Back to School 2026-2027!

Greetings, Coyote Families!

Welcome to the new school year at Alamance Community School! Summer is almost over, but I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and happy. As we begin the 2026–2027 academic year, I would like to share some important updates and express my enthusiasm for the year ahead. This is a lengthy message, so please feel free to use the headings to focus on the specific information relevant to you and your child(ren). Also, there may be changes as we try our best to make the start of the year, and the rest of the year, as smooth as possible for our School Community. 

To Our New Families

A warm welcome to all our new students and families! We are thrilled to have you join our school community and look forward to supporting your child’s academic and social-emotional growth.

To Our Returning Families

Welcome back! Your continued trust and support are deeply appreciated. We’re honored to be a part of your child’s educational journey and are committed to helping them thrive.

Our Partnership

At ACS, we believe in strong home-school partnerships. Open communication is essential, and we welcome your feedback and involvement. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns, or suggestions.

Events & Engagement

This school year is packed with academic, extracurricular, and community-building events. Your active participation in these activities enhances your child’s learning and helps foster a supportive school culture.

Please read through this message carefully—it’s a long one, but we promise not every update will be! There’s always a lot to cover at the beginning of the year.

Let’s make 2026- 2027 a year of growth, collaboration, and Coyote pride!

TEACHER ASSIGNMENTS

Teacher assignments will be emailed to all currently enrolled and fully registered families by Wednesday, August 5, 2026, by 5:00 PM. If you do not receive the email, teacher assignments will be available at Open House.

ACS Parent and Family At-A-Glance

Get ready for the 2026-2027 school year at ACS! The official First Day of School is August 11, 2026. Below is your one-pager event guide covering key dates, breaks, and holidays to keep on your radar all year long.

This is a bird's-eye view of some of our most important dates. Some dates may be added, deleted, or changed and will be communicated throughout the year.

There will be copies provided at Open house as well!

Open House

Howl if you're excited for a new school year!

The ACS 2026-27 Open House is Thursday, August 6, 2026. This is the perfect time to meet your teachers, explore your classrooms, and drop off your school supplies!

Staggered Schedule (To help ensure a smooth campus experience and open parking):

Kindergarten: Noon – 1:00 PM

1st – 4th Grades: 4:30 – 5:30 PM

5th – 8th Grades: 6:00 – 7:00 PM

We can't wait to welcome our Pack back to campus!

Back to School Information

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

• 1st–8th Grade Students: Tuesday, August 11, 2026 | 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM

• Kindergarten Staggered Start (9:00 AM – 12:30 PM):You should have already received information concerning your child’s staggered start days. Please contact the school if you have not. 

• Group 1: Tuesday - Wednesday, August 7-8, 2026 (¼ class each day)

• Group 2: Thursday - Friday, August 11-12, 2026 (¼ class each day)

• All Kindergarteners start full days on Monday, August 17, 2026

SCHOOL HOURS

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

• 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM

• AM Carline: 7:45 – 8:10 AM

• PM Carline: 3:15 – 3:45 PM

Wednesday

• 8:15 AM – 1:15 PM

• AM Carline: 7:45 – 8:10 AM

• PM Carline: 1:15 – 1:45 PM

HOT LUNCHES

We continue to partner with My Hot Lunchbox for optional hot lunches.

Vendor Lineup:

• Monday – La Fiesta

• Tuesday – Subway

• Wednesday – Zaxby’s

• Thursday – CiCi’s Pizza

• Friday – Americana Cafe

🔗 Order Now Deadline: 12:00 noon the day before delivery.

Reminder: Pack reusable water bottles daily. No sodas or colorful sugary drinks allowed.

FREE & REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS

You must complete a new application each school year.

Pick up applications during Open House or at the front office. Forms are available at the front office and will be shared at Open House.  It may take up to 2 weeks to process, so please send lunch from home or order from My Hot Lunchbox until confirmed.

CLOTHES BIN RECYCLING

Drop your unwanted clothing, shoes, and textiles in the green Clothes Bin near Kronbergs Court. Every pound helps ACS and keeps items out of the landfill!

