Principal's Message

Dear Columbus Community,

Welcome to Columbus Elementary School!

Welcome to Columbus Elementary School, where our mission is to create an inclusive, collaborative leadership school community. We are committed to ensuring that every student and staff member feels safe, valued, and encouraged to be curious, creative, and critical thinkers who are motivated to Soar Like an Eagle. Our goal is to develop lifelong learners and leaders by teaching the whole child through strong academics and meaningful social-emotional learning. We measure our success through both academic growth and social-emotional progress using a variety of internal and external benchmarks and surveys.

This year's theme is ALL IN, because there is no Columbus without all of us.

ALL IN is more than a theme. It is our commitment to one another. It means showing up, working hard, choosing kindness, and lifting each other higher. Every student. Every family. Every teacher. Every staff member. Every day. Each person who walks through our doors makes Columbus stronger. Your presence matters. Your voice matters. You belong here. You’re in. When we are all in, there is no limit to what we can achieve. Because there’s no Columbus without all of us!

At Columbus, we proudly serve a diverse community of learners from preschool through fifth grade. In addition to our general education program, we offer Transitional Kindergarten and three Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) self-contained classrooms that support students in transitional kindergarten through fifth grade with moderate to severe academic, social, or behavioral exceptional needs. This specialized program allows us to provide meaningful support and create successful opportunities for inclusion, helping many students participate in general education classrooms while receiving the services they need to thrive.

Our staff is dedicated to creating a positive, caring, and supportive learning environment where every child feels valued. Through our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program, we intentionally teach, model, and reinforce what it means to Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful in every area of our campus. Schoolwide and classroom behavior expectations provide students with clear guidance while helping foster a culture of respect, responsibility, and belonging.

Educating children is a partnership, and family involvement plays an essential role in student success. I encourage parents and guardians to become active members of our school community by volunteering in classrooms, attending school events, joining me for Coffee with the Principal, serving on our School Site Council, participating in parent conferences, or representing our families through DELAC. There are many ways to get involved, and I hope you will join us in making Columbus an even stronger community.

At Columbus, we embrace the Common Core State Standards and believe in providing every student, including those with exceptional needs, with rigorous, engaging, and meaningful learning experiences. By maintaining high expectations while providing the support students need, we help build the strong academic foundation and confidence necessary for success in school and beyond.

This year, we are placing a special emphasis on strengthening reading comprehension while continuing to build fluency in both reading and math facts through engaging, differentiated instruction. We are also excited to continue expanding our Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) program, giving students opportunities to learn and grow through art, music, and dance.

Our entire staff is committed to the success of every child. We are honored to partner with our families as we inspire students to grow academically, socially, and emotionally each day.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact our front office at (818) 242-7722. I also invite you to follow us on Instagram at @columbuseaglesgusd to stay connected and celebrate all the wonderful things happening at Columbus.

Thank you for being ALL IN with us. Together, we will continue to help every Eagle soar!

Sincerely,

Principal Jill Firstman