With the start of the 2018-19 school year just a month away, School District U-46 is urging families to be “first day ready” by ensuring their students are registered for school, have the required updated health records on file, and are academically engaged and prepared to learn.

The first day of school for all students in U-46 is Wednesday, Aug. 15, except for the district’s preschool program students who will start on Wednesday, Aug. 22.

“We hope our School District U-46 students and their families are enjoying a wonderful summer break,” said U-46 CEO Tony Sanders. “We’re looking forward to having students back in the classroom, prepared and ready to learn.”

Part of the #U46FirstDayReady campaign includes encouraging students to sign up and complete the “Summer Reading Challenge” at their local public library. Summer reading can help students maintain or improve academic performance and avoid the dreaded “summer slide,” which refers to students losing up to two months of learning during the summer months.

Online registration for returning students has continued over the summer, with parents and caretakers encouraged to use their Infinite Campus account to register. But for families who need assistance, three events were held in June at the Educational Services Center and another one will be held on from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.

This event is especially aimed at families who need access to a computer or have had difficulty registering online. Families who are new to the District must call to set up an appointment with the Registration Department at 847-888-5000, Ext. 5715 (Ext. 5016 for Spanish.)

U-46 is also urging families to use the last weeks of summer break to ensure their children meet health-related requirements, including having up-to-date physicals and immunization records.

Students starting pre-school, kindergarten, sixth, ninth and 12th grades must meet state health requirements in order to attend classes on the first day of school. The requirements can be found here.

Families with children who might still need a physical exam and/or immunizations are urged to schedule an appointment with their family physician or pediatrician as soon as possible. The District’s Health Department is also hosting several mobile health clinics, sponsored by Advocate Health, during the summer.

Families interested in scheduling an appointment at one of the mobile clinics are asked to complete a short survey and a U-46 staff member will give them a call.

“We believe it’s important to help ensure our students start off the school year ready to learn in a safe and healthy environment,” Sanders said. “Making sure our students stay up to date with their immunizations and physicals paves the way for a healthy learning environment for students and teachers.”

In recent years, Illinois schools have seen breakouts of vaccine-preventable illnesses, including measles, mumps and whooping cough.

High school students should submit completed health forms to the high school the student will be attending in August. Health forms for middle and elementary students can be dropped off at the Educational Services Center, 355 E. Chicago St. in Elgin during business hours or directly at the student’s school starting on Aug. 15.

For any questions or to view the forms, visit the Health Services website or call 847-888-5000, Ext. 5334.

Finally, school supply lists for individual buildings can be found on the district’s website, and U-46 is among the partners in Elgin Community College’s Project Backpack initiative that seeks to make sure students in need have the appropriate supplies to start the school year. That event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at ECC’s Event Center, Building J.

About School District U-46

School District U-46 serves families in 11 communities: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood and Wayne, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg, and West Chicago. In total, the district encompasses 90 square miles within the Fox River Valley, approximately 45 minutes west of downtown Chicago, and includes communities within Cook, DuPage and Kane counties.

More than 39,000 pre-K through 12th graders attend the 57 District schools and programs. To learn more, visit the U-46 website or like U-46 on Facebook and follow U-46 on Twitter.