2026–2027 SCHOOL CALENDAR

The ACS 26-27 Calendar is available on the school website under Parents and HERE> School Calendar & Schedules

Please make a note of:

• Fall Break, Winter Break; & Spring Break, and Summer Break - Be sure you schedule any vacations/trips around the dates that school is not in session.

• The first day of school is August 11th, 2026

Thank you for reading and preparing with us. Let’s make this year meaningful, memorable, and successful—together.

SPIRIT FRIDAYS

Wear ACS gear or purple & gray every Friday to show your Coyote pride!

Let’s go, Coyotes!

Supply List

Grade Level Supply Lists for 2026-27 are available on our school website at https://www.alamancecommunityschool.net/supply-lists

If you see any good deals, you're welcome to share them with families in the comments below!

See you soon, Pack!!

Carline

We were notified recently that the parent app for dismissal will not be available as quickly as our vendor originally predicted.

No worries - that means we will continue using physical barcode cards for the start of the new year! Returning families, please locate your cards.

If you are new to ACS or cannot locate your cards, please do not panic. More information will be coming soon about carline procedures and next steps.

Please make sure you are reading all school communications and newsletters and if you have any questions, please contact the school office. Thank you!

CARLINE REMINDERS & TRAFFIC FLOW

Please be patient and follow procedures, especially in the first few weeks. The carline will move more quickly once routines are established.

Important Notes:

• Here is information regarding our 

• Do not use cell phones in the carline.

• Arrive by 8:10 AM to ensure your student is in class by 8:15 AM.

• Early dismissals must be before 2:45 PM (or 12:45 PM on Wednesdays).

• Students not picked up by 3:45 (or 1:45 on Wed) will be taken to Genesis After Care, and fees will apply.

Here is more information on Carline and KIDAccount, our source for organized carline.

PTO Corner

 All Paws In! Join the ACS PTO

Welcome back, ACS teachers, staff, and families! We are excited to kick off another amazing school year and invite you to be All Paws In with the ACS PTO!

 Back-to-School Membership Special: Join the PTO through August 31 for just $10!

PTO members enjoy exclusive benefits all year long! Teachers and staff receive member-only appreciation perks, while parents get first access to volunteer opportunities and special events like the Book Fair, Fall Festival, school dances, teacher appreciation events, and more.

Become a member today: Join the ACS PTO

Contact us: alamancecommunityschoolpto@gmail.com

Mark Your Calendars!

Our first PTO event of the year is almost here!

 Scholastic Book Fair: September 14–18 Fall Family Day: September 19

We can't wait to see our ACS families, celebrate a new school year, and make this our best year yet. See you there!

2nd Annual Howl & Hangout

A HUGE Thank you to everyone that came out and made this a successful event!

Show Your ACS Spirit & Save! Apparel Sale until Aug 11

Show Your ACS Spirit & Save!

Gear up for the new school year with the ACS Gear Summer Savings Event through our partners at The Lily Barn! From tees and hoodies to accessories and more, there's something for every Coyote fan.

 Orders will be delivered directly to your student's homeroom approximately 10–15 business days after your order is placed. If you don't know your student's homeroom yet, simply enter "Unknown" at checkout—we'll take care of the rest when orders are delivered.

 Shop the ACS Spirit Store here: https://thelilybarnboutique.com/collections/alamance-community-school

Genesis OST Programs

Don’t delay; register today.

On-site before- and after-school services with Genesis OST Programs is now open for registration. We offer a safe, convenient, affordable, and fun program for your children.

The registration link can be found on the ACS website.

Registration closes July 27th to balance numbers.

Coyote Sports Corner

2026 Fall Sports Tryouts!

Try-Out Eligibility:

• Students must be in grades 6-8th.

• Physicals must be submitted to Coach Long by August 14

Need a Physical?

