Top 6 Things to Know as You Prepare for the 2022-23 School Year

It’s that time of year!  On Wednesday, August 17, our Little KIPPsters will set foot at KIPP Texas schools again for the first day of the 2022-23 school year! Returning KIPP Texas families, we hope you are excited to return to school and continue to prepare your student to pursue any path they choose. New KIPP families, welcome to our Team and Family!  We are so excited to partner with you to ensure your child is successful no matter the path they choose, whether that is college, career, and beyond.  

This year, KIPP Texas Public Schools will educate nearly 34,000 students in grades Pre-K through 12 in 59 schools throughout the state! 

 

As you prepare for the new school year in your city, here are 6 important tips and reminders:  

 

1. Plan for the first three days of school being early dismissal days.

The first day of school at all KIPP Texas Public Schools is Wednesday, August 17, with the exception of KIPP Courage, who follows Spring Branch ISDs academic calendar.  

For the first three days of school, our Little KIPPsters will have early dismissal days to help them adjust to being back in school. Shorten days are proven to relieve stress and make it easier to function throughout the week. We know the start of the school year can be stressful, and we want to ensure our students are set up for success when they begin full days of instruction the following week. 

Although the first three days will be early dismissal days, please make sure you send your KIPPster to school as we will also be going over all classroom procedures and want them to be set up for success.

2. Start school prep now!

Ensure your Little KIPPster has their school supplies, uniforms, immunizations and important forms completed before the first day of school. You can access this important back-to-school information and resources on our Back-To-School website.   

Uniform and school supply information can be found here. If you do not see your campus school supply list on the website, please contact your campus directly for an updated list. 

Returning KIPP Texas Families: To complete your annual forms, please visit your SchoolMint account before your first day of school. You can also find the quick and easy steps to complete this process at https://kipptexas.org/newtokipp/.

3. Please be patient during drop-off and pick-up.

As the first week of school usually produces heavier drop-off and pick-up traffic, we recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before class begins so that scholars have time to find their classroom before the morning bell. We also recommend allowing extra time to pick up your child once the school day ends. 

For safety purposes, all KIPP Texas families are asked to drop off their scholars in the drop-off line in front of the school inside the school gates. Directional signage and KIPP Texas staff will be in place to guide this process.  

While wait times are longer temporarily during the first week of school, we ask for increased patience, grace, and cooperation from families while adjusting to the routine. Safety is our top priority. 

*Some campus schedules may vary. We encourage you to contact your campus to confirm drop-off and breakfast times. 

4. Have your child vaccinated before school starts!

All families must submit updated health records, including up-to-date immunization records, during the registration process every year. All students must be immunized or hold a current, official exemption from the state. According to state law, returning student records need to be updated by the first day of school or they cannot attend school. There is a 30-day grace period, aligned with state requirements for students, that is a provisional enrollment period for students new to the district. 

COVID-19 vaccinations are not mandatory for the 2022-23 school year. However, we highly recommend getting your child (ages 5+) vaccinated to protect them from contracting or spreading the COVID-19 virus.    

For more information about our KIPP Texas’s immunization requirements, please visit our Health Services webpage at https://kipptexas.org/health-and-safety/.

5. Read our COVID Policy Protocols.

KIPP Texas Public Schools will continue to do all they can to protect our Little and Big KIPPsters from the spread of COVID-19. You can find all of our COVID protocols which include hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting, visitor protocols, mask updates and more on our health and safety page here.

6. Show us your First Day of School Pictures!

We want to see your Little KIPPster’s amazing first day of school pictures! On our Back-To-School website, you will find printables you can use for your child’s first day of school pictures. Be sure to tag KIPP Texas Public Schools when posting your pictures on social media and use the hashtags #KIPPTXB2S. We may feature your scholar on our social media channels!