Kids in the Historic Triangle only have a few days of summer left until school starts back. I’m sure parents are looking at the calendar wondering where the time went and what to expect for the coming year. Here’s all the back-to-school info you need to know.
York County
The biggest new adjustment of the school year will be the transition to a new grading scale, which was approved by the School Board in the spring.
The new grading scale will go into effect for students in grades 3-12. Under the new grading scale, 90-100 is an A, 80-89 is a B, 70-79 is a C, 64-69 is a D and 63 and below is an F. The grading scale is now wider, and more aligned with divisions in the rest of the state and region.
All grades earned prior to the start of school will remain on the former grading scale. Grade point averages, calculated based on points assigned to each letter grade, will remain the same. Class rank is based on GPA calculations.
When York County students apply to colleges, the division will send a transcript that includes both grading scales. College admissions officers told the division that they’re familiar with the practice, which has been used by other divisions when making the transition to a new scale.
York County has scheduled open house dates for its schools between Aug. 28 and 30, with specific times designated for grade levels at individual schools.
On Aug. 28, new student orientations will be held at Grafton and Tabb high schools, along with York River Academy.
On Aug. 29, open houses will be offered at Grafton Middle, Queens Lake Middle, Tabb Middle and Yorktown Middle. York High School will also host a new student orientation that day.
On Aug. 30, open houses will be offered at Bethel Manor Elementary, Coventry Elementary, Dare Elementary, Grafton Bethel Elementary, Magruder Elementary, Mt. Vernon Elementary, Seaford Elementary, Tabb Elementary, Waller Mill Elementary and Yorktown Elementary.
See the full schedule, with designated times for specific grades, here. Back to School nights are held later in the year, in September and October. See the schedule for Back to School nights here.
If any parents or students have tried to peek at course-specific Edline web pages for elementary and middle schools, the pages are probably not updated. Most Edline pages will be updated by the first day of school, Sept. 4, but won’t be available for parents and students without Edline accounts to view until Sept. 7.
WJCC
When school begins on Sept. 4, Williamsburg-James City County Schools will begin its first year since the adoption of the division’s new strategic plan in June.
The plan guides the division’s direction, including specific goals and action plans, for the next five years. Some of the goals for the upcoming year include developing guidelines for expectations, outcomes and assessments for 21st-century skills, beginning to work on new data aggregation tools (with progress to be reviewed in November), reviewing food services by June 2013, developing a Bring Your Own Device technology program and conducting satisfaction surveys of staff, students and families. Read the full plan here.
WJCC Schools will also offer open houses between Aug. 28 and 30.
Jamestown, Lafayette and Warhill high schools will offer open houses from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 28. Berkeley, Hornsby and Toano middle schools will host open houses from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 29. James River, Rawls Byrd, Matthew Whaley, Clara Byrd Baker, Matoaka, Blayton and Stonehouse elementary schools will host their open houses from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 30.
Back-to-School nights will be held from 6-8 p.m. Sept. 19 for middle schools, Sept. 20 for elementary schools and Sept. 27 for high schools.
Walsingham Academy
Several changes will make the 2012-13 school year at Walsingham Academy like none before it. When students return to school the week of Aug. 21, they’ll be using iPads in every classroom. Lower Schools students will be greeted by a new principal with a familiar face, Sister Mary Jeanne Oesterle, and for the first time, Spanish will be a core class for Lower School fourth- and fifth-graders.
The Upper School’s Open House will be Monday, followed by the first day of school on Tuesday. Upper School Back to School Night will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 27; athletic information will be available at 6 p.m. the same day.
Middle School orientation will be at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, followed by a half-day for grades 3-7 on Wednesday. The same grades will not have school on Thursday. Middle school has its Back to School Night at 6 p.m. Thursday. Back to School Night for grades 3-5 will be at 6 p.m. Aug. 30.
Kindergarten to 2nd grade will host an open house at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and have a half-day on Thursday. The first full day for kindergarten through seventh grade will be Friday.
Parents of students entering pre-K three- and four-year-olds will have an orientation at 9 a.m. Friday. Small group orientations for the same group will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 27-30, with the first regular day on Aug. 31.
Read the full Back to School guide.
Williamsburg Christian Academy
Williamsburg Christian Academy will kick off the school year with its annual Back to School Extravaganza from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 21.
The event is a chance for students and families to visit classrooms, meet teachers, drop off school supplies, pick up schedules and enjoy a barbecue before school starts on Thursday.
The evening will begin with visitation to classrooms from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., followed by a family barbecue from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Parents of strings students should attend a meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Childcare will not be available at the Back to School Extravaganza.
Providence Classical School
Providence students will meet their teachers today from noon to 2 p.m. Classes will begin Monday.
Williamsburg Montessori School
Williamsburg Montessori School will host its first Children’s House orientation, during which parents come and stay with the child, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Aug. 30. A second orientation for Children’s House classrooms will be held at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 31.
Orientation will be held for lower grades orientation at 9 a.m. Aug. 31, and for sixth-year students from 10 a.m. -2 p.m. Aug. 31.
Sept. 4 is the first day of school.
Hampton Roads Academy
School starts much sooner for HRA’s middle and upper school students, who will be back in classrooms on Aug. 24. Assessments will be conducted the same day for Lower School students, who will also be assessed on Aug. 27. The first day of school for the Lower School is Aug. 28.
Openings Available at WM Child Care
Williamsburg Campus Child Care, located at The College of William & Mary, has three openings for its pre-K classroom this fall.
WCCC typically maintains a waiting list, so openings are rare. Children are eligible if they are 4 by Sept. 30 and plan to enter Kindergarten in fall 2013.
Williamsburg Campus Child Care is enriched by its presence on campus, with regular participation from campus departments, including Education and Psychology.
Interested parents can call (757) 221-2136 to arrange a facility tour. More information can be found here.
Grafton Band One of Largest in Virginia
Summer band camp began this week at Grafton High School. This year, the band has 210 members, making it one of the largest high school marching bands in Virginia.
The band’s program will feature the music of “Les Miserables,” including the songs, “Master of the House,” “At the End of the Day,” “On My Own,” “Plumet Attack” and “Do You Hear the People Sing.”
In the photo, members of the saxophone section participate in marching drills in the parking lot behind the high school. Elizabeth Leybold, Paul Stengein and Rachel Martin dressed up on the first day, when band members were encouraged to have fun with their practice ensembles.
