Back-to-School Details

2022-23 Calendar

Please note that this one-page downloadable PDF calendar is subject to change and will not be updated after the start of the school year. Any changes to events will appear on the website calendar. Updates and reminders will also appear in the weekly email newsletters (EMES Notes and the EMS Blazin' Bulletin).

Forms

The following forms should be filled out prior to the beginning of the school year. Most of these forms are optional. Complete them based on your family's needs. Contact the front office with any questions.

Student Handbook

This is our guide for working and learning together! Please review it with your student before the start of the school year. Hard copies are available upon request.

2022-2023 K-12 Daily Schedule

Please note that this downloadable PDF schedule is subject to change and will not be updated after the start of the school year and may be adjusted during the year to accommodate special events. Please refer to the weekly email newsletters, EMES Notes (elementary) and Blazin' Bulletin (middle and high), for all schedule changes. 

Morning procedures:

  • Classes for students K-5 begin at 8:20 a.m. Students may arrive at 7:50 and go straight to their classrooms.
  • Classes for students 6-12 begin at 8:00 a.m. Doors open at 7:40 am.
  • Elementary students should be dropped off at the bridge between the two campus buildings, beginning at 7:50 a.m.
  • Students grades 6-12 may arrive at 7:40 a.m., and go to their first period class.
  • Middle school students should be dropped off and enter through the auditorium entrance behind the upper building.
  • High school students should enter through the front entrance. Those who drive should park in the dining hall parking lot. Those who are dropped off should be dropped in the front loop. 
  • Student drivers with a middle school rider should park in the auditorium parking lot and enter through the auditorium entrance along with their middle school rider.
  • Students who bike to school can lock their bike during the day:
    • by the gym entrance (and enter the front door), or
    • behind the school in a covered area near the loading dock (and enter the auditorium entrance)

Wednesday morning:

  • For 9-12th grade students NOT taking orchestra, classes begin at 9:00 a.m. They may be dropped off any time after 7:40 a.m. and will report to the dining hall for supervision.
  • K-8th grade students report to school at the same time as other days. Middle school students go to their first period classroom. 
  • 9-12th grade students with Orchestra meet every Wednesday morning at 8:00am. 

Afternoon procedures:

  • School ends at 3 p.m.
  • Students must leave the school at the end of the school day unless they are staying for an after-school activity, math lab or sports practice.
  • Students in the elementary division can sign up for After School Care.

Parent & Student Account
Access & Information

These links and services are accessible through the Parent Portal, available year-round from the home page. Save it for quick access whenever you need to check on your student's assignments, grades, tuition information, and more.

  • Schoology: Parents and guardians of new middle and high school students will receive instructions via email for setting up their Schoology Parent Access. (Parents and guardians of returning students who have already set up an account won't need to take any action.)
  • FACTS - We use the FACTS Management Company to manage tuition accounts, financial aid processing, and billing. Log in to view details of incidental charges and school fees. Change or update your bank information and notification settings. All parents and guardians were directed to create a FACTS account during spring registration. Contact Susie Hardy in the business office with questions.
  • MealTime - We use MealTime to maintain lunch accounts. MealTime balances are imported monthly into our FACTS billing system so that you do NOT need to add money to your student’s MealTime account. Creating an account is OPTIONAL, but allows you, the parent or guardian, access to see all the lunch activity for your student in one place. Contact Chris Eberly in the business office with questions.

From Joanna Moyer-Diener, EMS Health Coordinator

Please have all updated records and forms mentioned below turned in by August 1. Actual medications can be dropped off in the office on the first day of school.

Screenings:

Since we are not a full service school health clinic, we do not necessarily have all of the hearing and vision screenings completed in other schools. When your child goes to the provider for a physical exam, we encourage you to ask about having their hearing and vision screened.

Medications:

First, If your student will need to take any medications during the school day, please note that these must be stored in the office, where students can come as needed to take them. All medications must be clearly labeled, in their original container and a Medication Authorization Form must be completed. A physician/provider signature is required on this form if the medication is to be given longer than 10 working days, if the package states “Consult Physician” or if there is a discrepancy between parents’ instructions and label/packaging instructions. A physician signature is always required for Epi-pens, inhalers, and medications for diabetes.

Emergency Action Plans for Health:

  • Additionally, as required by law, any students who have asthma and have an inhaler at school, seizures, or severe anaphylaxis/allergies and an Epi-pen must also complete an Action/Emergency Care Plan, including a provider’s signature. Students who have diabetes need to submit a Diabetes Medical Management Plan (DMMP). These forms must be completed and submitted annually. If applicable to your student, please submit these completed forms to school along with the prescription inhaler, epinephrine auto-injector, or other needed emergency medications: Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan or Asthma Care Plan. If your student has both the provider’s and your permission to self carry their inhaler, Epi-pen, or medication for diabetes, please have that noted on this form as well.We hope this information helps you to have enough time to discuss this with your provider, and get any needed signatures. If your provider has a standard form they use with the same information, that could be submitted instead. Providers are accustomed to having to submit this information to schools, and often can fax it to us after they have signed it. Our fax number is 540-236-6028.Medications can be dropped off at the office before school starts. Once the school year has started, we ask that medications be dropped off in the mornings before the school day starts so that students are not carrying the medications with them throughout the day.

Immunizations:

We want to provide information regarding the immunizations that are required for entry into school according to the Code of Virginia. Starting 2021, there were some important changes for immunization requirements, particularly for rising 7th and 12th graders. More details are listed here: www.vdh.virginia.gov/immunization/requirements. In order for your student to start school, we will need to have documentation of the required immunizations. If you aren't sure whether your student has already received these immunizations, please contact your provider and send us any updates.

If this is a helpful option for you, the Harrisonburg Rockingham Health Department has added additional immunization clinics for school entry vaccines. Their usual clinics are on Tuesday mornings and all day on Thursday by appointment. Additionally, Wednesday, July 20 and July 27 appointments are available 12:45-3:30, and Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31 appointments are from 2:00-5:45. Call 540-574-5102 to make an appointment. 

If your appointment is scheduled for after the start of the school year, please inform the school so we can make note of your student’s pending appointment to receive the required immunizations.

Many thanks for your cooperation and collaboration!