FastMed of NC is offering $20 sports physicals for middle school athletes. Visit https://www.fastmed.com/urgent-care-centers for more information

Co-ed Cross Country - August 17 & 18

• 4:00 - 5:15 PM @ ACS ES Gym

• Coach Pascua

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL - AUGUST 17 & 18

• 4:00 - 5:15 PM @ ACS MS GYM

• Coach Bunn

BOYS SOCCER - AUGUST 17 & 18

• 1010 Towerbranch Road, Graham, NC

• Coach DeLoatch

Questions

Please contact Athletic Director, Coach Long

dlong@alamancecommunityschool.net

New Medication Forms Needed for 2026-2027

*If your student requires daily medication during school hours and/or has a rescue inhaler or Epipen, you and your physician will need to complete the following medical form each year before medications can be administered at school:  MEDICATION AUTHORIZATION FORM

* Students with EPIPens and/or inhalers must also have allergy action plans or asthma action plans on file. Here are links to those forms as well.

ACS ALLERGY ACTION PLAN

ACS ASTHMA ACTION PLAN

* ALL Medical Forms (medication authorizations AND applicable action plans) must be turned in through the front office. Office staff will ensure teachers receive copies once they are reviewed and approved.

Parent Student Handbook

Our Parent Student Handbook is on our website.  Here is the link: 

2025 - 2026 ACS PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK

We do not anticipate any major changes to the handbook; however, once the 2026-27 handbook has been completed, we will post it on our website and let you know.

“Coyote Pack” Facebook Group

Current & NEW families, join our Official ACS "Coyote Pack" Facebook Group. In addition to our newsletters and teacher communications, we use this page to communicate important information during the school year. The ACS Coyote Pack FB group is a positive way to connect staff and parents/caregivers, fostering effective communication and helping continue building the caring and inclusive community that many of us want for our students, staff, and families. The ACS Coyote Pack FB group is where you can ask questions, and our staff & involved families can answer questions and provide correct information. Families NEW to ACS are welcome to join as soon as they complete their registration in SchoolMint. Request to join today:

While everyone is invited to join, please be mindful of what is posted. The goal is increased information and positivity.

Volunteer! Proctors Needed

As we prepare for our upcoming testing season, we're reaching out to ask for your support. We are in need of volunteer test proctors to help ensure a smooth and successful testing environment for our students.

Proctors help monitor the testing room, ensure procedures are followed, and support a calm, focused atmosphere. No prior experience is necessary-just a willingness to help and a brief orientation will be provided.

Your presence makes a big difference. Volunteering as a proctor not only supports our students but also strengthens our school community. If you're available and willing to help, please complete the linked Google Form

Infinite Campus Parent Portal: Accounts for New Parents

Welcome to our newest Coyote Families!

New families that have completed registration received an email with instructions on how to set up your official Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. This portal will be your central hub for grades, assessment reports, announcements, schedules, and important school updates, so keep an eye on your inbox that week to get connected!

7th Graders Need Updated Immunizations on or before the 1st day of School

Students entering 7th grade are required to have one dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccine and one dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine for individuals who have not already received those vaccines. Please contact your student's health care provider or the local health department to obtain an updated immunization record or to make an appointment, if your child needs those vaccines. 

Parents/guardians of students enrolled in 7th grade will be required to provide an updated current proof of vaccination (i.e., Certificate of Immunization from the NC Immunization registry) on or before the first day of school, August 11, 2026.

If proof of vaccination is not provided within 30 calendar days of the first day of school, your child will be excluded from school until a current shot record is provided, as required by law.

Please DO NOT send your immunization certificate to school at this time. You will be asked to provide this in the fall, during our re-enrollment process and Beginning of Year form completion for students.

For more information on required immunizations in NC, please visit: https://immunization.dph.ncdhhs.gov/family/nc_immnz_requirements.htm

If you have any questions or need additional information, please reach out to Leslie Jewell at ljewell@alamancecommunityschool.net

All families: Annual Information Update Now open in Inifite Campus

It’s time for our annual check-in! Please log into Infinite Campus to complete your Online Registration (OLR) / Back-to-School Forms.

Why this matters: Keeping your contact details current is always vital, but it is especially critical this year. The data you provide in Infinite Campus will directly sync with our dismissal tool, KidAccount.

To ensure a smooth, safe, and speedy afternoon carline, we need your absolute latest dismissal preferences and approved pickup persons on file. Please make completing this update a top priority so your student is ready to roll on day one!