Area schools announce beginning-of-year activities

Central Rayne
Kindergarten
A number of events and important dates for the start of the new 2016-2017 school year at Central Rayne Kindergarten have been announced by Principal Christy Higginbotham and her staff.
Orientation for pre-K and kindergarten parents will be held Monday, Aug. 8, at 3:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. This meeting is for parents to get acquainted with their child’s teacher and to fill out important forms. Please do not bring your child to this meeting.
A “Meet and Greet” will be held for students on Tuesday, Aug. 9, from 3 to 4 p.m. Students will be able to visit the classroom and meet their teacher.
Parents who were told at pre-registration that their child needed immunizations before school started, must bring the updated shot record. If your child has not received all the necessary shots, do so as soon as possible.
Pre-K information includes:
Only half of the pre-K students will attend school on Wednesday, Aug, 10, with the remaining half of students attending on Thursday, Aug, 11. Letters will be sent home to inform parents of which day their child will attend. All pre-K students will attend school on Friday, Aug. 12.
Kindergarten information includes:
All kindergarten students WILL NOT have school the first three days like grades pre-K and 1-12.
Kindergarten students will be taking the DSC test on these days. The test will be administered on Wednesday, Thursdayand Friday, Aug. 10, 11 and 12.
Each child will be scheduled for a 45-minute period to take the test and he/she will only come at that time.
It is very important that all students participate in testing. Letters will be sent home with testing dates and times.
All kindergarten students will begin school on Monday, Aug. 15.
The school day at Central Rayne Kindergarten begins at 7:55 a.m. and dismissal is 2:45 p.m. Breakfast is served from between 7:15 and 7:50 a.m.
All school supplies, including book sacks, have again been purchased for students courtesy of Acadia Parish School Board.

Martin Petitjean
Elementary
Registration for first, second and third grade students at Martin Petitjean Elementary for the 2016-2017 school year Aug. 5-8 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.. according to Principal Kim Cummins
The Orientation/Meet and Greet will be held Monday, Aug. 8, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
First day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 10, with the school bell to ring at 7:50 a.m.

South Rayne
Elementary
The first day of school for fourth and fifth grade students at South Rayne Elementary is Wednesday, Aug. 10, according to Principal Donna Duhon.
The annual open house will be held Monday, Aug. 8, in the gym at 5 p.m. for students and parents, followed by classroom visits by everyone.

Armstrong Middle School
Principal Marshall Thibodeaux has announced that the first day of school for students at Armstrong Middle School for the 2016-2017 school year is Wednesday, Aug. 10.
An open house and sixth-grade orientation will be held Friday, Aug. 5, beginning at 6 p.m. in the school gym. All parents are urged to attend where they will be informed of the upcoming year and meet with the staff and faculty.
I.D. photo schedules for the coming school year includes:
Sixth graders will report Monday, Aug. 1, from 9 a.m. to noon for pictures.
Seventh graders will take I.D. pictures Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Eighth graders will report Wednesday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Students must wear uniform shirt for I.D. photos, with hair, jewelry and all other dress codes in compliance.
The ID cost is $5.
Registration for new students will be taken August 1-3. New student registration packets will be available in the school office during the summer. The completed packets must be returned during Aug. 1-3 dates during regular school hours.
If any parent has any question about proper uniform attire, please contact the school at 334-3377 before purchasing uniforms.

Rayne Catholic
Elementary
With the start of the 2016-2017 school year approaching, Rayne Catholic Elementary principal Fred Menard has announced the following important dates for students and parents to remember:
Thursday, Aug. 4: Student and Faculty Lighthouse Workshop.
Wednesday, Aug. 10: Orientation for new families at 5:45 p.m. in cafeteria; orientation for everyone at 6:30 p.m. in church.
Thursday, Aug. 11: First day of school for pre-K and kindergarten girls and all fifth through eighth graders, 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 12: First day of school for pre-K and kindergarten boys and all first through fourth graders, 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 15: First full day of school for entire school; first school Mass at 10 a.m. (125th Year Anniversary).
Tuesday, Aug. 16: Buddy Hello in RCE gym at 8:10 a.m.

Branch Elementary School
Branch Elementary faculty and staff will be hosting a “Back to School Night” on Monday, Aug. 8, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. for the 2016-2017 school year. Everyone will meet in the gym to begin the program and then go into classrooms to meet teachers for the new school year.
The first day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 10, with kindergarten testing slated for Aug. 10-12. Teachers will send notifications to parents as to when to bring their child to school for the test.

Mire Elementary School
As announced by the staff and faculty, a number of activities are planned in anticipation of first day of the 2016-2017 school year (Aug. 10) for students at Mire Elementary.
The first day of school for kindergarten students is Monday, Aug. 15. Testing dates for kindergarten are Aug. 10-12.
New students registration will be held July 25 until Aug. 5 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Parents need to bring student’s birth certificate, Social Security card, immunization record, and two proofs of residency.
A pre-K “meet-and-greet” will be held Wednesday, Aug. 3, between 4:30 and 6 p.m. for pre-K students and their parents in the pre-k classroom. Orientation for only pre-K parents will be held on Monday, Aug. 8, at 5:30 p.m.
An open house for K-8 will be held Wednesday, Aug. 17, for all students and their parents. Letters will be sent home as to what time what grade will attend.
In addition, a “Back-to-School” Mass will be held Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 5:30 p.m. at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in MIre for all faculty, staff, students and parents.

(Information compiled by Lisa Soileaux, assistant editor.)