As the calendar flips over to July, we know many families begin to look ahead to August for important back-to-school information. From frequently asked questions such as ‘When are the Open House dates?’ and ‘How will I be informed of my bus route?’, to numerous annual reminders, we have you covered here in our 2026-2027 Back-to-School FAQ!
See the section headings below for all things South Western City Schools back-to-school.
When is the first day of school?
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19, 2026 for grades 4-12. Students in grades K-3 follow a staggered start schedule:
Kindergarten through 3rd grade students with…
- Last names A-G will attend August 19 only
- (will not attend August 20 & 21; will attend again August 25)
- Last names H-O will attend August 20 only
- (will not attend August 19 & 21; will attend again August 25)
- Last names P-Z will attend August 21 only
- (will not attend August 19 & 20; will attend again August 25)
Preschool first day: August 31, 2026
Combined, daily kindergarten, first, second, and third grade classroom schedules begin August 31.
2026-2027 Academic Calendar
Outside of the first day of school, check out our District Academic Calendar webpage by visiting: https://www.swcsd.us/Calendar.aspx
Key highlights include:
- Tuesday, November 3: No School – Election Day
- November 25-27: No School – Fall Break
- December 21-January 1: No School – Winter Break
- January 18-19: No School – MLK Jr. Day Holiday and Staff PD Day
- March 22-29: No School – Spring Break
- May 4: No School – Election Day
- May 30, 2026: Graduation for the Class of 2027 at the Celeste Center (Sunday)
When will Open Houses and Schedule Pick-up Days be held?
When can my student receive their schedule? Will there be an open house at my child(ren)’s school and when will that be? Head to the link below for dates, times, and more information.
Open House/Schedule Pick-Up Calendar
We highly encourage students and families to visit Open Houses for schedule pick-up and class assignments to put a name with a face and get to know their teachers personally for the upcoming school year!
While most intermediate, middle, and high school schedule pick-up days occur on August 11th, families unable to attend that day can log into their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account on August 12th (end of day) to find out their child’s teacher or their student’s class schedule for the 2026-2027 school year.
What are the school day start and end times?
- Elementary Schools:
- School Day: 8:20 a.m. – 2:40 p.m.
- Intermediate Schools:
- School Day: 9:10 a.m. – 3:55 p.m.
- Middle Schools:
- School Day: 9:10 a.m. – 3:55 p.m.
- High Schools:
- School Day: 8:00 a.m. – 3:20 p.m.
- South Western Career Academy:
- School Day: 7:55 a.m. – 3:02 p.m.
For information about the South Western Preschool, please visit: https://swpc.swcsd.us/
I have not enrolled my child for school just yet. How do I enroll my child?
New students to the district and re-enrolling student enrollments are processed digitally online. Once the Student Welcome Center (SWC) – located at the former Brookpark Middle School Site (2803 Southwest Blvd, Grove City, OH 43123) receives a completed online application, an enrollment specialist will contact you.
All students must be enrolled in the district prior to attending classes at any SWCS location.
If you have moved since last school year, the change of address process is available on our website and it is required that you update it to start the school year. Visit the following link to begin:
www.swcsd.us/ChangeofAddress.aspx
Enrollment Steps: www.swcsd.us/EnrollmentSteps.aspx
Step 1: Verify your address at:
https://www.croppermap.com/swcsohiov2
Step 2: Complete online registration form for your child at:
www.swcsd.us/StartEnrollment.aspx. To enter kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year, a child must be 5 years old on or before Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, House Bill 114 changed the kindergarten eligibility date for all Ohio schools.
Have the following documents readily available and ready to upload:
- A state-issued parent/guardian ID
- Original birth certificate OR original hospital certificate (with seal) OR original baptismal record (with seal) OR passport (note, if a passport is used, proof of custody or guardianship is still required)
- A lease (current and signed by landlord & tenant) OR a deed (signed and recorded) OR home purchase settlement statement (signed by seller and buyer) OR two different utility bills (gas, electric, water, internet, trash) in the parent/guardian’s name dated within the last 30 days
If you are living with a friend/relative in the SWCSD, you must complete BOTH required forms below: Review the forms carefully.
Oath of Residence Affidavit by Parent/Guardian Form (If Needed) - Immunization records – Students who are newly enrolled and were born in, resided in, or recently visited a Tuberculosis (TB) endemic country for more than thirty (30) days are required to show proof of a negative TB skin test, prior to being enrolled in SWCSD. (Revised Policy 5312).
Step 3: Once the Student Enrollment Center (SEC) receives a completed online application, an enrollment specialist will contact you to finalize the enrollment process.
Where are the supply lists?
A common question we get from families during July and August is “Where can I find a school supply list?”
The answer is….we do not have supply lists in the District and we have you covered!
All necessary items, unless noted in a higher grade level course description, are supplied by the District. For the 2026-2027 school year, the SWCS Board of Education has waived the $10 general instructional fee for families so materials will be provided free of charge. For more advanced high school and career-technical course fees, see below for the 2026-2027 fee schedule.
Beyond what the school provides in terms of supplies, we recognize that families often want to purchase other items for their students such as backpacks, additional binders, etc.
In making those additional purchasing decisions, families are reminded that Ohio has a Sales Tax Holiday for school items coming up in early August!
Save-the-date! Ohio Sales Tax Holiday Weekend is August 7-9, 2026
In 2026, Ohio will host the standard back-to-school sales tax holiday of three days, starting 12:00 a.m. Friday, August 7th until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 9th. The exemption will apply to all items of clothing priced at $75 or less, school supplies priced at $20 or less, and school instructional materials priced at $20 or less.
For a full list of what purchases do and do not qualify, visit the link (click here).
