THE NORTH READING Public Schools welcomed new educators to the district last week, including four who will work with the town’s elementary students. They are (from left): Isaac Gliklich, elementary music teacher at the Batchelder School; Alicia Valdez, grade 2 teacher at the Hood School; Christiana Hryb, school psychologist at the Batchelder School; and Allison Oduaran, Elementary Team Chairperson for the district. (Maureen Doherty Photo)
By MAUREEN DOHERTY
NORTH READING — A steamy summer is quickly coming to an end for the town’s public school students. North Reading has maintained the tradition of starting school after Labor Day. In keeping with this tradition, all students in grades 1-12 will report to school next Thursday, September 5 for their first full day of classes of the 2024-25 school year.
The North Reading Public Schools will hold a Professional Development Day on Tuesday, September 3 and a Staff Orientation Day on Wednesday, September 4. No school is held either day.
Children in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten will attend orientation sessions at their assigned elementary schools on Thursday and Friday, September 5 and 6, and their first official day of school is Monday, September 9.
Inside today’s Transcript you will find a complete Back-to-School section which includes all school bus routes, the school calendar, FAQs on school bus pass rules and costs, and information on universal free meals for grades 1-12. Although meals are free for all students regardless of income, families who believe they would have been income-eligible for either free- or reduced-priced meals under the former guidelines should still apply for them because doing so serves as a qualifier for several other types of financial assistance to help with other expenses. Help may be available to assist families with various user fees and bus fees, for instance. The latest federal income chart and tips on how to apply for these benefits are included in the Back-to-School section.
SCHOOL START TIMES
Elementary students in grades 1-5 at all three schools – Batchelder, Hood and Little – start their school day at 8 a.m. and end their school day at 2:15 p.m. Gone are the days of the “late” and “early” elementary school assignments. Early release day dismissal time at the elementary schools for grades 1-5 as well as all half-day and full-day kindergarten students is 11:30 a.m.
Kindergarten half day sessions run from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. while full day kindergarten sessions run from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
The Pre-K half day sessions at the Hood run from 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. for the morning sessions and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon session. The full day pre-K sessions at the Little School run from 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. No classes are held for any pre-K students on days when their school has early release.
Secondary school students in grades 6-12 continue to have the same start time and dismissal time. Students in grades 6-12 attend classes from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. On early release days they are dismissed at noon. This means they also share the same school buses.
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS
Back to School Night at all three elementary schools is Thursday, September 12 while Back to School Night at the High School is Thursday, September 19 and Back to School Night at the Middle School is Thursday, September 26.
High School graduation is Friday, June 6, 2025. If five snow days are needed during the 2024-25 school year, the last day of school for all other students would be Thursday, June 26.
