A great first day tomorrow starts today

School starts tomorrow!����

Here are five tips to help you and your kids have a great first day back at school in the ����Vlog.����

1) The Night Before

Back to school eve is just as important as the first day of school. Make sure you’re ready for the big day before you go to bed. You don’t want to have to scramble to get everything ready in the morning when you’re trying to get out the door. So, have the backpack ready, clothes picked out and breakfast planned the night before. The more prepared you can be the better.����

Check out the elementary school supply lists��here��so you can be ready. Junior high and high school students will find out what supplies they need from their teachers during the first week of school.����

And remember, getting a good night’s sleep sets the tone for a smooth back-to-school morning.����

2) Fuel Your Brain��

After you get that good night of sleep and are ready to start the morning, it’s��time for the most important meal of the day. A nutritious breakfast – whether at home or school –��is the right way to jumpstart the first day back at school. ����Vlog provides breakfast and lunch at each campus, and you can check out the����and pay for meals��.����

3) Be Ready for the Traffic

Traffic will be bad. It always is on the first day. And drop-off and pick-up may take longer than it will the rest of the year. So, give yourself plenty of time. It’s a good idea to add some extra time in your morning routine and leave home earlier than usual.

Rember, elementary times are 8:10 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., junior high times are 8:45 to 4:10 p.m. and high school times are 7:35 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can see a complete list of calendars and important dates��here.��

4) Create Memories

Whether your child is heading into pre-K or senior year, be sure to snap some memories with a “first day of school” pic. Before you know it, they’ll be walking the stage at graduation, and you don’t want to miss a moment. Show off your students to your friends and family using the hashtag #ArlingtonISDWelcomesMe so we can share your first day of school pictures on our district social media channels.

5) Set the Tone

Words of affirmation, a note in your child’s lunch box or a reminder that you cannot wait to hear about their day are all ways to set your child up with a positive attitude going into the new school year. If your child is nervous, remind them to take a deep breath and exhale. There are games to play, friends to make and many fun things to learn.

Have an amazing first day back to school!����

We can’t wait to see you all Wednesday for the first day of school. And we can’t wait to see your pictures, too. Please make sure to use the hashtag #ArlingtonISDWelcomesMe on any of your social media posts so we can see them.

We want everything Wednesday to go smoothly, but we know there are also some issues that come up early in the year as everyone gets familiar with the systems in place. Here are some reminders about what to expect to better prepare you.

There Will Be More Traffic

All the lights in school zones will be on. There will be crossing guards at campuses, and we know parents will be driving children to school. Please plan accordingly at drop-off and pick-up, and please pack your patience. Remember what you see this week won’t be what we see in a couple of weeks when things become routine.

Buses, Too

If your student takes the bus to school, patience will be needed with buses early on as they deal with traffic, new riders and new routes, too. To find out if your student is eligible to ride a bus, go . If you have questions about buses, you can visit our transportation page or call 682-867-7850.

Safety First

Don’t forget that all ����Vlog campuses are staffed with armed security, and all visitors must check in at the front office and use the Raptor software for visitor screening. Be prepared to wait a little longer at check-in, too, as in addition to letting visitors in, our campuses are still registering students.

Food Time

Don’t forget to apply for free and reduced-price meals��here. Meal benefits must be renewed each year. We know we have outstanding dining options, including some lunches that came straight out of our��. Remember to check your����to make sure you have money in it for your students.��View the district’s meal charge policy:����������. You can find out school menus����and follow us @arlingtonisd_foodandnutrition.

New Usernames

The days of your student’s username being the first five letters of their last name followed by their user ID are no more. For more protection for student accounts, the format is now shifting to the student’s first name initial plus last name initial and four random numbers. Students will use that to start the school year. The old username can be found in the profile settings. Don’t worry if your student needs help. Teachers have access to the usernames and can help with passwords, which were reset over the weekend.��

Find Us Anywhere

Don’t forget you can follow the ����Vlog on��,���������Ի���. Also, the ����Vlog app is your one-stop shop for everything about the district, including security notifications.

We’ll see you Wednesday!

Aug. 14 is the first day

One week.

That’s all that is left until the first day of school – Wednesday, Aug. 14. And there’s no bigger day than the first day of pre-K or kindergarten.

So now is the time to make sure your little learner is ready. Here are five tips to help you and your child get ready for the first day.

1) Early to bed

Starting school for the first time is a big adjustment for you and your child, but building routines at home will help you and your child feel more comfortable starting the school year.

One of the most important routines to establish is “early to bed” and “school wake-up time.” If you haven’t started this already, start now so your child has time to adjust to the new schedule. Making sure your child gets enough sleep is crucial.

2) Prep the day before��

Make sure you’re all ready to go to school the night before. You don’t want to have to scramble to get everything ready in the morning when you’re trying to get out the door. So, have the backpack ready, clothes picked out and breakfast planned the night before. The more prepared you can be the better.

3) Make it fun

Make the first day like it’s an occasion – because it is. Show your child that this is a big and exciting thing. Be ready to take photos and make that “first day of school” picture sign. If you post the photos online, be sure to use the hashtag��#ArlingtonISDWelcomesMe. We’d love to feature your child, too.

4) Read books about going to school

Help your child know what to expect by reading books about the first day of school. There are lots of them, and the library is sure to have some.

“There are plenty of books about first days at school,” said Ken Foster, an early childhood learning specialist for ����Vlog. “My favorite is Eric Litwin’s ‘Pete the Cat: Rockin’ in my School Shoes.’”

5) Drive by the school and go to Meet-the-Teacher

Find time to drive by the school and point it out to your child. Be excited and let your child know that this is an exciting place where they will make new friends and learn so many fun things.

And be sure to go to the Meet-the-Teacher event at your child’s school. If you don’t know when it is, check your school’s webpage or give them a call. This will be a great chance for you and your child to see the building and classroom and meet the teacher.

Are you registered?

If you haven’t registered your child for pre-K or kindergarten yet, it’s not too late. But don’t wait because school starts in one week! Start the registration process online��here.

Have a great first day!