SUMMER UPDATE JULY 2026

AUGUST

19 - Kindergarten Meet the Teacher Night, 5 pm

24 - First Day Students, Gr 1-5

25 - First Day Students, Kindergarten

SEPTEMBER

4, 7 - CLOSED, Labor Day

⏰ Please note we have a new start time of 8:15 am. Classes begin at 8:30 am.

🧑🏽‍🏫 Around the 2nd week of August, we will send a message notifying you that your child's classroom/teacher assignment is posted in Jupiter.

🚌 Bus assignments typically come out around that same time. In most cases, you will receive the information directly from your resident district. Typically, Allentown School District will send us the route and times and we will communicate it to you.

🏫 Before and After School Program registration opens July 15!

https://form.jotform.com/artsacademyecs/BASP-26-27

We are very proud to offer a Before and After School Program to our families, free of charge! Because there is no charge, we fill this program on a first-come, first-served basis. This announcement is to allow time for all families notice that the registration link will become active Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 8:00 am.

There are two programs offered:

• Before School Program: 7:00 am - 8:00 am, includes breakfast, structured activities and homework support, time permitting.
  
  
• After School Program: End of school day until 5:00 pm, includes structured activities and homework support. Please note, snack is not provided, but there will be time allotted for students to eat their own snack from home. Families are encouraged to send in an extra snack.

🍏 All families will need to update School Dismissal Manager for the 2026-27 school year. The system usually rolls over in August. Instructions to do this will be included in my August update.

We need your help! Please sign our form to show Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) that the K-8 school we are proposing to open, Community Charter School of the Arts (CCSA), is necessary and that we have families who intend to enroll. We ask that our AAECS families please fill out the form and share it with others who would support our school; in particular those who live within Bethlehem Area School District, even if they do not have children to enroll.

Join us on Zoom this Tuesday at 6 pm for an update on our application process!

Our CCSA website support page:

https://www.ccsarts.org/support

Direct link to our form to sign for support:

https://forms.gle/fPM8W6CxLPEzN3Zu6

Supply lists cost parents hundreds of dollars each year! Many items on these lists are the same supplies we provide anyway. At AAECS, we do not ask parents to purchase these items. So what items can you get for your child? Here's a short list!

• A bookbag
• Lunch box
• Earbuds or headphones if there are specific ones you prefer.

Please do NOT buy:

• Stanley-style water bottles. The large, top-heavy water bottles tip over easily, spill, break and overall cause disruption to the learning environment. A small, clear water bottle if needed, can be brought in.
• Liquid- or Gel-Filled Squeeze Toys: this includes Nee-Doh's, Orbeez and other toys that have a 'squishy' center. These can be very toxic if they pop open, which they do often, so they are not permitted in school.

AAECS is proud to be a federally-recognized CEP School (Community Eligibility Provision), providing free meals for all students. Families are encouraged to use the School Cafe app to apply for federal programs.

https://www.schoolcafe.com/

Choose PA and enter "Arts Academy Elementary Charter School".

Instructions for Free and Reduced Meals through SchoolCafe

The application found in School Cafe links to Compass, a home base to find Federal Program Benefits. Families may choose to access Compass directly via this link:

https://www.compass.dhs.pa.gov/home/#/

We had 72.45% of our students made 90% of the time and 39.81% who Made 95%, ending the year with Maui Ice and a luau! We will be focusing on this initiative much more for the 2026-27 school year.

Arts Academy has to report our attendance to the PA Dept. of Education for both truancy and for what the state refers to as "Students Attending Regularly" which means they are present in-school 90% of the days they are enrolled. This number only includes those days the student is present in school.

How can you help?

• Post the School Calendar in a visible location.
• Check attendance in the Jupiter Parent Portal.
• 95% equates to a maximum of 9 absences; or about 1 day per month.
• 90% means no more than 18 absences: or about 2 days per month.
• Keep family vacations to scheduled days off.
• Plan now for early dismissal days (November 23 & 24; March 23 & 24, June 9 & 10)
• Prepare for emergency delayed starting times.