August marks the start of the 2024-2025 school year with both early college high schools starting the first full week of August and the remaining schools starting on August 26th. Although there is still time to enjoy summer activities and a break from the school year norm, it’s not too early to begin preparing for the new school year.
Summer routines, including eating schedules and what time kids wake up and go to bed are often different than during the school year. Many families find it helpful to ease back into a normal school routine in the days and weeks leading up to the start of the school year. For children who will begin kindergarten this school year, families can be practicing things like opening food packages, tying their own shoes, writing their own name, and buttoning and unbuttoning their own pants/shorts.
Children can also begin preparing for the start of a new school year by spending some time during the day in the weeks leading up to the first day of school reading, solving math problems and doing something creative to engage their mind and thinking skills. Families can ask their children about what they are most excited about with the start of a new school year as well as to identify some goals they have for the new school year. The start of a new school year can bring up powerful feelings for kids and parents. Being intentional about noticing and validating those emotions can help everyone feel more ready and confident as school starts.
Open House events provide families the opportunity to meet teachers for the upcoming school year and to see where a child’s new classroom will be during the school year. Open House is a great time to drop off school supplies that have been purchased for the school year. Open House for all schools, except the early college high schools, will be on Thursday August 22nd. Open House hours are:
Traditional elementary schools (K-5) will be from 4:00 – 6:30
K-8 schools will be from 5:00 – 7:30
Traditional middle schools (6-8) will be from 5:00 – 7:30
Traditional high schools (9-12) will be from 6:00 – 8:30
Today, spend some time thinking about your child’s moods and behaviors. How have they seemed lately? Do they seem excited about school? Nervous? Both? How about you? How are you feeling about the start of a new school year? Remember that it’s normal for both adults and children to have powerful feelings about a new school year!
Links to helpful resources for the start of a new school year:
School Supply Lists –
https://www.pitt.k12.nc.us/domain/2297
Recording from January 2024 Kindergarten 101 Workshop –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zgsI3fQO5Q&list=PLzh6Bm07Ij87ZP6nxoQzO_kpZxkpMzmbv&index=1&t=2s
2024-2025 School Year Calendar – https://www.pitt.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001178/Centricity/Domain/79/PCS_2425CalendarREVISED030424aa_ENG.pdf – English Version
https://www.pitt.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001178/Centricity/Domain/79/PCS_2425CalendarREVISED030424aaa_ESP.pdf – Spanish Version
