Dear SACS Families,

I hope this message finds you well and that you’ve had a restful and joyful summer. As we prepare to welcome our students back to school, I want to take a moment to extend a heartfelt welcome to all of our families—both returning and new—to the upcoming school year.

The first day of school is always filled with excitement and promise. Our staff has been working hard over the summer to prepare classrooms, plan engaging lessons, and ensure our buildings are safe, welcoming, and ready for learning. We are eager to greet our students and begin another year of growth, discovery, and connection.

I’d like to take this opportunity to share a few key reminders as we prepare for the first day of school:

First Day of School
SACS welcomes students back to school on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.  Please click here for your school’s start and end times.

District Calendar
The 2025-2026 district calendar is available here.

Online Registration
Online registration is now open! Whether your child is returning or new to the district, we ask that you complete their registration as soon as possible. This helps us create accurate class lists, finalize transportation routes, and ensure all student services are in place.

Please also take a moment to ensure your contact information is correct in PowerSchool so you don’t miss any important messages from your child’s school or the district.

ParentSquare
Southwest Allen County Schools uses ParentSquare (PSQ) as our unified communication platform for district-wide messages, including mass notifications, text alerts, classroom updates, and more.

ParentSquare (PSQ) automatically syncs with PowerSchool to create an account for each parent using their preferred email address and phone number. Families who haven’t yet activated their accounts will soon receive a secure invitation to get started and download the PSQ mobile app. Once logged in, you can customize your communication preferences—choosing how and when you receive emails, text messages, and app notifications.

To learn more about PSQ, please visit our website.

School Supply Lists
School supply lists can be found on your child’s school website. At Homestead, due to the wide range of course offerings, there is no single supply list. Instead, Spartans will receive class-specific information during the first days of school.  Each student is asked to bring a basic notebook, folder, and writing utensil on day one. 

IN-PERSON REGISTRATION Dates
Homestead High School – Tuesday, July 29, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Summit and Woodside Middle Schools – Wednesday, July 30, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Middle and High School families should plan to attend Mandatory In-Person Registration. During this time, students may receive their devices, school IDs, and class schedules. Families also can pay fees, tour the building, browse extra/co-curricular tables, and locate classrooms.

Elementary Families: 
Offices open Monday, July 21. 
Elementary families are not required to attend an in-person registration. New families are welcome to visit their school during the day. We kindly ask that you contact your school office in advance to confirm staff availability before stopping by.

Ninth Grade Orientation
Welcome to our newest Spartans. Ninth Grade Orientation is Thursday, July 31. Check in will begin at 9:45 AM.  Orientation will begin at 10:00 AM and conclude around 1:15 PM.  Students will need money in their lunch accounts to purchase lunch. This can be taken care of on July 29, during In-Person Registration Day. 

Back-to-School Nights
Each school’s specific information and event times will be shared soon but you are encouraged to mark your calendars now for Back-to-School Night:
                August 4, 2025
                                 All Elementary Schools
                                 Homestead High School New Family Orientation
                August 5, 2025
                                 Woodside Middle School
                August 7, 2025
                                 Summit Middle School
                August 13, 2025
                                 Homestead High School

Finally, please save the date for our second annual community event on Thursday, September 18, 2025. Building on the success of last year’s Read Under the Lights, this year we’re excited to celebrate the fine arts with ART Under the Lights. Stay tuned—more details will be shared soon!

At the core of our work is a deep commitment to ensuring every child feels safe, supported, and valued. We know that strong partnerships between home and school are key to student success, and we look forward to building those connections with you throughout the year.

Soon we’ll be communicating details about several exciting SACS initiatives we can’t wait to share. The future is bright at SACS—and we’re just getting started.

Looking forward to the 25-26 school year,

Joshua D. St. John, Ph.D., Superintendent
Southwest Allen County Schools