Knight News

Aug. 17th - Girls Swimming & Diving, Volleyball Seasons Begin

Aug. 17th - Student Schedule Distribution - 12:00 - 4:00 PM - Main Gym Entrance (Door #14) Google passwords will be included on these schedules.

Aug, 26th - 1st Day of School For Freshmen

Aug. 26th - Open House For All Students and Families - 4:00 - 6:00 PM

Aug. 27th - 1st Day of School For Sophomores, Juniors, & Seniors

Sep. 7th - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Sep. 16th - Early Release - 1:00 PM

Sep. 21st - 25th - Homecoming Week

Sep. 30th - Early Release - 1:00 PM

Sep. 30th - School Pictures

Please see this video and slide show that provides information on the student schedule distribution that will take place on August 17th 12:00 - 4:00 p.m., as well as a reminder of our modified practices around schedule changes.

• Our Main Office is under construction and we are temporarily located in the Media Center.
• Please use door #13 located on N. 5th Street to enter. Families that need handicapped access to our building should park in the handicapped parking available on N. 5th Street and then call our main office (701-746-2375) upon arrival to make arrangements to be let into our building at an alternate entrance.
• We are tentatively planning on opening our normal office location on August 24th. Our main entrance (Door #1) will also be open beginning on August 24th.
• Please hold off bringing in lunch money or medications until Aug. 24th as we do not have the means to store those items in our temporary location in the Media Center. Families and students are welcome to visit the main office in our temporary location for all other business.

• We will resume regular office hours on August 17th:

7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Student's lunch assignments are based on the 5th period class found on their schedule.

1st Lunch: Math, Phy Ed (Charlebois), JROTC, Science, Social Studies, Technology Education

2nd Lunch: Art, Business Ed, English, Family & Consumer Science, Foreign Language, Health, Music, Phy Ed (Lorenz), Resource Ed, Interventions, Special Education, Tutorial, SWIS

Students without a 5th period class may eat during either lunch.

We will continue our practice of assigning lockers only to students who request one, as most of our students (80–85%) choose not to use them. If your student would like a locker for the 26-27 school year, please complete the form below prior to the first day of school.

Locker Request Form

Helpful reminder: House Bill 1160 requires students to keep personal electronic devices securely stored and inaccessible during instructional time (“bell-to-bell”). Devices must be either off and in a backpack or stored in a locker. Requesting a locker may help support your student in following this new law.

Thank you for your continued support—we're looking forward to a great year ahead at Central!

In accordance with law (North Dakota Century Code #15.1-07-41), which requires K–12 public school students’ personal electronic communication devices—including cell phones, Bluetooth devices, smartwatches, tablets, and similar wearables—to be silenced, securely stowed away, and inaccessible from the start of the school day until dismissal (a “bell-to-bell” phone-free policy), Grand Forks Central High School will implement the following consequences for students who violate this law:

1st Offense — Device will be confiscated, parents will be notified, and the phone will be returned to the student at the end of the school day.

2nd Offense — Device will be confiscated, parents will be notified, the phone may be picked up by a parent at the end of the school day, and detention will be assigned.

3rd Offense — Device will be confiscated, parents will be notified, the phone may be picked up by a parent at the end of the school day, the student will serve a one-day ISS, and the student must turn in their phone at the start of each school day for three days.

4th Offense — Device will be confiscated, parents will be notified, the phone may be picked up by a parent at the end of the school day, the student will serve an OSS, and the student must turn in their phone at the start of each school day for five days upon return.

As we prepare for the start of the 26–27 school year, we would like to remind families about the upcoming transportation fee for general education bus services and the financial assistance available to eligible households. This fee only applies to schools that are currently receiving General Education transportation.

Families who qualify for free or reduced lunch may also qualify for free or reduced transportation fees. If you have not yet completed a Free and Reduced Lunch Application to know if you qualify, we encourage you to do so as soon as possible.

Online Free & Reduced Lunch 2026-2027 Application

*Please note: Free and Reduced Applications are required to be completed by October 8th, 2026.

Transportation payment options for the 26–27 school year are per student as follows. Payments will be made using MySchoolBucks.com.

