Beyond the School Supply List: 5 Things Franklin and Granville County Families Can Do NOW To Make This School Year Great
It’s officially back-to-school season, and families across Franklin and Granville Counties are busy gathering supplies, attending open houses and gearing up for fall sports. But there’s more to back-to-school than shopping and basking in Friday Night Lights. Allow me to present County Beacon’s Back-to-School Checklist: Five Things To Do NOW to Make This School Year Great!
1. Check Your Transportation
In my experience as a teacher, the #1 issue that comes up in the first week of school is transportation. Stops are skipped, schedules are a mess, or buses don't leave the school on time because students are not where they are supposed to be. Here’s how you can make sure things go as smoothly as possible:
- Confirm your child's assigned school and transportation.
- Verify the home address the district has on file.
- Find out where your child's bus stop is located.
- Ask your school how afternoon transportation changes must be submitted.
- If your child attends afterschool at a daycare or preschool, confirm that arrangement with both the facility and school.
- Learn the car rider procedure if your child will be both a car and bus rider.
For Granville County families, the GCPS Transportation Department is located at 104 Hicks Mill Road in Oxford and can be reached at 919-693-4520.
Granville County families can also use Here Comes the Bus after a student is assigned transportation. Families will need the student's ID and school code 82346.
For Franklin County families, questions can be directed to Barbara Bartholomew at 919-496-3859. FCS also provides Transportation information on their website.
2. Complete Required Paperwork
As a parent myself, one thing I dread is signing all those papers that come in my children's folder on the first day of school. But even though it's a lot, it's very important to read them closely.
This is a good time to make sure the school has your:
- Current phone number
- Address
- Emergency contacts
- Authorized pickup information.
My advice: call the school and ask whether anything is missing from your child's file.
For Franklin County Families:
For Granville Families:
3. Communicate Health and Medical Needs
It’s important to think beyond the basic back-to-school physical.
If your child has asthma, diabetes, severe allergies, seizures or another medical need, don't assume a school nurse will always be in the building. According to an ABC11 investigation, many North Carolina school nurses serve multiple schools, which can leave teachers, administrators and front office staff responsible for a student's medical care when the nurse is not there.
Make sure all caregivers have your student’s important health information by:
- Checking your child's immunization and health assessment requirements.
- Giving the school updated information about allergies, medications and medical conditions.
- Completing medication authorization and emergency care forms.
- Asking whether your child needs an individual health or emergency care plan.
- Asking who will handle your child's medical needs when the school nurse is not in the building and whether those staff members have been trained.
For Franklin County families:
Franklin County Schools Health Services
For Granville County families:
Granville County Schools Student & Family Services
My Advice: Parents should talk with the school and understand exactly who will care for their child.
4. Parent Portals and Communication: Make Sure the School Can Reach You
When it comes to communicating with your child’s school, don't wait until something happens to ask why no one told you. Every school has a School Communication app, so make sure you download it and take the time to open it and understand how it works.
Screenshot of the Granville and Franklin County Communication Portals
For Franklin County families:
FCS Infinite Campus Parent Portal
For Granville County families:
GCPS Infinite Campus Portal and ParentSquare
My Advice: Log in and ask yourself: Is my child showing up? Is my telephone number correct? Is my email correct? Am I actually receiving notifications?
If not, fix it now instead of discovering the problem after you miss an important announcement.
5. Student With Special Needs: Make Sure the School Knows Your Child
Every child who goes to school has individual needs. But for some, those needs require special attention. If this is your child, don't assume everyone who needs the information already has it.
This includes (but is not limited to):
- IEP
- 504 Plan
- Special education services
- Accommodations
- Counseling needs
- Academic concerns
- or another support need
For Franklin County families:
Exceptional Children and Student Services Department
For Granville County families:
Exceptional Children's Program
My Advice: Parents should ask: Who is my child's case manager? Does the teacher have the necessary information? Are accommodations being provided? Who should I contact if something is missing?