Establishing strong attendance habits ensures students remain connected to their learning environment, fosters accountability, and supports positive educational outcomes in alignment with Ohio’s compulsory attendance requirements which have recently changed with the passing of House Bill 96.
In South Western City Schools, we believe the largest contributing factor to a student’s academic success is their daily attendance. Every student. HERE. Every day.
Read more about the changes, truance procedures, and increased notification process for all Ohio Schools (click here).
2026-2027 Food Services meal prices are as follows for breakfasts and lunches.
Visit www.swcsd.us/FoodServices.aspx for more information about Free & Reduced applications, menus and more.
Athletics and Band Fees:
Earlier this year, the Board of Education approved the following fees for participation in athletic programs and marching band as noted below.
Click HERE for the 2026-2027 Pay-to-Participate Information Guidelines Form.
Success Beyond the Classroom Scholarships
The Success Beyond the Classroom (SBC) Foundation was created to raise and award scholarship monies to South Western City Schools (SWCS) students to help offset the cost of participation fees (P2P) for athletics and marching band. Participation fees for middle school and high school athletics and marching band were instituted during the 2009-2010 school year. The fees are applied to each student, per activity, with a cap per family.
SBC scholarships are awarded in varying amounts, covering up to 75% (maximum) of the corresponding participation fee. Students can apply for a SBC scholarship by completing an application and returning it to their school’s athletic director or mailing it directly to SBC before the established due dates indicated on the application.
Click HERE for the 2026-2027 Success Beyond the Classroom Scholarship Application.
**Turn in to the school’s athletic director (high school) or assistant principal (middle school)**
SBC Application deadlines for the 2026-2027 school year:
- July 24, 2026 – Fall Sports SBC Applications Due
- October 30, 2026 – Winter Sports SBC Applications Due
- February 26, 2026 – Spring Sports SBC Applications Due
Transportation Information
Students eligible for transportation services from South Western City Schools will receive student-specific school bus route and bus stop information electronically in Infinite Campus approximately 7-10 days before school starts. Please keep this letter in a safe place as it also contains your Infinite Campus Parent and Student Portal login information.
Please notify your child’s school of any change of address or childcare changes before school starts and file a change of address form with the Student Enrollment Center. Due to late enrollments and bus route changes, please allow flexibility the first week of school. Pick-up and drop-off times may fluctuate by 10-15 minutes as students, families, and drivers get acclimated to new routes.
Please do not call the Transportation Department for school bus numbers and/or route information ahead of time. Contact your child’s school or view the information in Infinite Campus. Parents are reminded that during the first few weeks of school, stop times may vary substantially.
First Time Riders Event
Join us for our annual First Time Riders event in August!
StopFinder Mobile App
With the StopFinder Mobile app, families can receive real-time information on the location of their student’s bus by creating their own GeoAlert zones around their student’s bus route. Set up a zone for when the bus enters your neighborhood, the caregiver’s location, when the bus enters the school campus area, or is two stops away…families can set up the fields relevant to their schedule and can track their student’s bus through the secure StopFinder app in the Google Play and Apple App Store.
Prior to the start of school for families who do not have an account set up, you will receive a secure invitation code to your email address on file with your Infinite Campus Parent Portal information.
Read more: https://www.swcsd.us/StopFinder.aspx
Cell Phone Policy
Last school year, South Western City Schools launched the #BePresent initiative to reduce cell phone distractions and increase student engagement in the classroom. Schools across the district reported positive results, including improved student focus, stronger peer interactions and a more connected learning environment.
As we begin the second year of #BePresent, South Western City Schools remains committed to upholding expectations and practices established during the 2025-2026 school year. These expectations align with Ohio’s House Bill 96, which requires all public school districts to maintain a cell phone free learning environment. As a result, families and students should expect the same cell phone expectations that were in place last year. We appreciate your continued partnership in supporting a learning environment where students are engaged, focused and present throughout the school day.
Reminder: Update Emergency Contact Information in Infinite Campus
Infinite Campus (IC) is the District’s Internet-based student information system. Important features of IC are the Parent Portal and Mobile App: Campus Parent and Campus Student. In the parent portal, parents are able to access their child’s information, such as class schedules, attendance, academic reports, transportation information and coursework, review annual updates and forms, as well as pay fees and put funds in their child’s food service account.
Parents can also designate how and where they wish to receive emergency communications, attendance calls, general announcement messages, and email messages from teachers, the school, and the school district. New accounts need an activation key. Parents and students each have a unique activation key that will be included in the back to school letter being sent to homes the 2nd week of August. Be sure to save the letter if you have not yet set up your portal account. If you have a portal account, your username will be included in that letter.
To create an IC account, please go to: www.swcsd.us/ParentPortalMobileApp.aspx
If you already have an IC account, please update your emergency contact information at: www.swcsd.us/OnlineAnnualInformationUpdate.aspx Click here for directions to update your Parent Portal.
Back to School Immunization Requirements Grades 7 and 12
All students entering 7th grade are required to be vaccinated with one (1) dose of meningococcal vaccine prior to the start of the school year. All students entering the 12th grade are required to be vaccinated with two (2) doses of meningococcal vaccine prior to the start of the school year.
Parents must provide proof of the meningococcal immunization to their child’s middle or high school on or before the first day of school in August.
I would like to work on the same schedule as my kids or grandchildren. Do you have any job openings or substitute openings?
There is no shortage of opportunity to find a career making an impact in the academic growth of a child right here in the South Western City Schools.
Whether it be as a Student Support Liaison, educational aide, bus driver, or rec center employee, we are hiring for not only these positions, but many more!
Visit our Careers Tab on our website at the link here to get started (click here).
SW Insider 