• AM & PM Transportation
• Monthly: $58.50
• Full Year: $525.00
• PM Transportation Only (Kelly/Schroeder Students)
• Monthly: $29.50
• Full Year: $262.50

If you choose to pay monthly you will need to login to MySchoolBucks.com and complete a payment by the first of each month. This payment is required regardless if your student will ride five times or 25 times.

• Please note that Multilingual and Special Education students whose Individualized Education Plan (IEP) includes transportation services will continue to be provided free of charge in accordance with federal requirements.
• This fee will also not apply to extra curricular activities, Career Impact Academy or Grand Forks Air Force Base students.

If you believe you may qualify for financial assistance, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible so eligibility can be determined before the school year begins.

Information regarding the registration process for busing will be sent out in the coming days. Thank you for your partnership and continued support as we work to provide safe and reliable transportation for our students.

• Student bus tracking system is provided by the Tyler Technologies My Ride K-12 mobile app.
• Link to view Valley Bus busing routes: https://valleybusllc.com/grand-forks-schools/

If you have questions regarding transportation services or transportation fees, please contact:

• Ryan Gatzke, Grand Forks Public Schools Interim Business Manager

rgatzke310@mygfschools.org

• Allison Gregoire, Grand Forks Public Schools Transportation Coordinator

agregoire190@mygfschools.org

701-746-2205 Ext. 7235

If you have questions about the Free and Reduced Lunch Application, please contact the Child Nutrition Department at 701-746-2436.

Registration is not held in person at GFC. Instead, we ask you to log into your parent portal and complete the registration (aka yearly update) online. North Dakota recently switched from the PowerSchool platform to Infinite Campus. Notifications and instructions on how to create your parent portal account in Infinite Campus and complete registration have been shared with families via email by our district office. Please check your spam folder if you do not see those messages in your inbox.

• Updating this information helps us keep in contact with our families, ensures we have up to date information in the event of an emergency, and current health information for your student.

Student Communication During the School Day and Deliveries:

• We understand you may need to contact your student during the school day. While the Central Office is happy to help in the case of a family emergency, we are not able to manage or deliver non-emergent messages to students during the day. Please confirm any plans for pick up or appointments with your student prior to arrival at school. The main office will receive forgotten items, such as homework and instruments. Your student will be responsible to check the main office for arrival of their items.

School Supplies:

• There is not a supply list for our high school students. Some classes may have unique needs and those items required will be communicated by the individual teachers. Students in Phy Ed classes will need to wear the GFPS Phy Ed uniform. The uniform can be purchased at local stores.

Immunizations:

• If your student has received immunizations, please drop off your updated immunization forms in the main office.
• Immunization requirements and other medical information can be found on our district website here: https://www.gfschools.org/departments/nursehealth-office

Medications:

• If your student needs any medication given at school, a Medication Authorization Form must be filled out and signed by the health care provider and the parent/guardian. This is required for all medications including inhalers and over the counter medications.
• Parents or guardians may drop off student medications along with the corresponding Medication Authorization Form in the main office beginning on Aug. 24th. Please do not bring medications prior to this date.
• Medications must be in their original containers.
• Additional GFPS Medical Information and Forms: https://www.gfschools.org/departments/nursehealth-office

Chromebooks:

• Student will receive their chromebooks on the first day of classes.
• Device Protection is an optional device insurance plan that can be purchased for $20.00 through MySchoolBucks or in person with cash or check ($10 per device for students qualifying for free/reduced meal status). The Device Protection Plan does not cover intentional damage or lost/missing devices, but will cover accidental damage repairs, which can be costly. There is a $0 deductible. The last day to purchase protection is Oct. 15th.

City Bus Tickets:

• Students who use the city bus for transportation may purchase bus tickets from the city. City bus tickets are not sold through the schools.

Yearbooks:

• The 2026-2027 yearbook will be sold online again this year on the Friesens website: https://ybstore.friesens.com/C403870
• The cost is $55.00 plus a $2.75 processing fee. All payments are processed by PayPal, but a PayPal account is not required to complete the purchase. At checkout, the purchaser can choose to pay with a debit or credit card instead of using a PayPal account.

• Senior pictures and senior baby pictures are due by May 1st and can be emailed at any time before that to: centralyearbook@mygfschools.org

• Last year's (2025-2026) yearbooks have not arrived yet, but should be here by September. Once they arrive, it will be announced in the daily announcements and yearbooks will be handed out to students in the main hall. It is unknown if there will be extra yearbooks available for purchase. If there are, they will be first come first serve. The day they go on sale and the purchase price will be shared in the daily announcements.

