West Chester Area School District

WCASD, we hope you and your families are still enjoying a wonderful summer filled with time to relax and make lasting memories.

As we prepare to welcome students, families, and staff back for another exciting school year, we know these next few weeks come with a lot of information. Between back-to-school forms, fees, schedules, transportation, and important reminders, there's plenty to keep track of! We hope this newsletter serves as a helpful guide, bringing many of those resources together in one place and pointing you to where you can find additional information or assistance if you need it.

Our team has been hard at work preparing for the first day, and we can't wait to welcome our students back into our classrooms. Thank you for your partnership, and we wish you a wonderful start to the school year!

Back to School Month | Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month

August 5: PMS and SMS Transition to Middle School Camps

August 6: FMS Transition to Middle School Camp

August 13: EHS New Student & Family Orientation

August 13: HHS New Student & Family Orientation

August 17: Fall Sports Begin

August 17: Property and Finance Committee Meeting | 6:00 p.m.

August 17: Teaching, Learning, & Equity Committee Meeting | 6:30 p.m.

August 18: RHS New Student Orientation

August 24: Policy Review Committee Meeting | 6:00 p.m.

August 24: School Board Meeting | 7:00 p.m.

August 25: RHS New Family Orientation

August 27: Elementary School Sneak-a-Peek | 2:30 p.m. [Excluding Hillsdale and Starkweather]

August 31: First Day of School!

The countdown is on and we’re just 26 days away from welcoming students back for the 2026–27 school year! Whether you’re labeling folders, organizing snacks, or soaking up the last of summer, we’re excited to open our doors and greet every child with a smile.

Still need to enroll for the 2026-27 school year? Start the registration process online today.

To review registration materials, start an online application, or contact central registration, visit the our New Student Registration webpage.

Make sure your PowerSchool Parent Portal is active and updated. This is where you’ll access and sign off on important forms as well as maintain accurate information that the district uses in case of an emergency.

For help setting up or updating your PowerSchool Parent Portal Account, visit our Back-To-School webpage.

Get ready for a great school year!

Elementary and middle school supply lists are available on each school's homepage. High school teachers will share any needed supply lists with students on the first day of school.

Stay Connected to Your Student's Bus! Get real-time notifications about bus delays, substitutions, and other transportation updates with the district's Bus Status 4 app.

For download instructions, visit the Bus Status 4 App webpage.

Never Miss an Important Date! Our district calendars make it easy to stay on top of holidays, half-days, early dismissals, and key school events. Watch for the 2026-27 Activities Calendar in your mailbox by August 10, or pick one up at your school or the Spellman Education Center if you don't receive it.

Join school and public safety professionals for a day of learning, collaboration, and practical strategies to enhance school safety. Hosted by WCASD Public Safety Supervisor Rik Thornton, the summit will feature expert-led sessions focused on prevention, preparedness, and response.

When: Thursday, August 6, 2026, from 8 AM to 3 PM

Location: Rustin High School Auditorium | 1100 Shiloh Road, West Chester, PA 19382

View the agenda, meet the presenters, and find out more on the School Safety Summit webpage!

Education extends far beyond the classroom. During their recent educational journey to Japan, WCASD students explored historic temples, experienced a new culture, tried new foods, and embraced life in another country.

Along the way, they gained more than unforgettable memories. They built confidence, broadened their perspectives, and returned home with a deeper understanding of the world around them.

Elementary School Sneak-a-Peek is back and happening on Thursday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m. [Excluding Hillsdale and Starkweather Elementary Schools due to Construction]

We hope everyone who attended the Transition to Middle School camps at Peirce and Stetson had a wonderful time exploring their new schools, meeting classmates, and getting a head start on the year ahead!

Fugett families: There's still a little time to register or learn more. Click the blue button for details about your Middle School Transition Camp!

Click the blue buttons to learn more about your high school's New Student and Family Orientation. You'll find dates, times, and additional information under News & Announcements on your school's homepage and on the school's calendar.

We are pleased to provide fans with the ability to purchase tickets online using a credit or debit card for all qualifying events through our vendor Hometown Ticketing. Tickets for all qualifying events are available now for the standard $5.00 general admission fee (plus an additional convenience fee per ticket collected at checkout by Hometown Ticketing). Please see the links below to purchase online tickets and download the Hometown Ticketing App.

For each High School's ticketing page, visit:

• East HS
• Henderson HS
• Rustin HS
  
  

While our students enjoyed summer break, many of our WCASD team spent time learning, collaborating, and preparing for the year ahead during Summer Spark. Through sessions on student engagement, literacy, math, leadership, technology, and the Portrait of a Graduate, educators and administrators explored new ideas and strategies to help create engaging, meaningful learning experiences for every student.

Reminder, WCASD families can now access their child's PSSA and Keystone Exam results through the LinkIt! Parent Portal. These assessments provide one snapshot of your child's academic progress and are one of many tools used to support learning.

If you haven't created your LinkIt! account yet, it's easy to get started. Visit our Assessment webpage for portal registration instructions, helpful resources, and information about understanding your child's scores!

It looks like many of our families were checking "Vacation" off their summer bucket list!

We hope you had the chance to relax, explore, and make wonderful memories together before another exciting school year begins.

FYI WCASD: We've recently launched new online platforms for Board meeting agendas, minutes, and district policies. Community members can now access Board documents through Keystone Agenda and district policies through PolicyMain.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to Board Secretary, Karen Avagliano at kavagliano@wcasd.net.

The West Chester Food Cupboard is here to help families with school-aged children stay nourished over the summer!

From June 18 through August 27, stop by on Thursday evenings from 5:00–7:00 p.m. at 431 South Bolmar Street for free fresh produce, dairy, nonperishables, and kid-friendly foods—no registration or eligibility required.

Enjoy safe, friendly service and healthy food to help keep your kids well-fed while school is out!

Year-Round Support

The Food Cupboard also offers regular hours for eligible WCASD residents and the Express Pantry is open to anyone in need—no requirements. Please contact The Baptist Church at 610- 696-7466 if you need help with transportation.