August is Back to School Month for Lynchburg City Schools and schools in the surrounding counties. The 2020-2021 school year will look much different than years past due to the impact of Covid-19. As cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in our area, schools continue to change their back to school plans. From remote learning to required masks, teachers and students will learn in new ways this year.
School supplies and fall clothes have arrived in local stores and online registration is open for area students.
Most recent information for local public schools is noted below; however, changes may take place before school begins. ***MORE CHANGES WERE MADE AT SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS ON AUG. 13. CHANGES NOTED BELOW ***
Make the first day of school special with FREE Back-to-School Printables to Celebrate that First Day
2020-2021 School Year Information
Use the links below to find additional information from your child's school system and individual school, including: school supply lists, required documents for registration, school year calendar, handbooks, and more.
Lynchburg City Schools including Bass Elementary School students begin school on Monday, August 24. On Tuesday, August 4, the Lynchburg City School Board voted to begin the 2020-2021 school year under the Remote Only model for all LCS students for the first nine weeks. Remote learning is the instructional practice that includes learning out of the LCS building. You'll find the Lynchburg City Schools Return to Learn Plan here. Parents of new and returning Lynchburg City Schools students should complete registration online. Returning families should use the Parent Portal to register their students. Families with new students should register online. Check with your child's school or the Parent Portal for additional information.
Amherst County Schools begin school on Sept. 9 with a hybrid model. ***The Roadmap to Return Mitigation Plan has been updated to require face coverings for students on busses and for all staff and students while in ACPS’s buildings.*** The current plan calls for elementary students on campus Monday-Thursday; middle and high school students hybrid model with two days weekly on campus. There was a school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 6 PM. You can watch on the school's YouTube channel or Facebook Live. Transitional day for students in 6th and 9th grades will be on Sept. 8. You'll find the Amherst County Public Schools Road Map to Return Plan here. Parents of new and returning Amherst County students should complete registration online. Check with your child's school or the Parent Portal for additional information.
Appomattox County Schools ***begin school on Tuesday, Sept. 8 for remote learners and Monday, Sept. 14 for in-person students. Face coverings will be required on busses and in transition times or when social distancing isn't possible.*** A hybrid model will be used with Pre-K through 5th grade students on campus four days a week and middle and high school students on campus two days a week and attending virtually the other days. Students will be sorted into East/West groupings for school attendance days. There was a school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 5 PM. You can attend virtually using this information: Remote Access - https://meet.google.com/ktr-zega-gmp Phone Access - (US) +1 530-738-1002 PIN: 753 167 933# You'll find the Appomattox County Public Schools Return and Recovery Planning Guide here. Parents of returning students should complete registration online. New Student Registration can be started with a phone call to the school. If your child is new to ACPS for the 20-21 school year and you would like to also register for the Raider Remote program, you must register your student for the school year by calling a school office. Check with your child's school or the Parent Portal for additional information.
Bedford County Schools ***begin school on the following dates: Sept. 8 for Pre-K - 3rd graders; Sept. 9 for grades 4-6; Sept. 10 for grades 7-12; Sept. 8 for Bedford Connects (100% virtual). Face coverings will be required on busses and in the school at times when social distancing isn't possible, as well as in classrooms at teacher's discretion.*** There was a special called school board meeting on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 6 PM. You can attend virtually through the school's YouTube channel. You'll find the Bedford County Public Schools Return to School information here. Parents of both new students and returning students should complete registration online. Check with your child's school or the Parent Portal for additional information.
Campbell County Schools begin school on Sept. 1 for PreK-5th graders and Sept. 8 for 6th-12th graders. PreK-5th graders will be on campus two to four days a week, depending on school and grade; middle and high school students hybrid model with two days on campus the the rest of the week attending virtually. On Aug. 10, the Campbell County School Board voted to require face masks for all teachers, staff, and students. You'll find the Campbell County Public Schools Reopening Plan here. You'll find the mask protocol and Covid Mitigation Strategies here. Parents of returning students should complete registration online. Parents of new students should visit this page to begin the registration process. Check with your child's school or the Parent Portal for additional information.
Volunteer with Your Child's School
Volunteering will look different this school year. No visitors will be permitted on campuses due to Covid-19 concerns. This may change as the year progresses. Think outside the box for ways to help at school since you can't be at school during the day. These five ideas will get you started. Talk to your child's teacher or the volunteer coordinator for more suggestions.
- Ask your child's teacher about art or classroom supplies needed for the year.
- Send food for parties and teacher appreciation lunches.
- Participate in school fundraisers. Take your child around the neighborhood or check with coworkers about items your child is selling.
- Offer to make name tags, labels or to cut art patterns at home.
- Offer to help with big projects at your child's school such as school carnivals or book fairs.
Help your child have a great year by getting involved in your child's school. Encourage your child's learning, both in and out of the classroom. Support your child's school and show your child that education is important.
Back to School Resources
These articles and resources will help make the 2020-2021 school year the best it can be during these stressful times.
Lynchburg VA Childcare and Preschool Guide
10 Tips to Prepare Your Kids and Your Home for Distance Learning
5 Tips to Help Your Child Adjust to Wearing a Face Mask at School
20 Inexpensive Lynchburg Family Activities to Enjoy Before Summer Ends
Free Printables! Brighten Your Child's Day With a Love Note
Back to Learning with Fun Lunch Ideas
10 Tips on How to Survive a School Closure, From a Homeschool Mom
For School Firsts and Lasts, Get Creative with Crayola!
10 Ways to Connect with Friends While Socially Distancing
These articles from previous years offer helpful tips. Some may not be applicable as the new school year begins, but I've included them anyway.
Celebrate the First Day of School!
5 Teacher-Approved Tips to Make Back-to-School Time Great
Back to School Pressures: Four Ways We’re Stressing Out Our Kids
10 Easy Ways to Connect With School-Aged Kids
Top 40 Questions to Ask Prospective Preschools & Private Schools
Help Kids Stay Organized This School Year
Save Money on Back to School Shopping
Eight Ways to Volunteer Helping Kids in Lynchburg
25 Fun and Inexpensive After School Activities in Lynchburg
Coping with Back to School Anxiety
Helping Your Child with Special Needs Get Ready For Back to School
A Handy Checklist Makes After School Time Easier
Help your kids get ready for the new school year by planning ahead. Register online and read all of the information available on the school's website. These five additional tips will help make the school year easier for the entire family:
- Spend the last week before school begins with earlier bedtimes and earlier wake-up times so your child will be ready on the first day of school.
- Encourage your child to read at least 15 minutes each day. Even better, spend time reading together as a family.
- Help your child set goals for the new school year and set up a study center stocked with all of the supplies your child will need.
- Limit electronics during the week and encourage your child to study even when there's no homework.
- Stay in touch with your child's teacher and attend events held at school. Volunteer in your child's classroom if possible later in the year.
Have a great school year!