School Pictures:

• School pictures will take place this fall on Sep. 30th. Picture packets will be distributed in advance. Please see future newsletters for more details.

• Gym lockers are available to students enrolled in physical education classes. Students are responsible for their own lock in the gym locker rooms. All items are placed in the locker room during class must be locked to ensure that items are not stolen.

We can’t wait to welcome the Class of 2030 to GFC! All freshmen students will start school on Wednesday, August 26th. Our main goal for the day is to orient them to their daily schedule as well as the building layout and lunch procedures. Of course, this is also a great day for them to learn about the history and “family feel” of Central - The Finest in Dakota! Here is the schedule for the day:

Students need to be in school to learn and be successful. Our tiered attendance policy is designed to provide intervention, communication, and support to students and families when absences are occurring. Please see the tiers of this plan and the actions taken at each tier.

Medical notes (signed by a health care provider), students sent home by the school (fever, vomit, diarrhea), and school-sponsored absences are the only absences that do not count against the total number of student absences. Students who are sent home by the school nurse will need a note by a medical provider to excuse absences beyond the two days after the date they are sent home.

Lunch Money:

• Lunch money (check or cash) for the coming year may be dropped off in the main office beginning on August 24th. After school starts, lunch money is deposited in the deli with kitchen staff. Checks should be made out to GFPS. All payments must include the student's name and ID number.
• Card payments can be made on the MySchoolBucks.com website for a small fee.

School Meal Charge Policy

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1q4bnYrxdBt7wI5HMbmZZpmR-mJUNlvwm/view

Why complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application?

If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, your students may also qualify for free or reduced activity fees and activity passes to attend GFC events. More information about the waiver can be found in the section titled "Free & Reduced Activity Participation Fees"

Free & Reduced Lunch Application

• A new application is required each year.
• The lunch application may be filled out online using the link below. The link to apply will open in early August. Applying online is easy and convenient.
• The lunch application is not retroactive. Any charges accumulated by your student prior to applying for free & reduced meals will be the responsibility of the parent to pay. Do not delay in applying!

https://www.myschoolapps.com/

There are two types of parking at GFC for students, the city owned parking ramp and the school owned student parking lots. All parking lots require a grey student hangtag parking pass.

In addition to the hangtag, students who park in the ramp must also register online for a digital parking permit from the city. There is no charge for either type of parking pass whether it is the grey hangtag or the digital permit. Please read below for more information about each parking area offered to students.

OPTION 1: Ramp Parking in Lot #1 with a digital permit (see map below)

Digital permits expire at the end of each school year. A permit from last year is no longer valid. Students must sign up for a 26-27 permit using the link below. Digital permits are FREE.

Link: https://pk.zone/Qi7a73ik

Monitoring and ticketing will be done by the City of Grand Forks.

• The digital permits are based on license plate information. Students will need to ensure their vehicle information is correct and up to date at all times as inaccuracies may result in ticketing.
• Not all parking areas in the ramp are for Central Students. Please read signs carefully and do not park in privately reserved spaces or Central staff spaces. Students may park in any spot that is not marked with a sign.

OPTION 2: Student Parking In Lots Maroon (#4), Gray (#5), and Tradition (#6) Hang Tag Required (see map below)

Students who wish to park in the Maroon, Gray or Tradition parking lots, do not need a digital parking permit. They will however, need a grey parking hang tag. The parking hang tags are FREE for students and can be picked up in the main office. A hang tag must be displayed to park in these parking lots. Failure to display a hang tag may earn the student a parking ticket.

If your child is going to be absent because of an illness, going out of town, an appointment, etc., please call the Attendance Secretary at 746-2482. The attendance line can accept voicemails 24/7. Please leave your name, your students full name, a phone number and the reason for your student's absence if you leave a voicemail. If you call in, you do not need to send a note with your child the next day. Documentation is required to medically excuse an absence for a medical appointment, hospitalization or physician recommended home rest. Please submit any absence notes from your physician to the Attendance Secretary.

