Back-to-School 2024-25

  • Welcome, CHCCS families! Please bookmark this page for important information and ongoing updates as school opens for grades K-12 on Monday, Aug. 26 and Pre-K on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024! Please note: As of July 2024 some information is still incomplete, but is often finalized by early August.

     

    Enrollment/Registration: If your student will be new to CHCCS, visit our enrollment page for details on the registration process, school assignments and related information.

     

    Calendar: Here’s the full 2024-25 school year calendar in Google, printable (PDF) and translated formats.

    Start/end times for each level:

    • Elementary School
        • School starts at 7:50 a.m.
        • School ends at 2:35 p.m.
    • Middle School
        • School starts at 8:25 a.m.
        • School ends at 3:20 p.m.
    • High School
        • School starts at 8:55 a.m.
        • School ends at 4 p.m.

     

    Important Dates:

    • Wednesday, July 31: Athletics begin
    • Thursday, Aug. 22 (elementary schools): Meet-the-Teacher
    • Thursday, Aug. 22 (middle schools): Orientations/Walk-the-Schedule/Meet staff 
    • High schools: 9th grade and new student orientation dates vary. Expect communication directly from your high school.
    • Wednesday. Sept. 11 (high schools): Open House/Walk-the-Schedule/Back-to-School Night
    • Thursday, Sept. 19 (elementary schools): Curriculum Night (formerly called "Open House" or "Back to School Night")
      • Times will be set by each school. Please expect school-based communication on these details.

     

    Communication: View this page for more on how the CHCCS district communicates with employees, families and the Chapel Hill-Carrboro community. Additional communication can be routinely expected from your school, teacher(s), activity leaders, coaches and more!  

     

    School Supply Lists: Click on the links to view information about school supplies (some lists may not yet be updated for 2024-25).

    Elementary School Supply Lists:

     

    Middle School Supply Lists:

     

    Public School Foundation Supply List: The supplies purchased from this Amazon Wish List help stock the teacher store and are distributed directly to students at back-to-school events within the community.

     

    Immunizations: For Pre-K, Kindergarten, rising 7th Grade and rising 12th Grade students there are specific immunization requirements. An up-to-date immunization record indicating that students have received the required immunizations is due by the first day of attendance at school. If proof of the immunizations is not provided within 30 calendar days after school entry, students will not be allowed to attend school (in-person or virtually) until it is provided. 

     

    Health Assessments: Additionally, state law requires that every child (when entering public schools in N.C. for the first time) receive a health assessment. The assessment must occur within 12 months prior to entering school. The medical provider, parent or guardian must provide a completed health assessment transmittal form to the principal of the school on or before the child's first day of attendance. If the Health Assessment Transmittal Form is not provided within 30 calendar days after school entry, students will not be allowed to continue attending school (in-person or virtually) until it is provided.

     

    School meals (breakfast and lunch): Due to the expiration of a federal waiver in 2022-23, school breakfasts and lunches are no longer free for all students. While many families may still be eligible for free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches (and if so, you must complete a new application), other families need to be aware of meal prices. Please visit this page for prices as well as the application for free or reduced-price meals.

     

    Pre-Pay for Meals: You may pre-pay for school meals throughout the year using a service known as “K12PaymentCenter”. To sign up, visit our website and find the link for “Pre-Pay for Meals” to get started. (If using a mobile device, click that link and then expand the menu next to “Meals and Nutrition” in order to see “Pre-Pay for Meals”.)

    • Note: Families who are checking their children's existing lunch balances through the payment center may find that there is a $0 balance. This is because the account has not been used since 2020. The account is temporarily inactive on the payment center's end, but not on CHCCS’s end. Therefore, you cannot see the balance or account history. Once your child makes their first purchase this school year or funds have been added to the account, the account will reactivate the balance and history. If you would like to know the balance before then, please contact the School Nutrition Office at 919-967-8211 ext. 28270.

     

    Transportation: Visit our Transportation page for information regarding bus routes, assignment maps and FAQs. Learn about and download our “Here Comes the Bus” app, which keeps families informed on the location of a student’s bus and whether or not it’s on time.

     

    Bus Transportation Requests: If you are NEW to CHCCS or recently CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS, you may need to request school bus transportation. You should contact your school’s data manager to make the bus transportation request.

     

    PowerSchool: Sign up for your PowerSchool account today! PowerSchool parent/student portals give access to attendance, grades and assignments. A single parent portal account can be linked to multiple students.

     

    District App: For families and community members who want to keep up with what’s going on in the district, this app is for you! It allows users to customize it with calendars for both the district and their student’s school. There are links to K-12 Payment Center, Board Policies, PowerSchool, social media and more. Download Android or Apple.

     

    Student Support: Our School Support and Wellness Division maintains a website specifically for strengthening healthy relationships and building emotional safety within CHCCS schools. Click this link for more information on and resources for social and emotional learning (SEL). CHCCS CARES!

     

    Parent Handbooks: Find our Parent Handbooks (in English and Spanish) online here. (Please note that as of July 2024 these handbooks are still being updated for 2024-25.) School specific information may be found on the same page under Parent Handbook-School Based Supplements.  Included in the supplements are, among other things, drop off and pick up information, how to report an absence, program contact information.  At the high school level, learn which students can leave campus, student parking, how to sign up for Driver's Education and more.

     

    Middle and High School Cell Phone Rules: For the 2024-25 school year, school and district administration will implement the following school-based rules regarding cell phones:

    • Middle Schools: All four middle schools will move to ‘away for the day’ cell phone expectations. While students may bring a phone to school, they will not be able to have the phone during the instructional day. Phones will remain in students’ lockers throughout the day.
      • Exceptions will be made for students with a documented medical plan requiring access to these devices.
    • Carrboro High School, Chapel Hill High School and East Chapel Hill High School: Traditional/comprehensive high schools will allow electronic devices, but they must be turned off/silenced and stored out of sight at the beginning of each class period, and they are to remain this way until the bell rings for class to be dismissed.
      • With teacher permission, during non-instructional time, students can access their devices responsibly, such as a quick check of messages, school-related apps and medical reasons.
    • Phoenix Academy High School: As has been the case for multiple years, students will turn in cell phones to the main office upon entering the building. Phones are then returned at the end of the day.
    • For detailed information, visit the page on the "For Students" section of our website.