New Family Info

Where do I start?

Glad you asked! A great place to begin when searching for any kind of school- or building-specific information year-round is myCHCA. School-wide information (think lunch menus, chapel, Scrip Shop, technology, transportation, etc.) is in the All School drop down menu. The Quick Links on pages like this one also put information at your fingertips!

On the four "mySchool" webpages, you'll find everything specific to that program.

The Back to School tab has summer assignments and school supply lists and is updated by mid June.
The School Year Info tab has handbooks and links used all year long.
Use the drop down menus to find topics like extra-curriculars and after care, socials, and important program-specific homepages.

How do I stay informed about what's happening?

PK-Gr 6 families:

The myCHCA Parent App is the best place for “breaking announcements.” Everything you need to know to download and interact within the app is on www.chca-oh.org/App, including a three-minute video that will make you feel smarter! The App doesn't require a login.
Campus Connection is an eNewsletter emailed for PK-Gr 6 families every Thursday, beginning 09/07/23, and through the school year. It is an emailed snapshot of what's in the App.

Gr 7-12 Families:

The Eagle Memo is emailed every other Friday and has information, articles, and pictures that offer a peak into our campus. US 9-12 students will also see this information on the “Info Wall” in Miracle Commons.

When do I need to be where?

What kind of medical information does CHCA need?

CHCA uses an online database called Magnus Health to manage most student medical information. Most forms are electronic and can be completed online. Forms requiring a doctor’s signature can be downloaded from Magnus Health, completed and signed by a doctor, and then re-uploaded to your Magnus Health account.

By mid-July you will have access to your Magnus Health account through your Veracross Parent Portal and the specific health forms required for each of your students will be presented to you within your Magnus Health account.

Take me to Medical information

What should my child wear to school?

Lands' End is CHCA's uniform vendor for students in Grades PK-6. (Students in our 2-year old program do not wear a uniform.) Details about the uniforms are on the Uniforms webpage, a dropdown in myAllSchool.

Students in grades 7-12 do not wear a uniform but must maintain CHCA standards regarding modesty and appropriateness. See the related handbook on the myUpperSchool webpage for details.

Find out about PK-6 Uniforms

What about school supplies?

This depends on which grade your child will attend. Note some US 7-12 also have a "Supplies for General School Use" request listed separately on the myUpperSchool webpage.

Preschool - Gr 8: Check out School Supply lists and options for ordering online from the Back to School tab on their myCHCA webpage.

Grades 9-12: Students organize their class work however best for them. A typical system is a binder per class, along with notebook paper and pens/pencils. Teachers usually identify any other supplies on the first day of school.

When do I find out what classroom my child is in or what their schedule looks like?

Like school supply lists, this differs depending on which building your child attends:

North Campuses
Early Learning Program: This will come directly from your teacher when school starts.

Grades K-3: Class lists are linked on a secured page from myCHCA on June 30 after 5:30 P.M. If you don't have the webpage passkey, contact Mrs. Williams.

Grades 4-6: Student schedules are mailed at the beginning of August. Students will receive locker assignments and can visit the school to walk through their schedule on UE 4-6 Parent & Student Kickoff. The school office will email you details.

Grades 7-12: Schedules are distributed on Orientation/Kickoff days in August. If you requested an AP course or other course with summer work, assume you are scheduled for that course and prepare the summer work found on the myUpper School B ack To School tab.

Armleder Campus: You will receive a welcome letter from your student's teacher prior to the first day of class with these details.

How do I find summer assignments?

Does CHCA have after-school care?

What is the student lunch program?

Brown-bagging it is always welcome, but Grate Thymes (our school lunch provider) provides great meals for your child as well.

Families can purchase a virtual cafeteria card and load the card in any amount, receive email alerts when your account falls below a predetermined amount, set your account to be automatically replenished, and review your child’s purchases all online. New families may have a slight delay for their family info to be sent to the lunch system so they can load their child's card.

Grate Thymes also accepts cash payments at the register. Menus, link to the virtual system, and order forms on the Lunch Info webpage, a dropdown in myAllSchool. Information is updated in early August.