All students who need to leave during the school day must have parent permission either by phone or note & must sign out with the Attendance Secretary prior to leaving. Upon returning to the building, students must sign back in. Failure to sign in/out properly may result in detention hours issued for classes missed.

Please contact the Attendance Secretary by 8:30 a.m. to report your student's illness.

If your student needs to leave school early, please call the Attendance Secretary by 8:30 a.m. or send a note with your student to be submitted to the Attendance Secretary prior to the start of the school day. In doing so, the child can pick up a purple "early dismissal slip" from the Attendance Secretary to show their teacher and be excused from the class without interrupting the class. It is the responsibility of the student to secure the purple slip and remember their appointment/early release. The office will not send "reminder" notes to students regarding these types of early releases.

Oversleeping is not excused at GFC. Students will receive one warning for their first overslept and detention for any that occur afterwards.

In order for your student to have the best attendance possible, please plan short trips, vacations, etc. around our school calendar. If you know in advance your child is going to miss school for a trip, please contact the attendance secretary prior to the absence so the absence can be approved by the appropriate administrator. Arrangements for homework for planned absences is the responsibility of the student.

The majority of student assignments are available on Google Classroom. However if you do wish to make a request for paper assignments, please read below. Homework requests are only filled for unplanned absences. Homework for preplanned absences is the responsibility of the student to gather from teachers prior to the absence.

Students who are absent at least two days may request assignments by calling the main office at 746-2375. Homework requests should be made as early as possible (preferably prior to 10:00 a.m.) to allow teachers time to complete the request. Assignments may be picked up in the main office between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Detention is held on most Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the commons. Dates are announced in the daily bulletin.

7 a.m. detention is also available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Students who owe detention hours will not be eligible to participate in any extra-curricular activities, public performances or represent GFC publicly, attend the Homecoming Dance or Prom until the hours are served.

For questions about detention hours owed, please contact Amy Spicer, Attendance Secretary. For question about the detention policy, please contact your student's Associate Principal.

It is the procedure at Central High School to take reasonable steps to return lost/found property to its rightful owner. Property shall consist of any item that may hold value to the owner, sentimental or monetary.

Students and staff will turn in any property that a reasonable person would consider misplaced or abandoned to the main school office. The property will remain in the office until such time that the rightful owner identifies and claims the property. Items that go unclaimed will be donated to local thrift stores.

Person’s finding items of value that are found and not returned to the owner or school staff member may have school consequences, and or criminal charges of possession of lost or mislaid items (NDCC12.1-23-02). Students in possession of items that are intentionally taken without the consent of the rightful owner will be cited by the authorities for possession of lost or mislaid items by the school resource officer. In addition a student who has stolen property from another student or teacher will be suspended out of school for a period of three or more days.

Parents are asked to remind students NOT to bring items of value to school. The school cannot guarantee the security of school lockers and/or misplaced backpacks. Lockers should be used to only hold basic school supplies, books, and jackets or winter coats.

Please spend some time reviewing this policy with their child and encourage them to not bring expensive personal items to school.

Dress and grooming are important to the student climate at any school. Students are asked to use common sense in their personal appearance and not to wear clothing that can be hazardous in learning situations, such as labs and shops.

Students must wear shoes at all times. Hats, caps, hoods, non-religious head coverings, and heavy jackets are not to be worn in school.

Clothing containing derogatory sayings; depicting hate speech or targeting specific groups; containing double meanings involving sexual, illegal, or violent connotations; or advertising alcohol, tobacco products are not allowed on school property.

Shirts/tops should be long enough and non-transparent so no skin nor undergarments are showing. Students should be covered at the neckline and midriff. Bottoms should be as long as mid-thigh with no undergarments showing.

Students wearing inappropriate attire will be instructed to change, and parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted.

Student Handbooks can be found on our district website by following the link below:

https://www.gfschools.org/students/child-2/handbooks

The GFPS Emergency Response Guide can be found on the district website here:

https://www.gfschools.org/departments/safety/emergency-response-guide

Statistics consistently show that schools are among the safest places to be due to the strong commitment of educators, families, and our community to our students and schools. We strive to be proactive rather than reactive. This guide outlines the key elements of Grand Forks Public Schools’ state of preparedness. We hope it will answer questions you have concerning our actions and intentions in the event of an emergency.

