1000 x 90

Watauga County Students Return to School Aug. 8

July 25, 2012. The first day of classes in the 2012-13 school year of the Watauga County Schools will be Wednesday, Aug. 8. Aug. 8 will be a full-length school day. School buses will run their usual routes, lunch will be served, and the after school program will be open to students registered for the program.

Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students begin school on a staggered schedule over several days. Parents of these students have been notified in writing of the date their child will start school.

Class rosters for students in the elementary schools will be posted at each school no later than Aug. 1. Supply lists will be posted on each school website and at each school by Aug. 1.

Student enrollment and parent consent forms will be provided as needed at school and are also available on the parent links page of the Watauga County Schools website (www.watauga.k12.nc.us).

Orientation for students at Watauga High School is spread over four days. Seniors go first on July 30, followed by juniors on July 31, sophomores on Aug. 1, and freshmen on Aug. 2. Orientation times are posted on the homepage of the Watauga High School website.

Student fees are unchanged at $5 for preschool pupils, $7 for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, and $8 for sixth through eighth grade students. General fees for high school students are $50, with additional fees depending on the student’s classes.

Regular lunch prices will be $2.10 for prekindergarten through fifth grade, $2.20 for sixth-eighth grade, $2.35 for grades 9-12, and $3.40 for adults. Breakfast is available for a regular price of $1.25 for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, $1.55 for grades 9-12, and $1.80 for adults. Reduced price lunches are 40 cents for eligible students in all grades. All students eligible for free or reduced price meals will receive free breakfast.

Applications for free and reduced price meals will be provided to all parents on the first day of school and will be available in schools throughout the year. Applications are also available on request from Watauga County Schools Child Nutrition at 828 264-7190.

Students must be registered for after school before they can attend. Parents can speed up the process by filling out and submitting the registration form online before coming to school. The form is available by going to www.watauga.k12.nc.us, clicking on the first link under Parent Links, and then choosing the link for afterschool program registration. State licensing standards require that parents meet with after school personnel to receive additional policy information before the registration is officially complete. The hours for parents to complete after school registration vary by school and a list of the available dates and times for each school is posted on the after school page of the website. The after school program serves children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

An after school program for students in grades 6-8 is offered by Western Youth Network (WYN) at Western Watauga Community Center and at Boone United Methodist Church. Information and registration forms for WYN’s after school program will be available on their website at www.westernyouthnetwork.org and the forms will also be available in schools on opening day. Contact Stephen Fowler or Grace Fortune at 264-5174 for more information about WYN’s after school program.

The complete school calendar for 2012-13 can be viewed online through the “calendar” link on the Watauga County Schools website. A printed school calendar will be included in the planners provided for students in grades K-8.