Find Lunch Info

We know our child needs to get involved early. What’s the best way to get plugged in?

There are dozens of ways to get to know fellow students, whether your child wants to start in an area they’re familiar with or explore something new.

Find an extracurricular activity (including fine arts, athletic options and more) that interests your child. In the myCHCA drop down menu for your child's school, click on the "Extracurriculars and After Care" page link for all the details.
www.chca-oh.org/myArts has a great summary for Fine Arts opportunities.
Join an SOS Team (Grades 9-12)
Summer Programs are another great way to get connected through Specialty Camps and Summer High School Courses for Credit.

How do I get a Family Directory?

Link to our secure online Family Directory from the header of any webpage, the myCHCA Parent App, or the Veracross Parent Portal. This online version is cost-effective, secure, and current with real-time information. Accepted-but-not-started families can access the directory once they have access to the Veracross Parent Portal (not the Veracross Incoming Parent Portal). For questions or ideas, contact webmaster@chca-oh.org.

What is the Scrip Shop?

Do you buy groceries, gas or clothing? Ever eat at a restaurant? Of course you do. The Scrip Shop is a School Store that lets you do all of those things and lower your tuition at the same time. How it works: CHCA buys gift cards from over 400 major retailers (think Wal-Mart, Kroger, Shell, Starbucks, Panera, etc.) at a discount. You buy the gift cards from us at face value, then we split the savings with you.

Find out about Scrip

Oh, BTW (by the way)!

