Superintendent's Newsletter

Welcome back to another school year! I hope you enjoyed your summer break and have had an exciting return to school this week. The beginning of school is a hectic time as students and their families get back into a routine, so to help out, here are the main checklist items to take care of right away:

1. TOP PRIORITY: Back-to-School Registration Forms & Parent Portal
2. Bus Routes & Transportation
3. Nutrition
4. Health
5. Student-Athlete Annual Video & Acknowledgement Form

If you need any assistance with these items, don't hesitate to reach out to your child's school. On behalf of all the staff at Botetourt County Public Schools, we're glad to have you back!

Sincerely,

By far, this is the most important thing for parents / guardians to take care of at the beginning of the school year!

The purpose of annual back-to-school (also known as returning registration) forms is to make sure the information we have on file is current and accurate, especially since contact and student medical information can change. These forms are located in the Parent Portal and must be completed for each enrolled child separately. Parent Portal is also used throughout the school year to:

• Retrieve student ID#,
• Monitor attendance,
• Check grades, and
• Update contact information and preferences.

Q: Forgotten your Parent Portal username or password?

A: Do NOT click the "Forgot Username or Password?" link on the Parent Portal login screen. Instead, contact the main office of your child's school for assistance.

Q: New to Botetourt County Schools or need to create a free Parent Portal account?

A: Start by watching the tutorial video below. You will need the letter sent by your child's school with an Access ID and Access password. Contact the main office of your child's school for assistance.

One of the items covered on the last form (8 Agreements) covers 'directory information.' Giving consent in this section allows your student to be...

• Pictured in the school yearbook, including athletic team and club pictures
• Included in published Honor Roll lists
• Named in athletic, academic, or performing arts programs
• Included in school social media or website posts

The school division is using a new system for creating and managing bus routes. Families can check their student's route information after setting up a free account. The process only takes a few minutes and you will need your student's ID number and date of birth. Visit our Transportation website for more information, or click on the image below to start creating a My Ride K-12 parent account.

When reviewing your child's bus route information:

Morning/AM Route: the first time represents when they will be picked up; the second time is when they are dropped off at the school.

Afternoon/PM Route: the first time represents when the bus leaves the school; the second time is when they are dropped off at their stop.

If you are having trouble creating an account or linking your child, reach out to your child's school or contact the Transportation Department at transportation@bcps.k12.va.us.

The image below may help clarify the information related to your child's transportation.

Families can add funds to their child's cafeteria account using the following methods:

1. Send cash or check to school with your student
2. Use the MySchoolBucks online dashboard or mobile application

In addition to adding funds, MySchoolBucks allows families to monitor spending and purchases and set up auto-funding. A parent account is free and only takes minutes to set up. You will need your child's student ID number and date of birth to link them to your account. Please note that MySchoolBucks charges a fee on credit card transactions.

Go to MySchoolBucks or click the image below to create an account. Reach out to the nutrition manager at your child's school if you have any questions or need any assistance, .

Free and reduced meal applications must be completed every school year. If a student receives SNAP, TANF, or is a foster child, you are not required to fill out the free and reduced meal application. Medicaid does not automatically qualify students for free or reduced meals. Students attending Buchanan or Eagle Rock Elementary Schools do not need an application on file to participate in the free meals programs operating at those schools.

Click the image below to submit an application today and see if you qualify for meal assistance.

* USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer *

Daily attendance is important to academic success, but it is also important we minimize the spread of illness in our schools. Following these guidelines will help achieve this goal:

1. Do not send your child to school if they are sick
2. Do not send your child to school if they have a fever of 100° or higher
3. Do not send your child to school if they are experiencing the following symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, or significant cough, nasal congestion, and/or stomachache, .
4. Students cannot return to school until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication

Thank you for doing your part to keep our students, staff, and schools healthy. Reach out to your child's school nurse if you have any questions.

The following information sheet, produced by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Department of Education, provides essential information on the dangers of fentanyl. We strongly encourage families to review this material and have open discussions with your student about making safe and healthy choices.

This information will be distributed to all students in grades 9-12 by email to their 1770 account and to families of students in grades 6-12 via SchoolMessenger broadcast.

Each year, student-athletes and their parents are required to watch a video presentation reviewing athletic policies and sign an acknowledgement form. Athletic directors and coaches at the secondary schools have distributed information on how to access and complete this requirement. If you did not receive this information, or need assistance, please reach out to the Athletic Director at your child's school:

• Central Academy MS: Amanda Collins | (540) 473-8333 | ajcollins@bcps.k12.va.us
• Read Mountain MS: Cory Hawks | (540) 966-8655 | chawks@bcps.k12.va.us
• James River HS: Ryan Firebaugh | (540) 254-1121 | rfirebaugh@bcps.k12.va.us

• Lord Botetourt HS: Tim Fulton | (540) 992-1261 | tfulton@bcps.k12.va.us

• August 12: First Day of School
• August 12: School Board Meeting
• September 2: Labor Day Holiday (BCPS Closed)
• September 12: School Board Meeting
• October 10: School Board Meeting
• October 11: 2-hour Early Dismissal, Semester 1 Interim