Learning (Blue/Green Groups) for Students - September 8, 2020

(Franklin County Public Health UPDATED Guidance for K-12 Schools as of 8/28/2020)

To access SWCSD's Back-to-School website, please CLICK HERE.

September 4 Update - For a printable version, please click here .

Greyhound families,

We are excited to welcome students back to GCHS in their Blended Learning Groups next week! As a reminder, the Blue Group will meet on Tuesday (9/8) and Wednesday (9/9) next week, while the Green Group will meet on Thursday (9/10) and Friday (9/11). Students should bring their Chromebooks, fully charged, each day.

Please remember that masks are required of all students when at school other than when eating or drinking. If a student forgets their mask, please come to the office; we have masks that can be given to students who forget them. Students also must wear a mask while riding a school bus, when in the building, and when outside but unable to socially distance, such as at class change or while waiting for a bus or ride.

We are slightly adjusting our bell schedule to accommodate the end of the school day. Each class change is now 4 minutes long; with fewer students in the building, we are confident that students can move between classes in a slightly shorter time. Students may use their lockers but are asked not to congregate at their lockers or in the halls at any time. The bell schedules are available on our website, http://gchs.swcsd.us.

Arrival - Students who ride the bus will be dropped off in front of the building; students will enter by the Commons, have the opportunity to eat breakfast if they would like, and then will wait in the Gym or Commons, seated by bus, until 7:40 at which time they will be dismissed to class. Administrators and staff will be on hand at arrival to direct bus students as to where to go.

Students who walk, drive, or are dropped off are asked not to arrive before 7:40; with the need to limit gatherings and ensure social distance, students should not arrive earlier. Upon arrival after 7:40, they may go get breakfast if they would like, go to their lockers, and then to first period. Students should not walk around the building or congregate with others. Zero Period teachers will communicate with their Zero Period students as to how to get to class.

Symptom Checklist - Each morning we ask that students complete a Home Health Assessment and take the student’s temperature. The assessment is available at https://sites.google.com/swcsd.us/back-to-school2020/keeping-students-staff-healthy-and-safe/at-home-screening-process. If a student has tested positive, been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, has a fever of 100.4 or above, or the student is exhibiting symptoms listed on the checklist, they should remain at home and contact their healthcare provider. We will also complete this checklist with all students in their first period class (or Attendance Office for students who arrive later), including taking the temperature of students who report that they did not take their temperature before school. Students will be sent home if they are meeting the criteria listed on the screening checklist.

Class Changes - we have instituted a one-way hallway process around the ERC. Students should follow the arrow signage on the floor and walls to ensure a safe traffic flow. There two "halls" across the ERC that will help students get from one side of the building to the other also marked by arrows. It is important for students to move directly to class; they should not congregate during class change.

Lunch - we have reduced the number of seats at each table to assist with social distancing; students should not move chairs or tables. We will ask students to choose a table in the first two days and then sit at that same table daily. Students should sit at their table upon arrival to lunch and will be dismissed to the lunch lines. To accommodate the number of students in lunch, students will have the opportunity go outside in the Courtyard or to another assigned location after they’re done eating so that cleaning can take place for the next group.

Remote Learning Meals - parents or students can order a set of breakfasts & lunches for the Remote Learning days each week that the student will pick up immediately prior to leaving the building on the second face-to-face day each week. Meals can be ordered on the Infinite Campus Portal.

Dismissal - Students who ride the bus will be dismissed from their 8th Period Class at 3:13pm to go to their lockers and then immediately to the bus. Students should not congregate in the halls or outside; students will board the buses according to the directions of their bus driver and sit in their assigned seats. Masks are required at all times on the buses.

Students who walk, drive, or are picked up will be dismissed at 3:20pm to go to their lockers and then immediately exit the building. Students should not congregate in the halls or outside.

Remote Learning Days - The calendar of blue/green days is available at www.swcsd.us on the Back-to-School Website. On weeks with a dedicated Remote Learning day for all students, we will follow the schedule and process for Remote Learning 2.0 that we have utilized to start the school year. On individual Remote Learning days where one Blended Learning Group is attending face-to-face, the other students will have learning activities assigned by their teachers. The exact learning activities will vary by class but will support the learning the students did the previous face-to-face days or prepare students for their upcoming sessions. Students will be given the flexibility to complete these asynchronously (at their own pace). Students learning remotely should continue to complete the daily check-in on the Infinite Campus Portal for attendance purposes.

Communication - students and families continue to be encouraged to keep regular communication with teachers, including on Remote Learning days. Google Classroom will continue to be the primary source of information for each class for students. Teachers will have weekly/daily schedules that will help guide students through both face-to-face and remote learning days.

Advisory - We will begin our first week with Advisory period every day. This will allow us to give Freshmen some of the activities that were missed by not being able to do Freshman Orientation, such as a tour to find their classes and locker, as well as time to introduce the safety protocols and the advisory process to all students.

We understand that this is a time in which students feel a broad spectrum of emotions from excitement to anxiety or stress. Please know that teachers and staff share these same emotions; it is exciting that students will be back in the building for the first time in nearly six months and it will take a team effort on everyone’s part to help keep everyone healthy and safe so that we can return to a more “normal” school year as soon as is safe to do so.

Thank you,

Bryan O’Shea

Principal

August 26 Video Update

We are excited to start school tomorrow. Mr. O'Shea has recorded a video with more information about the schedule, how to complete the attendance check-in, and information about advisory. You can view it at: http://bit.ly/gchs-08262020.

If your student was not able to pick up a Chromebook, materials, or yearbook from 19-20 and needs those items, please call our office at 614-801-3300. We'll arrange a time for you to come in.

Tomorrow's first day may be remote, but the first day of school is an opportunity to have a positive start - we look forward to working with everyone tomorrow and throughout the coming school year. If at any time you need assistance, please reach out to our office.

Announcements:

Infinite Campus (IC) is the District’s Internet-based student information system. Important features of IC are the Parent Portal and NEW Mobile App. Through the IC tools parents are able to access their child’s information, such as class schedules, attendance, academic reports, transportation information, coursework, and put funds in their child’s food service account online. Parents can also designate how and where they wish to receive emergency communications, attendance calls, general announcement messages, and e-mail messages from teachers, the school, and the school district.

To create an IC account, please go to: https://sites.google.com/swcsd.us/parentresources/infinite-campus/parent-portal-mobile-app

If you already have an IC account, please update your emergency contact information at:https://sites.google.com/swcsd.us/parentresources/infinite-campus/online-emergency-information-submission