Meetings are held on the first Monday of each month (unless that day falls on a holiday in which case it will be the 2nd Monday of the month) in the GFC Library/Media Center (2nd Floor) at 7:00 PM.

The first meeting of the year will be held Aug. 3rd - Come join us for another great year at GFC!

Activity passes will no longer be a physical card issued to holders and will not be sold in our main office. Passes for adults and students can be purchased on the GoFan app.

• if members of your family will attend/arrive to games separately, it is recommended they set up their own GoFan account and purchase the pass through that account so they have access to it at all times
• screenshots will not be accepted at the gate, you must show your digital pass in the GoFan app to enter
• transferring of activity passes will be turned off
• passes are good for all GFC and RRHS home games
• passes are not good for musicals, drama productions, or any EDC or State NDHSAA tournaments

Gate prices for regular season games will be $8.00 for adults and $5.00 for K-College.

A white card is given to an athlete by one of the school administrative assistants once all of the proper forms have been successfully filed with the main office. (See Sport Information & Forms below for a list of the required forms that must be turned into the school office). Then the athlete will bring the white card to tryouts and turns it into the coach. This is how the coach knows all of the athlete's paperwork has been filed and they are now allowed to tryout/practice.

No student is allowed to tryout or practice until a white card is turned in to their coach.

The athletic fee does not have to be paid to tryout or practice but it must be paid (or a waiver approved) before the student can play in a game or publicly represent the school. It may take several weeks for approved lunch forms and waivers to be returned to our school after being reviewed by Child Nutrition. Please allow time for this process if applying for a waiver.

Please have the required items listed below completed when you come to the school to pick up your white card. If any of the forms are missing signatures or required information a white card will not be issued. No incomplete forms will be accepted. The files are included below. Extra paper copies of the forms will be available in the office.

1. Physical Form (required)

All athletes must complete a physical form each year. Physicals dated after April 15th, 2026 are valid for the 2026-2027 school year.

2. Code of Conduct Form (required)

All athletes must fill out a code of conduct form each year.

3. Concussion Form (required)

All athletes must fill out a concussion form each year.

4. Activity Fee or Activity Waiver/Lunch Form (required before playing in any games)

Activity fees may be paid on the MySchoolBucks.com website located here: www.myschoolbucks.com or with cash or check made out to GFPS in the school main office.

If using MySchoolBucks, once you are logged into your account, you must click on "School Store" to see a listing of all sports fees available for payment. Money added to your student's lunch account will not go towards sports fees, you much choose the correct sports fee from the "School Store".

OR

You may apply for a waiver if you meet income guidelines. Please see the section titled "Free and Reduced Activity Participation Fees" for more information and forms.

Please pay all student activity fees online through MySchoolBucks.com. There is a small surcharge fee when depositing money into your student's lunch account, however, there is no additional surcharge fee when paying for sports and activity fees and other products from the school store.

Note that you cannot pay a sports fee by adding funds to your student's lunch account balance. you must choose the correct sport by clicking on "School Store" after you have logged into your MySchoolBucks.com account.

Create your free account today and never worry about having to send cash/checks to school with your student again. Visit myschoolbucks.com or download the app today to get started!

If you think you may qualify for free or reduced activity fees, fill out the Online Application for Free & Reduced Lunch linked below. The Free & Reduced application is used to determine eligibility for free & reduced activity fees. In addition to the online lunch application, you must also fill out the Waiver Request and Release Of Information attached below to be considered for reduced/free participation fees. If you meet income guidelines, athletic and fine arts participation fees may be reduced (half price) or free altogether. Activity passes for students may also be requested with a waiver application.

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION FORM WEBSITE (required if applying for a waiver)

The link will open in early August.

https://www.myschoolapps.com/

Dr. Gabe Dahl - Associate Principal A-K

Mr. Mike Wilber - Associate Principal L-Z

Mr. Tony Bina - Athletic Director

Main Office : 701-746-2375

Attendance Line: 701-746-2482

Main Office Hours 7:00 AM-4:00 PM

School Doors Open at 7:30 AM

Location:

115 N. 4th Street

Grand Forks, ND 58203

Follow us on Twitter: @GFC_Activities

Follow us on Instagram: gfc_activites

GFPS Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GrandForksPublicSchools/