Back to School 2026-2027
Back to School 2026-2027
The first day of school for K-12 students is Wednesday, August 12! We look forward to seeing our returning students and families and are excited about welcoming new students to Montgomery County Schools! This site aims to provide students and their parents/guardians with the information they need to prepare for returning to school. We hope the information will help you and your child prepare for the school year ahead and be ready to learn on the first day of school!
Online Registration (Annual Update Required)
OLR replaces paper forms and offers an easier way to update your student’s information. In just a few minutes, you can confirm or update details such as emergency contacts, address, and household information. This annual update is required for all families to make sure we have the most accurate and up-to-date records. This update can be done through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or using the IC app.
New students to the district can register online and will need to provide the following documents to their child’s school:
- Birth Certificate
- Proof of Identity (parent/guardian driver’s license)
- Proof of Residence (utility bill, lease, or mortgage statement)
- Up-to-date Immunization Records
- Medical Examination
- Dental Exam
- Eye Exam
- Social Security Card*
If you have any questions or issues with Online Registration (OLR) or the annual update, please contact your child’s school for assistance.
Start Times
7:40 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Camargo Elementary
Mapleton Elementary
Mount Sterling Elementary
Northview Elementary
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
McNabb Middle School
Montgomery County High School
The Sterling School
Riding the Bus
On an average school day, 1,300 MCS students will ride the bus to and from school. Please use the Transportation Road Guide to find the bus your child will ride.
Back-to-School Events
All schools have back-to-school or orientation events on the days before the first day of school. Find your school's events, along with their dates and times.
School Nutrition
We encourage all families to complete the Household Income Form, which will be distributed during the first week of school. This form helps determine eligibility for important student benefits and programs. Even if you think your family may not qualify, submitting the form can help secure additional funding for our schools. This vital support allows Montgomery County Schools to continue participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which provides FREE breakfast and lunch to ALL students every day.
The MCS Nutrition Program is committed to meeting the diverse dietary needs of all students. If your child requires meal accommodations due to allergies or other medical needs, please review the Special Diets / Food Allergies section for steps on how to submit a request.
Every student is assigned a meal account number, which they will use at the register when purchasing meals. Cafeteria managers will be available at Open House events to help students remember their number.
While standard meals are free, students may add money to their accounts to purchase extras such as a la carte items, additional milk, or second entrees. Payments can be made:
By cash or check
Online through MySchoolBucks
Creating a My School Bucks account also allows families to view account balances and purchase history at any time.
School Communication
In alignment with Senate Bill 181 (SB 181), all Montgomery County Schools employees and volunteers are now required to use traceable communication systems for any electronic interaction with students. This law is designed to protect both students and staff by ensuring that all communication is transparent, documented, and secure.
What’s Changing?
SB 181 prohibits the use of personal platforms—including personal email accounts, text messaging, and social media—for communicating with students. To meet these legal requirements, Montgomery County Schools has approved the following district-approved tools for communication:
ParentSquare
Google Education Suite
Microsoft Office Suite
GoGuardian Teacher
District Email
Minga
Kickboard
PBIS Rewards
Edgenuity
Security Voices
Staff and volunteers must now use only these approved platforms for all student and family communication. This ensures that every message is properly logged and traceable, maintaining both legal compliance and a safe, professional environment for all.
We appreciate your support as we implement these important changes to keep our schools secure and student-focused.
MCS uses ParentSquare to notify families via text and phone when the district or your child's school sends vital information.
Health Guidelines & Services
Beginning July 1, 2025, updated state guidelines require that all medications—including daily prescriptions, short-term prescriptions (like antibiotics), and over-the-counter (OTC) medications—must have written directions and a signature from your child’s healthcare provider on an approved form before they can be administered at school. Get the complete info and required paperwork.
Student Handbook
Every MCS student will receive a copy of the Student Code of Conduct. Parents or guardians must sign the last sheet and send it back to their student's school.
Supply List
During the COVID pandemic, school districts received federal funds to help with the return to school, help cover some operational expenses, and help students get back up to speed instructionally and in-person. Using over $500,000 over the course of five years, Montgomery County Schools was able to provide school supplies for all our families due to the financial difficulties during the pandemic. We actually bought double the supplies during the summer of 2024 and stored half of them until this school year to make sure we could stretch the time period where this was possible and cover the 2025-2026 school year, even though the funds ended back in 2024. However, with the pandemic over and those funds expended, the district is unable to provide supplies next year and are communicating school supply lists for families once again to prepare for the 2026-2027 school year. Our teachers have reviewed them to streamline them and reduce them to the essentials. School supply lists can be found in the links below. Please let your child’s school know if you have any questions.
Preschool - 8th Grade Supply Lists
Classes begin for MCS students on August 12th
The first day of school for K-12 students is Wednesday, August 12. All preschool students' first day of classes is Monday, August 24.