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It’s that time again. There are some who are getting anxious about sending their little ones off for the first time and others who are watching as the final school year for their offspring approaches. Wherever you fit on the timeline, the Bradford Area School District has an activity or two to get you and your student ready for the school year.
Bradford Area School District Superintendent Katy Pude said, “It is all approaching very quickly!
Our teachers come back on the 17th and will participate in professional development training and prepare their classrooms for the return of our students. And then we have back-to-school activities planned.”
The first day of school for the Bradford Area School District is Aug. 23.
Other schools in the area starting up this month include:
- Kane Area School District, Aug. 23
- Port Allegany School District, Aug. 23
- Smethport Area School District, Aug. 24
- Otto-Eldred School District, Aug. 24
The first of the activities is for all students in the Bradford Area School District. The 11th Annual Back-to-School Rally will be held 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 19 at Parkway Field. This event is a districtwide meet and greet with many teacher and staff volunteers as well as a number of area organizations on hand with goodies for students.
“Local organizations and businesses have partnered with our district for the event,” said Nikki Bost, rally organizer.
The rally will include free backpacks, books and more than 20 organizations providing school supplies and other items to area students.
“As families walk around the track, they can interact with the organizations to make crafts, participate in activities, collect school supplies and more,” Bost added. “Evergreen Elm has sponsored school supplies to help our students start the year on a good note. As in past years, families can enjoy lunch together, thanks to the generosity of the ELF Fund.”
The rally last year started a new tradition that will continue this year. Students will play games that connect to the district’s commitment to the Leader in Me process.
Bost said, “Each game is related to one of the seven habits of happy kids that students (PK-12) learn about in school. If they successfully complete a passport with the seven habits, students may enter to win some wonderful prizes sponsored by Cricket Wireless.”
Then, on Aug. 21, meet and greets will take place at each school building. Starting 4 to 5 p.m. at George G. Blaisdell Elementary, students entering first and second grades can come and meet their teachers and classmates. Important school information to have on hand: School address is 265 Constitution Ave.; the general phone number, (814) 362-6834; attendance office extension, 3111; school counselor extension, 3305; latchkey extension, 3727.
Students in grades 3 through 5, who will attend School Street Elementary School, are scheduled to meet their teachers from 5 to 6 p.m. Two sessions are offered, one beginning at 5:10 p.m. and the other at 5:35 p.m., to accommodate parents with multiple children in the building. School Street is located at 76 School St. The main phone number is (814) 368-3183; the attendance office, ext. 4600; school counselor, ext. 4614; latchkey, ext. 4621.
Floyd C. Fretz Middle School is doing things a little differently. Parents of students entering sixth grade are invited to attend a meeting at 6 p.m. at the school. The meeting will include information about rules and expectations, busing, the parent portal and a building overview.
Fretz is located at 140 Lorana Ave. The school can be reached by calling (814) 362-3508, the attendance office is at ext. 2201 and the school counselors are at extensions 2206 or 2209.
And, for students who will enter grades nine through 12, the Bradford Area High School will hold a meet and greet at 7 p.m. to get acquainted with staff and teachers.
Pude added, “All of this leads up to one of our favorite days of the year, the first day of school.” For the first day, sixth graders at Fretz will report to school at the normal start time, between 7:20 and 7:50 a.m. The rest of the students, those in seventh and eighth grades, will have a delayed start, and should not report until between 9:20 and 9:50 a.m.
Ninth graders at the high school will report normal start time of 8 a.m. on the first day. The rest of the students, those in grades 10 through 12 grades, will have a delayed start and should not report until 10 a.m. The high school is located at 81 Interstate Parkway. The office can be reached by calling the main number at (814) 362-3845, the Attendance Office is at ext. 5021 and the Guidance Office is available at ext. 5314.
The Bradford Area School District reminds parents and caregivers to update student address information before the first day of classes, especially for students who rely on the school bus for transportation. Call (814) 362-3841, ext. 2518, with address changes.
Before the big day, start easing students back into the routine and get them ready to go safely. Walkers and riders need reminders. The BASD transportation office and Partnership for a Walkable America, offer the following helpful tips for parents.
Walking to school
- Spend time walking with their children and observe how they deal with traffic.
- Choose the route to school or the bus stop that is the safest for their child. Take the same route every day and avoid shortcuts.
- Remind children to demonstrate proper pedestrian behavior. It’s extremely important for them to look left-right-left. Walk facing traffic.
- Pick the place where their child will cross the street. Never enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs. Cross streets at corners. Use traffic signals, pedestrian crossing signals and crosswalks whenever possible.
Provide children with bright clothing so motorists can easily see them.
Riding the bus
- If possible, an adult should be close to the bus stop at all times, and children should be reminded to:
- Stay out of the street and avoid horseplay while waiting for the bus. Wait at least 10 steps from the roadway.
- Walk immediately onto the sidewalk and out of traffic after getting off the bus and go straight home.
- Never cross the street behind a school bus.
Riding bicycles to school
- The No. 1 rule is to always wear a bike helmet. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bicycle crashes. Helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
Riding in passenger vehicles to school
If the child is younger than 5 years old and weighs less than 40 pounds, make sure the child is properly buckled in a weight-appropriate child safety seat in the back seat.
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