Back to School Welcome and Checklist

Dear GCS students and families: 

Welcome to the 2025-26 school year. This handbook provides a selection of information, policies and rules that are pertinent to all GCS students and parents. Please review the document as it addresses questions you may have about grades, field trips, student assignment, health, safety and discipline. Please refer to our website at www.gcsnc.com for the most up-to-date policies and information. 

Our mission is to prepare each student for college and career, and we are proud of the many achievements made by our students and staff. Family is a key part of that success, and I invite you to remain an active participant in your child’s education. Together, we can achieve all that we dream for our students.

For all children, 

Dr. Whitney Oakley 

Superintendent 

1. Use Infinite Campus to enroll your child. (Click here to find your assigned school.) 

2. UPDATE YOUR PHONE and EMAIL by contacting your school’s data manager (online self-service coming soon!).

3. Use your child’s GCS Student ID number to register for transportation if you are new, your student is changing schools or they previously stopped riding the bus. Click here for more details about who needs to register for transportation.
4. Mark your calendar for the first day of school – Monday, August 25 for GCS traditional schools. Find all calendars here. Link the GCS calendar to your family’s calendar in the app of your choice by following the instructions here. 
5. Check to see if your school is now a Community Eligibility school offering no-cost meals for all. If not, click here to fill out your annual meal application. Check out menus on the web or through the Mobile Menu app! 
6. Sign up for real-time tracking of your child’s bus with Here Comes the Bus. To get an HCTB account, parents will need an active email address, the GCS school code (87491) and the GCS Student ID number. 
7. Become a Parent user of Canvas to see your child’s courses and assignments. You’ll need your student’s help to get an “Observer” code. Click here for instructions. 
8. Use your child’s GCS Student ID number to create your Parent Portal account to view their grades/attendance and to have progress reports sent to you automatically 
9. Complete the annual application to volunteer in your child’s school.
10. Follow GCS on your preferred social media channels for the latest news and information! COMING SOON: a NEW and IMPROVED GCS mobile app! Stay tuned for details.
    • Facebook.com/GCSchoolsNC 
    • Twitter: GCSchoolsNC  
    • YouTube: GCSchoolsNC  
    • Instagram: GCSchoolsNC
11. Sign up to receive flyers from Guilford County Schools and its partners! Go to peachjar.com and register with your email. You will only receive flyers that have been approved through your child’s school.
12. Bookmark your school’s website (click on “Schools” in the top navigation bar) to make it easy to find contact information for your teachers, principal and your child’s other key supporters.
13. Get a monthly newsletter from Guilford Family Academy to be the first to know about upcoming events and get timely tips through email.