The first day of school for more than 11,000 St. Joseph School District students is Tuesday, August 16.

That means a return to the rhythms and routines of the school day, homework, bus rides, new friends, a fresh start, the challenge of the classroom.

“The start of school is always an exciting time for students, parents and staff,” said Dr. Melody Smith, Superintendent. “You can almost feel it in the air as we prepare for the return of students and staff. We’re excited about this year, and we welcome our students.”

As a parent, here’s what you can do to prepare your child for a smooth transition to the school-day routine, according to Cheri Patterson, Associate Superintendent for Curriculum.

“Parents have the greatest influence on a student’s attitude toward school, so be positive, excited and supportive of the new year,” she said.

“Send the message that school is valued and important at your house.”

She also suggests checking to see if your school hosts an open house or back-to-school night before the start of school. If so, plan to attend in order to acquaint your child with the teacher, and so you can share pertinent information and learn what the teacher’s expectations are.

Also, make sure all immunizations are current, and that registration and emergency contact information is up to date; and be sure to send lunch money for the first week.

“Have your child read out loud to you between now and the first day of school,” said Mrs. Patterson. “Students become rusty and lose some of the fluency they had in the spring. Reading before school starts gives them a chance to regain their skills and start the year at a reading level equal to their spring success.”

Mrs. Patterson reminds parents that early dismissals are planned for the first three days of school. She suggests making a plan for your child’s return to home for those days, and ensuring that the teacher and the child know what that plan is, as well as the normal school-day plan.

District officials recognize that starting school on August 16 means that it is likely to be warm.

“We have scheduled half days for the first three days of school,” said Mrs. Patterson. “That will allow us to have professional development training for our teachers and it will get the students out of the buildings during the hottest part of the day.”

She recommends that students dress appropriately for the weather.

“New school clothes can be cute, but they may not be appropriate for warm days,” she said. “I encourage parents to send a water bottle, and to freeze them half full, and to make sure their student is well rested and ready to go.

Rick Hartigan, the District’s Chief Operating Officer, said that approximately all school buildings have some air-conditioned academic space and nearly all classrooms have ceiling fans. If temperatures are extreme when school starts, Mr. Hartigan said the building staff will come in early to open the buildings and start the fans to get the early morning air circulating.

This year, Parkway Elementary will be the first building to be completely air conditioned. Parkway’s design is such that each classroom was built with an exterior entrance, but only one very small window. That meant that the doors were often propped open to allow for air circulation and cooling which, in turn, posed a safety risk.