Campuses/Buildings (a.k.a. Physical Spaces)
AS	Armleder School downtown campus 140 West 9^th Street Cincinnati, OH 45202	Armleder School students PK-Gr 6
BLT (ECLC)	Blake Lindner Thompson Early Childhood Learning Center 11312 Snider Road Cincinnati, OH 45249	Early Learning students PK2-PK4
EBL	Edyth B. Lindner School 11312 Snider Road Cincinnati, OH 45249	Lower School students Gr KPrep-3
FC	Founders Campus 11300 Snider Road Cincinnati, OH 45249	Lower School students Gr 4-6 Upper School students Gr 7-8
MSL Miracle Commons and Theatre Commons	Martha S. Lindner School 11525 Snider Rd Cincinnati, OH 45249 Miracle Commons is the main hub off the circle driveway Theatre Commons is the main hub outside the theatre	Upper School students Gr 9-12
Hint: Would a picture help? Check out the Contact Us linked in every footer.
*Events*
Ancestral History Cup Challenge	Biennial competition for all Gr 4-6 students. Each classroom forms a team to study historical facts about the many cultural identities within the student body. Topics include: important historical moments, hardships endured, people who made a difference, and critical vocabulary. The challenge has a gameshow style with students learning and memorizing facts and working together as a team to compete against other classrooms from both campuses.
ArtBeat	Annual campus-wide celebration event of the visual and performing arts, typically held in April.
Celebration	Annual auction/dinner fundraising event, typically held in February.
FAD (Faculty Appreciation Day)	A luncheon that PTF and parents provide for faculty and staff.
Homecoming	Community-wide annual fall weekend event including football, food and fun for the whole family.
Kickoff Day	Gr 4-12 students come to school on this day to pick up schedules, drop off supplies, get locker assignments, decorate lockers, and turn in paperwork.
Intersession or JTerm or MayTerm	For two weeks each year, Gr 9-12 students explore the world outside the classroom, choosing from travel or serving others abroad, learning about different cultures, lending a hand to neighbors in Cincinnati, or learning new skills in the arts, sciences, and technology.
Marketplace A.D.	Every 3 years, we make a recreation of the Marketplace at the time Jesus was visiting and teaching. Each student travels in one of the twelve tribes of Israel experiencing crafts, food, games, Hebrew School, stories, music, dance, and more. Our goal is for our students to gain a better understanding of their Christian Heritage. Last held in May 2023.
Service Intersession	A fall week long immersion where Gr 7-8 students engage with communities and service organizations from a place of mutual respect and admiration for the people they serve.
SLEW (Spiritual Life Emphasis Week)	Every spring, each campus holds special chapels and events for all students and faculty featuring a wide variety of speakers from both within and outside of the CHCA community.
Spirit Day	Students in PK-Gr 6 may wear CHCA spirit shirts with uniform bottoms on select dates as determined & communicated by their principals.
SYATP (See You at the Poll)	Students gather together at each campus to meet and pray along with the rest of the nation.
Groups
FOFA	Friend of Fine Arts, CHCA parents and supporters who desire to enhance, promote and encourage fine arts opportunities for every member of the CHCA community.
PTF	Parent Teacher Fellowship. They support, serve, and enhance the Christian educational needs of students, and promote communication and fellowship between members of our school community. PTF members include parents and guardians of students at CHCA, our faculty, and our administrators.
SOS	(Upper School) Student Organized Service. Exists to build up student leaders who provide service opportunities for all upper school students, so that they may learn about the world through the eyes of Christ, develop relationships with people, and further the Kingdom of God.
LS	Lower School (Gr K-6)
LE or Lower E	Lower Elementary (Gr K-3) housed in the EBL Building
UE or Upper E	Upper Elementary (Gr 4-6) housed in the Founders Campus building
US	Upper School (Gr 7-12) housed in the Founders Campus (Gr 7-8) and MS (Gr 9-12) buildings
Other
Eagle Farms and the Greenhouse (Part of the Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Program)	Unique spaces for innovative learning located around the CHCA campus (like the state-of-the-art greenhouse and the organic garden) that engage all ages of students in hands-on learning year round. Our uniquely designed program highlights the farm-to-school cycle: students plant and harvest a wide variety of food, herbs, and flowers in the many garden spaces and then oversee the marketplace where their harvest is directly sold to consumers.
Magnus Health	Accessed through the Veracross Parent Portal, Magnus Health is CHCA's digital student health management system. (Note Athletic health forms are managed outside of Magnus Health.)
myCHCA Apps	Download the myCHCA Parent or myCHCA Student (for US 7-12) app to have important announcements, calendar events, and handy links at your fingertips. Check www.chca-oh.org/Login for more info.
pickAtime	Sign up system for Parent Teacher Conferences and volunteer for large school events
Personal Responsibility Time (PRT for US 9-12) and Student Directed Learning (SDL for US 7-8)	Periods when US 7-12 students do not have a class scheduled. The goal is time management training for learning to make wise decisions before students experience the freedom of the college campus. Students have a range of options including they are responsible for how they utilize this time. There are certain parameters students must follow for PRT. It is not “do whatever you want to do” time. All students must stay on campus except seniors with parental permission provided they return punctually for their next class. Underclassmen, grades 9-11, may not leave campus but may enjoy the following options on campus: A US 7-12 student with PRT/Personal Responsibility Time on their schedule is expected at school and may arrive late or leave early only with a parent’s express permission.
School Messenger	Messaging system that sends both text and emails; you can personalize notification preferences
Teaching Kitchen (Part of the Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Program)	The CHCA Teaching Kitchen serves a dual purpose: emphasize culinary skills and nutritional wellbeing for a healthy life and provide an opportunity for students to run the kitchen as a business. CHCA is the only K-12 school to be admitted into the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative (TKC), a partnership of the Harvard School of Public Health and the Culinary Institute of America!
The Leaning Eagle (and The Mini Cup) (Part of the Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Program)	Student-Run Coffee Bar in the MSL Upper School, open during school hours to students and the public. Mini-Cup is CHCA’s Gr 7-8 entrepreneurship club on Founder's Campus where students work and lead in a business environment.
UltraCamp	Registration system to make and schedule payments, eSign forms for many CHCA activities (Link on all mySchool webpages)
Veracross	CHCA's comprehensive student information system (SIS) that serves as the dynamic hub for your family’s relationship with CHCA. Provides access to sign your enrollment contract, pay tuition, access report cards, link to student assignments in Canvas, access Magnus Health, and much more.
Vertical Team (VT)	A term from the College Board which designates coursework that prepares students to possibly take an AP course in the future. Both VT and Honors level courses are faster paced and more rigorous than college prep coursework..

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