Here are your TOP TEN things to know as you and your family begin looking forward to the 2024-25 school year. Let’s do this!

1 – First Day of School

Wednesday, September 4 – 1^st Day for grades 1-6, 9

Thursday, September 5 – 1^st Day for grades 7-8, 10-12

Friday, September 6 – 1^st Day for all kinders*

*Families of kinders should watch for communication from their schools about their start date, which may be earlier than September 6. Scroll down for more information for kindergarten families.

2 – Enrollment

New to Bend-La Pine Schools? We can’t wait to meet you! Go to bls.fyi/enrollment2024 to begin your enrollment process.

3 – Bell Schedule

It’s almost time to set the alarms!

Elementary: 7:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Middle: 8:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

High: 8:45 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.

Three Rivers School: 8:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Westside Village: Times to be communicated by the school

Note: Beginning September 11, schools release 90 minutes early on Wednesdays for School Improvement and professional development.

4 – School Supplies

In Bend-La Pine Schools, all of the materials students need for instruction are provided. Families are welcome to provide personal items such as backpacks, water bottles, and headphones.

5 – Family Access Network (FAN)

If your family needs help securing a personal item, reach out to your school’s FAN advocate for support. Not familiar with FAN? Your Family Access Network Advocate is here to assist all families with children, birth through graduation! If you have questions about Wi-Fi connectivity, Oregon Health Plan, food, rent, or utility help, reach out. Their goal is to make sure that your child has everything they need to be ready to learn. Call your school’s main office or go to bls.fyi/fan.

6 – School Buses

Is your student riding a bus this year? Bus routes will be ready to view soon at bls.fyi/bus. Both new and returning riders need to be registered to ride this year before the first week of school. Please log into your ParentVUE account and use the Online Registration tool to walk you through the registration process.

7 – Visitors and Volunteers

If you plan on visiting your child's school, don't forget your government-issued photo ID. You may be visiting for a concert, to enjoy lunch with your student, or to participate in an IEP meeting. Whatever the reason, safety procedures remain in place to keep our school community safe. All visitors must sign in at school during regular business hours using our Raptor kiosk, the digital sign-in roster. It is critical to know who is in our schools at all times, and no exceptions can be made in this process.

If you are interested in volunteering at your student’s school, learn more at bls.fyi/volunteer.

8 – Meals

Did you hear the scrumptious news? All schools in the District qualify for the federal Community Eligibility Provision program. All students are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch each school day. No application is required.

Daily menus including nutritional information and allergens can be found on our website: bls.fyi/menu. Parents/guardians of students with special dietary needs may reach out to their school nurse.

9 – Stay Connected

Stay in the loop regarding all important information. Sign up for BLConnect, an emergency alert text messaging system. Register at bls.fyi/blconnect.

Signing up for the text message alerts through BLConnect allows families to hear news and updates directly from Bend-La Pine Schools, rather than from an alternate source. Stay connected!

10 – 2024-25 Family Handbook and Calendar

As September approaches, keep your eye on your mailbox and grab the 2024-25 Family Handbook and Calendar! Along with all the important dates you need throughout the year, it includes all the information listed here and the BLS mission and beliefs, level instruction, safety information, codes of conduct, and so much more!

Kindergarten families!

• School offices open up the second week of August, and you can expect to hear from your new school at that time. You will also see back-to-school emails in late August preparing you for the new year. You may also learn about upcoming assessments.
• Many schools do not identify a child’s teacher right away. Back-to-school plans often involve your student getting to participate with a variety of teachers and students the first few days. The purpose is for the school to get to know the students and build balanced classes. Students will have assigned teachers by the end of the first full week of school.
• Per our policy on early entry, Bend-La Pine Schools follow the state guidelines and do not start students who are not 5 on or before September 1. There are no exceptions to this policy.