Back To School

Here's What You Need To Know For Back To School

Posted on 08/08/2023

Detailed information regarding your child's enrollment will be provided by your school principal. We are excited to welcome everyone back!

Annual Registration for all students will begin on August 2. This mandatory process applies to all Royal Oak Families and is necessary to register your children for the 2023-24 school year.

Follow these simple steps to complete the Annual Registration:
- Login to the MIStar Parent Portal
- Select your child’s school from the drop-down menu
- Select Annual Registration

For new families who have not yet enrolled, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Central Enrollment Office at (248) 435-8400, ext. 1260. If you have any questions about enrollment or recently changed your address, they're here to assist you with all the information you need. Or you can start here for those answers.

Class lists went live on August 18 for elementary and middle school students. Secondary students at Royal Oak High School can view their schedules on August 22. (*Dates could be subject to change.)

Student Handbooks and other additional forms and information can be found here.

The 2023-24 school calendar can be found by using this link.

Find information on child care, preschool, or Latchkey here.

Click here for information on Free and Reduced Lunch or other food service programs.

Sports schedules, including volleyball, soccer, and football, can be found here.

Check out announcements, local events, and activities for your child with Peachjar. It's now easier than ever to receive information about opportunities for your child. In February 2022, Royal Oak Schools began using Peachjar as our new electronic flyer communication tool. Flyers will now be sent directly to your email inbox and posted to the school's website. To view current flyers, click the Peachjar button on each school's website.

CONTINUING EDUCATION

Does someone you know need to learn English? Or get their high school credentials? Royal Oak Schools Continuing Education can help!

They offer:

- Three levels of English for non-native speakers
- Individualized plans to complete your high school credentials
- and you don't have to live in Royal Oak!

Registration for Continuing Education is open now.

For more information, go to: ccec.royaloakschools.org

WAYS TO BE INVOLVED

Join a PTA
Back to school is the perfect time to join a PTA/PTSA. A PTA Council is a coordinating body that promotes communication and cooperation among specific units and increases the capacity for service because of their unified strength. We are grateful to have parents and students (PTSA) who lead these organizations at each of our schools. Just click here for more on what the PTAs have done for the families and students at Royal Oak Schools. It's a fantastic list!

Join a Board of Education Committee
The School Board actively seeks the advice of community members through a wide range of advisory committees and councils. Citizens interested in serving on a Board Committee should complete an application form. There is a separate application form for students.

Applications are now being accepted for the Royal Oak Schools 2023-2024 committees, such as Arts & Preservation, Communications, and Wellness.

Applications are available on the district website, www.royaloakschools.org, Board of Education page under the “District” tab. Application forms should be returned to the Superintendent's Office, Royal Oak Schools, 800 DeVillen, Royal Oak, MI 48073, or e-mailed to Paula Sutterfield at [email protected]. For more information, contact Paula Sutterfield, Executive Assistant to the Board of Education and Superintendent, at 248-435-8400, ext. 1228. The deadline for submitting applications is Friday, September 15, 2023.

Volunteer
As a volunteer in Royal Oak Schools, you are a welcome addition to our school community! Volunteers are essential to the success and well-being of our students, programs, and schools. Prospective volunteers in Royal Oak Schools should first talk to the building principal about the specific needs for volunteering there.

The building principal will provide building-specific information about volunteering for occasional volunteers working in the building once or twice per year under the direct supervision of building faculty or staff members.

Ready to volunteer or need more information? Click here!

FREE MEALS & ALA CARTE COST

Did you hear the news that every student can receive free meals in the 2023-2024 school year?

Thanks to the Michigan School Meals Program, a state-funded program that allows all students to receive meals at no cost for the 2023-2024 school year, breakfast and lunch will be free to all students. Second meals are not free and will be considered ala carte. High school and middle school second lunches will be charged $3.00; elementary school second lunches will be charged $2.60. Adult meals are not covered under the Michigan School Meals Program.

Although all students can receive meals at no cost, it is still vital that eligible families fill out a free/reduced meal application: A school’s eligibility for federal Child Nutrition Programs such as Summer Food Service Program and others is based on free and reduced-price eligibility. Students and families may qualify for other program fee reductions based on their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. Federal and state education finding uses free and reduced-price eligibility.

Please complete the 2023-2024 online application on our website under Free and Reduced Meals Information. Paper applications will be sent out this month and available at the district office and in all schools in August.

If/when your school begins offering ala carte items, please note that they will not be free and must be paid for with cash or through your student’s pre-paid food service account. Ala carte examples are bottled water, chips, cookies, and milk. Unfortunately, milk by itself is not free. To get milk, a complete meal must be received or can be paid for separately. Elementary students must continue to pre-order lunch one day ahead. Last-minute decisions to eat an elementary school lunch can result in shortages for other students that did order in advance.