Dear Monroe School District families,

We hope you are enjoying the last weeks of summer vacation! As we gear up to start a new school year, here are a few things to keep in mind, and check off your list, to ensure your family is ready to return to school in September.

First Days of School

The first day of school for most students is September 7, with exceptions noted below. The full 2022-23 calendars are all available on our website.

• September 6: Orientation for 6th grade students at Park Place Middle School & Hidden River Middle School (7:50 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.)
• September 7: First day of school for the following grade levels (not including SVEC):
  • Grades 1-5 attend 8:55 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.
  • Grades 6-8 and LILHS students in grades 9-12 attend 7:50 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.
  • MHS grade 9 only attends 7:50 to 11:05 a.m.
  • MHS grade 10 only attends 11:05 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.
• September 8: First day of school for MHS students in grades 11-12 (MHS grades 9-10 do not attend)
  • MHS grade 11 only attends 7:50 a.m. to 11:05 a.m.
  • MHS grade 12 only attends 11:05 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.
• September 12: First day of school for kindergarten and transitional kindergarten students
• September 14: First day of school for preschool students
• September 20: First day of school for SVEC students with a number of required activities leading up to this date

Required Student Information Annual Update

Please make sure to sign in to your Family Access account and fill out the 2023 Annual Update (formerly known as enrollment verification). It is very important that families verify and/or update their contact information so that we are able to reach you in the event of an emergency. Families will also need to submit annual required forms. Thank you for taking the time to complete this important back to school process!

Bus Transportation

Families who would like to have their student(s) ride the bus to/from school this year must opt-in for transportation by submitting an online request. Only students who request transportation will be assigned bus stops and times. We ask that families submit their requests as soon as possible so that our transportation department can begin mapping their bus routes and making bus stop assignments. Request transportation online now! Bus routes will be available in Family Access on August 28, 2022.

Class Assignments

Student classroom assignments and schedules will be available in Family Access beginning August 30th. If you need assistance logging into your Family Access account, please reach out to your child's school.

School Office Opening Dates & Hours

With the exception of the Sky Valley Education Center office, the rest of our school offices are still closed for summer break. Monroe High School offices will be open beginning August 22nd and our elementary and middle school offices will be open beginning August 24th. All schools will be communicating school-specific information to their families shortly thereafter. In the meantime, you may call the district administration office with questions at (360) 804-2500.

School Lunches

The USDA waiver that allowed school districts to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students in the 2021-22 school year has expired. This means that for the 2022-2023 school year we will be transitioning back to regular prices for school meals, with free/reduced price meals for qualified families. Free/reduced meal applications for the 22-23 school year are available now! More information and the application can be found on our website. School lunch menus can be found here.

If you qualify for free/reduced meals, your student also potentially qualifies to have extra-curricular fees waived! To be eligible, parents must complete and submit the free and reduced price meals application or a Family Income Survey AND a parent consent form that gives MSD permission to share the eligibility for the student. The consent to share form is not retroactive in relation to when fees are waived. If a family has already received a free or reduced letter of eligibility this year, they do not have to fill out a new application. However, the parent consent to share form will still need to be completed and submitted to the district. Questions? Please call: (360) 804-2510.

COVID-19

The Department of Health (DOH) has updated COVID-19 requirements for schools for the fall and we are finalizing our protocols to stay in alignment. We will share detailed information next week.

School Supplies

If you would like to help by sending supplies to school with your child(ren), the suggested school supply lists can be found here or you may visit your school's webpage and click on About > Supply Lists.

Back to School Family Resource Fair

Mark your calendars! You are invited to our annual "Back to School Family Resource Fair" on Wednesday, August 31 from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. at Park Place Middle School. ALL Monroe School District families are welcome and we will have translators available for those who may need translation services. This event is a great opportunity for families to get help filling out their annual Free and Reduced Price Meal applications and volunteer applications.

There will also be many free resources available for students at the Resource Fair including: backpacks, school supplies, shoes (children must be present and complete a free and reduced price meal application, while supplies last), books, and more! Parking will be limited, so we encourage families to walk or carpool as they are able.

We are looking forward to seeing our students back in our schools in just a few short weeks!