With the new school year beginning for most students in just a few weeks, we wanted to provide you with a brief back-to-school checklist and review of important information that we hope will make the start of 2025-26 smooth and joyful for you and your students.

The First Day of School

• The first day of school for most students is Tuesday, August 26.

• The first day for 7th and 8th graders at comprehensive middle schools and 10th and 11th graders at comprehensive high schools is Wednesday, August 27.

• Kindergarteners start on Tuesday, September 2. Ramp Up to Kindergarten, a program to help young learners transition to full-day school, will take place between August 26 and 29. Schools will be in touch with registered Kindergarten families to schedule these activities.

• PreK students start on Thursday, September 4. 

• Families with students in alternative schools and programs can view specific start dates on our Alternative Schools & Programs Start Dates page.

A Few To-Dos

• Have you reviewed the 25-26 calendar? You’ll find a PDF here of the calendar and translations on the right side of this webpage. Please make note of all holidays, days without school, vacation windows, etc.

• Have you thought about how your student will get to school? Learn more about bus transportation here, or explore Safe Routes to School here.

• Have you updated your child’s immunization records? You can do so here. The immunization form is available in several different languages on this page from the Oregon Health Authority.

• Have you reviewed the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook with your student? This helpful guide includes information on everything from how PPS handles disciplinary matters to our district's cell phone free zone policy.

• Families do not need to submit a free and reduced-price meal application this year. All PPS students – with the exception of charter school and CBO students – are automatically eligible for free breakfast and lunch for the 2025-26 school year. You can learn more about our meal programs here.

Staying Connected

• Please complete the yearly student verification form to ensure we’re reaching you via the right contact information and in the right language. (Parents new to PPS will receive an email from their student’s school with instructions to get started.)

• Keep an eye out for an invitation to activate your account on ParentSquare, the district’s primary communication tool going forward. The invitation should arrive in your email inbox on August 19. (You do not have to activate your account to begin receiving messages from the district via ParentSquare, but doing so will allow you to set your notification preferences and communicate directly with your student’s school and teachers. Visit this page for more information.)

Staying Safe

The safety of our staff and students is our top priority at PPS. A few reminders about how we keep our school buildings safe and secure:

• Our schools have access-controlled doors and are fully secured during the normal school day.

• All visitors must use a buzzer to request access after school has started.

• Visitors are also required to check in at the main office, provide valid identification, and are screened through our visitor and volunteer management system.

• All visitors/volunteers will need to wear a printed name badge that identifies their name, the date, and their destination.

• Our visitor/volunteer database is for PPS district use only, and information is not shared with any outside agency.

• If you’d like to volunteer at your student’s school, please visit the volunteer website for more information. (Successful volunteer applications are good for three years.)

• Officers from the Portland Police Bureau will be assisting with traffic management at several schools across our district for the first few weeks of school. You can learn more about PPB’s role in ensuring that we have a safe start to the new school year here.

Community Care Day

Many PPS schools will be hosting a volunteer clean-up event on Saturday, August 16. Community Care Day is a wonderful opportunity to come together with other students and families, show your school pride, and help beautify our school grounds before the new year begins. We'll see you out there!