Cheat Sheet: Quick Back To School Facts You Need To Know

August 24, 2009

Here’s a last minute cheat sheet on things you need to know on this first day of school:

School Start Times Are Different

back2school22.jpgElementary schools in Escambia County have a morning start time of 7:45 and an afternoon dismissal time of 2:00. The earliest students can be dropped off at the elementary schools — including Bratt, Molino Park, Byrneville and Jim Allen — is 7:20.

At Ernest Ward Middle School, the morning start time will be 9:05 and the afternoon dismissal will be 3:45. The earliest students can be dropped off will be 8:55. The other middle schools in the county, including Ransom, will have a 9:20 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. school day.

At Northview High School, the school day will run 8:45 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. The earliest students will be allowed on campus will be 8:30. The other high schools in the county will run 8:30 a.m. to 3:05 p.m.

Buses Run At Different Times Too

Since school starts at a different time this year, buses will run at different times too. Questions about your child’s bus? Call your child’s school.

Breakfast and Lunch Cost The Same

One thing remains the same this year — breakfast and lunch prices:

  • Elementary Breakfast:  $1, full; $0.30, reduced; $1.80, adult.
  • Elementary Lunch: $2, full; $0.40, reduced; $3, adult.
  • Middle/High Breakfast: $1.50, full; $0.30, reduced; $1.80, adult.
  • Middle/High Lunch: $2.50, full; $0.40, reduced; $3, adult.

Students that qualified for free and reduced price meals last year must complete an application again this year. Look for an application to be sent home with your child during the first week.

You Can Pay For Meals Online

You can prepay for your child’s breakfast and lunch at mealpayplus.com. You’ll need their student number. That will be sent home with your child, or you can call your school to get it. You can use any major credit card or a check. It’s the cost of the number of meals you choose plus a small service charge per student. But there’s no sending money to school and hoping it arrives or is spent for lunch.

The Breakfast And Lunch Menu

Here is the breakfast and lunch menu for elementary students for the first two days of school:

The elementary menu for breakfast on the first day of school will be Pop Tart, cheese wedge and mixed fruit. The lunch menu will be chili fiesta stix, pepperoni pizza, peaches, corn and a cookie. Day two, Tuesday, will have breakfast pizza and pears in the morning. For lunch on the second day, the menu includes corn dog, chicken Alfredo, fresh fruit, pineapple, garden salad and french bread.

Featured specials in middle and high school for Monday include popcorn chicken potato bowl, chicken Caesar salad or chili fiesta stix. Tuesday’s menu includes chicken fettuccine Alfredo, Cobb salad or pizza.

The Rules And The Dress Code

Each student will receive a copy of the Escambia County Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook during the first few days of school. Take a moment to look at; it can save one of those unwanted calls from the principal.

The school day dress code for students in grades 6-12 now applies to every activity after school too, even ball games. Leave the short shorts and baggy pants at home.

If you are just dying to read the handbook before it comes home with your child, click here for middle and high school or click here for elementary.

Communications

Communications is a two way street. Make sure you have your child’s school phone number in your cell phone in case you need it one day.

Make sure your child’s school has correct phone numbers for you, both your landline and cell phones. There will be forms sent home the first few days of school asking for the information, and you can send a note to your child’s teacher anytime.

Speaking of the teacher, ask him or her for their extension number at school, and trade email addresses with them. That way you have easy access to your child’s teacher(s).

And don’t fall for the cell phone temptation. Students of any age can have their cell phone at school, but it must be turned off between the first and last bell. Vibrate is not off.

Checkout List

Make sure you have an updated list of people allowed to check your child out of school. You don’t want to send grandma to school to checkout the kids for her to be told no. The names will go on that blue card the school sends home during the first week.

Get Your John Hancock Ready

Check the book  bags. There will be lots of papers to fill out and sign during the first week. Make sure they are returned to school.

Fall Break And Holidays

If you are planning ahead for Fall Break, don’t expect it to be a long one this year. The school district has taken the normal Thursday and Friday Thanksgiving break and tossed Wednesday in for a three day Fall Break. It will be November 25-27. The first holiday of the year will be Monday, September 7 for Labor Day.

Last Day Of School

Ready for next summer again? The last day of school will be 180 days of school away –  Friday, June 4, 2010.

Comments

One Response to “Cheat Sheet: Quick Back To School Facts You Need To Know”

  1. Deborah on August 24th, 2009 2:46 pm

    Thanks for the great article for parents. The part about the accurate phone numbers is especially important.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News