I hope everyone had an enjoyable summer. As I prepare for the new school year, I am inspired by the energy I know our students will bring to our halls. Each year, it is evident that they are excited to return to school and connect with their friends and teachers.

A new school year brings new opportunities for new growth, learning, experiences, and friendships. Beyond the excitement and smiles of the first day, I look forward to seeing what each Mustang will accomplish this year.

~ Principal Lynch

In this newsletter, you will find important information for returning to school, including school supplies, transportation, important dates, school meals, and more.

Key Dates

August 18, 2026: MES staff return

August 21, 2026, at 5:00 PM: Student schedules become available on https://www.smcps.org/academics/hac 

August 26, 2026, at 9:00 AM: First day of school for students

Kindergarten: 1:30-2:30 PM

Kindergarten will begin in the Cafeteria at 1:30 PM and then visit classrooms.

Kindergarteners are invited to meet Mr. Lynch on the playground for a popsicle after they visit their classrooms (weather permitting).

Grades 1-5: 3:00-4:00 PM

Grades 1-5 may go directly to classes beginning at 3:00. It is not necessary to arrive right at 3:00 PM. Consider spacing out your visits.

Remember to visit your homeroom teacher and your special area teachers (music, art, P.E., and media).

Homeroom Assignments are live in the Home Access Center @ 5:00 PM Friday, August 21st.

August 2025

August 18 - Teachers report to schools

August 19 - Professional Day - Staff Development

August 20 - Professional Day - Staff Development (System)

August 21 - HAC opens @ 5 pm with student schedules

August 22 - Clever opens for families with homeroom assignments @ 5 pm

August 24 - Open House

Kindergarten: 1:30 - 2:30 pm

Grades 1-5: 3:00 - 4:00 pm

August 25 - Professional Day - Collaborative Planning/Professional Responsibilities

August 26 - Schools Open for Students

MES Student Day 9 am - 3:40 pm

Use the links below the MES Public Calendar to integrate the calendar to your mobile device

For The SMCPS System Calendar

Downloadable SY 25-26 SMCPS School Year 2026-2027 Calendar

Looking Ahead to September

September 7 - Holiday - Labor Day - All Schools and Offices Closed

September 16 - 2-Hour Early Dismissal - Professional Responsibilities

September 17 - Picture Day

September 25 - Fair Day No School for Students

The MES Goal is 90% or Better for All Students

Timely attendance is directly connected to student success. All families are encouraged to set a goal of 90% or better attendance. Research shows a strong connection between 90+% attendance and increased school success.

If there are health or other concerns impacting school attendance, parents should reach out to Nurse Dana Gregory (drgregory@smcps.org) or Counselor Stephanie Hall (shall@smcps.org).

The First Day of School is Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Students begin their day at 9 AM.

Students begin dismissing at 3:40 PM.

Did your children receive free or reduced-price school meals last school year?

Remember that a new FARMs application must be submitted every school year to maintain eligibility. Benefits do not automatically carry over from year to year. To prevent any gap in your child's meal services when school starts, take a moment to fill out the annual online form in the link below.

It is recommended to update your school laptop before returning to school.

Student Resource Accountability: Students are responsible for the care and upkeep of all of their SMCPS-assigned resources, both print and technology. This newsletter and this document outline all of the policies and procedures in addition to pricing for lost or damaged devices.

As part of our back-to-school preparations, we are working to clear outstanding student account balances and ensure records are up to date. Families with unpaid balances are encouraged to review their student's account through MySchoolBucks (www.myschoolbucks.com) and make arrangements for payment before the start of the school year. Families may receive a courtesy email reminder regarding outstanding balances as part of this effort. If you have questions about a balance or need assistance, please contact the school office. Thank you for your partnership and support.

Expect minor bus delays on the first few days of school as there are often kinks to work out.

It is recommended to arrive at your AM bus stop about 10 minutes early on the first day. Once the routes and times are consistent, 5 minutes early is sufficient.

Remember that Kindergarten students must be met at the bus door in the PM, or they will be returned to school.

Students should always be at the stop safely before the bus arrives. It is not safe to run to the bus stop as a bus is pulling up or after it arrives.

Use the Bus Stop and School Locator to verify your child's assigned bus stop location, bus number and expected arrival times.

Be prepared to share with teachers how your child goes home from school at Open House.

Bus Expectations

It’s important to discuss bus expectations with your child regularly. 

Students are expected to: 

Stay seated in their assigned bus seats, 

Use a normal talking voice, 

Listen to the driver's directions at all times, 

Follow all relevant school rules. 

Parents can be a great help by discussing bus expectations with children and showing them the bus safety video on the SMCPS Transportation Website.

The car rider registration is online.

Car riders enter the school near the gym.

Drivers will enter the carpool lane using Old Village Rd. Entrance.

Drivers will exit onto Route 5 to avoid driving past the car rider line while students are entering/exiting vehicles.

Car rider applications are not for occasional pickups, but regular PM pickups.

AM drop-offs do not require a car rider registration if students will ride the bus home.

Please note the following addition to our Parent Handbook: 

Personal Items

Personal items brought to school can become a distraction to learning. To support a focused learning environment, students should leave toys, collectibles, trading cards, stuffed animals, and other non-school items at home unless specifically requested by a teacher.

If a student brings a toy or other non-school item to school, staff may ask the student to place it in their backpack, or the item may be held in the office until the end of the school day. Repeated incidents may require a parent or guardian to pick up the item from the office.