Welcome to the MASD Back-to-School Center!
Welcome to MASD’s 2024-2025 Back-to-School Center, a resource for families for popular back-to-school topics as well as updates and changes for the new school year.
Topics and related links are listed in alphabetical order. The For Parents section of MASD's website offers more in depth, comprehensive information, including resources for specific student needs, handbooks, and parent forms.
The first day of school for all students is Thursday, August 22.
School hours for the 2024-2025 School Year are below. Changes to student school hours, which were first announced last spring, were made after months of careful planning and working with our transportation vendor to improve the efficiency of our bus transportation services and alleviate traffic congestion on the District campus.
We understand changes to school schedules may require some adjustments to your family’s routine and we appreciate your flexibility and understanding as the District works to improve its bus runs to benefit all students.
Another change for the 2024-2025 school year is the District will move toward a pre-planned inclement weather day schedule to allow for more consistency and clarity for students, parents, and staff. This will also allow the District to maintain academic momentum while ensuring student safety.
Whenever there is inclement weather and the District is forced to cancel school, the first day off will always be a traditional snow make up day, followed by a virtual learning day if the conditions require consecutive days off.
For example, if schools were closed for inclement weather for three days, the first day would be a traditional snow make up day and the other two days would be virtual learning days. The District will incorporate this pattern until all make up days are exhausted. After that point, all days canceled due to inclement weather or other reasons will be virtual learning days.
The District may change the current inclement weather makeup plan in the event there is extreme winter weather.
Back-to-School Topics
Athletics
Our Athletics page contains game schedules, participation forms, and important dates for students and athletes. MASD is committed to offering our students a wide variety of athletic opportunities designed to be an extension of the total educational development process of our students.
Attendance
To report your child absent contact the school before the scheduled start of the school day stating the reason for the absence. This procedure enables both the home and school to know the whereabouts of all students. If no call is received at the school, parents/guardians will receive an automated call through the SchoolMessenger system informing them that their student was marked absent for the day. When a student is absent, immediately upon their return, parents/guardians must submit a signed excuse note to the office or an absence excuse card.
If a student needs to be excused from school for part of the day for an appointment, a note or email from a parent/guardian must be submitted to the office for prior approval.
Back to School Elementary Sneak Peek and Middle/High School Orientations
Our elementary buildings will host kindergarten orientations and student ‘sneak peak’ events.
The middle school and high school will also host summer orientations for sixth graders and freshmen. Students in grades 6-12 who are new to the District are welcome and encouraged to attend the summer orientations. These events allow families and students to tour the buildings and learn about their child’s school before the first day. All summer orientation dates are on the Calendar page.
Back to School Open House
Back to School Open House Nights will take place at each of our buildings. This is a time for parents and guardians to meet teachers, tour classrooms and get important information for a successful school year. Open House dates are on the Calendar page.
Before and After School Care
The Middletown Area Recreational Alliance (MARA) offers families options for before and after school care.
Bus Assignments and Transportation
The District will mail bus route information before the school year begins. The letter will include your child's bus number, stop location, and pick-up and return times. We ask that you review bus safety tips and expectations with your student.
The District requires a parent/guardian to accompany a kindergarten student to and from bus stops and to and from school buildings at all times. A parent/guardian may authorize another responsible adult to accompany, pick up or drop off a kindergarten student at a bus stop, by completing the Responsible Designated Adult for Kindergartners form. A separate form must be completed for each kindergarten student and each time changes are made throughout the school year.
Additional transportation forms and information, including car rider procedures and bus safety tips are available in the For Parents section of website.
Calendar
The 2024-2025 academic calendar is a one-page, printable calendar showing school days, scheduled school closures and early dismissals, testing dates, and make-up days. A similar printable month-by-month wall calendar is also available. Calendars and a list of daily events can be found on the District homepage.
Family-School Communication
MASD’s PowerSchool Parent Portal is the one-stop-shop for parent/guardian-school connection and communication. Parents/guardians can view student grades, track attendance, monitor discipline logs, complete permission forms and much more. The
PowerSchool Parent Portal also allows you to make real-time changes to your student’s information at any time throughout the year.
It is vital that parents/guardians complete the "Student Verification Process" each new school year by updating the forms section and information in SchoolMessenger. SchoolMessenger is the District’s communication system that contacts parents/guardians by phone, text and email with District announcements, emergency messages, and weather-related messages.
More detailed information about PowerSchool and SchoolMessenger, including how to update your information and retrieve portal credentials, can be found on the For Parents section of the website.
Food Services
MASD understands the importance of student nutrition and partners with the food service management company Metz Culinary Services to provide students with well-balanced meals in accordance with the Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act.
Free and Reduced Lunch
All families are encouraged to review the Free and Reduced Lunch income eligibility and apply if you think you may qualify. Families must apply for benefits each year, even if they received them in the past. Information from Free/Reduced Meals Applications may be used to determine eligibility for your student to receive reductions in student activities expenses and/or school related fees. The District also relies on this data for other programs that benefit our students.
Information about the program, including an application is available on the For Parents section of the District’s website.
Free Breakfast for All Students
The District also operates a breakfast program in order to accommodate the busy schedules of students and parents. Thanks to Pennsylvania Universal Free Lunch Program, all students are eligible for free breakfast, regardless of income.
Lunch Menus and Payment
Lunch menus are on the District’s homepage and the Food Services page. Lunch menus will be posted closer to the start of school. MASD uses SchoolCafé as its online meal management platform. Parents can securely make online payments, monitor student lunch account balances, view meal purchases and payments, and set up low-balance email alerts.
Health Services
Our health services page contains a helpful guide on when to keep your child home from school because of illness, as well as information about immunizations, physical and dental exams, and medications in school.
The District hosts medication drop-off events prior to the start of school. Dates, times, and locations of medicine drop-off events can be found on the calendar.
New Student Registration and Orientation
If you are new to the Middletown Area School District we extend a special welcome to Raider Nation! The Middletown Area School District's Student Registration page provides parents and guardians useful information on the District's student registration procedures.
Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12 transferring between schools within the district do not need to complete an enrollment application but do need to update a change of address through SchoolMessenger.
New student orientations are scheduled for both Middletown Area High School and Middletown Area Middle School (MAMS). Our elementary buildings will host kindergarten orientations and sneak peak nights for older students. Dates and times for all new student orientations can be found on the District homepage.
Raider Academy
MASD's goal is for every student to take ownership of their learning and we know some students learn best in environments other than a traditional school building. MASD's Raider Academy offers students in grades K-12 a personal and customized virtual learning experience while still being part of the Blue Raider Community.
Raider Apparel Spirit Wear
Show your Raider Pride with spirit wear! Raider apparel is conveniently available for purchase online in a variety of designs and styles. Individual buildings, athletic teams, and clubs also offer spirit wear apparel for sale.
Staff Directory
Our Staff Directory can help you easily connect with your child’s teacher or the right staff person for your needs.
Schedules
Student schedules and class assignments can be accessed through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. When viewing your student’s schedule, this is a great time to update student forms for the 2024-2025 school year.
Student Handbooks
Elementary and Secondary Student Handbooks as well as a Student Code of Conduct Handbook will be posted in the For Parents section of the website closer to the start of school.
Technology
Our middle and high school students are issued iPads for the opportunity to be successful 21st century learners. It is the District’s intent that iPads be used as learning tools to assist students with their academic requirements and empower them to become organized, self-directed learners.
The iPads and accessories are property of Middletown Area School District and are distributed to students for the purpose of completing schoolwork at school and home.
Please review iPad Guidelines and Responsibilities with your student. Parents/guardians and students are also required to sign a District iPad agreement.