CMS Back to School Information 2026

Back to School Information

This document will help families prepare for the upcoming school year.  We hope this information is helpful to you.  If you ever have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to our office staff at 410-313-7057 and they will be able to assist you or connect you with someone who can.

Upcoming Dates:

8/20 - New Student Orientation

8/24 - First Day of School for Students

8/28 - PTA Back to School Block Party

9/2 - Back to School Night

9/7 Labor Day, Schools and offices closed

Action Items:

Update Your Student/Family Emergency Information Today!

Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates including how and where to access. 

Update Your Free and Reduced Meals Application Today

HCPSS participates in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, which provide families with significant benefits to help save money. Qualification is based on family size and income, and enrollment is confidential. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can get free meals regardless of income, and students from households that meet federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Free and Reduced Meals

PTA News / Important Dates

Information Items:

New Student Orientation: 
On August 20  at 1pm we are looking forward to welcoming our new 6th graders and students who will be new to CMS in 7th and 8th grade for the 2026 -2027 school year.

  • Students will meet in the gym and parents in the cafeteria
  • All students will have a chance to meet staff and students, and find some of their people for this school year.
  • There will be a meeting for parents to hear information and ask questions about the school and school year.

First Day of School and School Hours

  • The first day of school for students is August 24, 2026
  • Start Time:  7:50am
  • All students can enter the building starting at 7:35am.  Students must be in their first period class by the 7:50am bell.
  • End Time:  2:35PM

Student Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures

Talk with your young person today about how they are getting to school on the first day.  Consider a trial run and check out the resources below.  Contact us with any questions - we are here to help.

https://cms.hcpss.org/news/2026/2026-08/cms-drop-and-pick-procedures 

Bus Transportation:

Please visit this site for all bus information:  https://www.hcpss.org/schools/transportation/

Breakfast and Lunch:

For the 2026-2027 school year, the meal prices are as follows: breakfast $2.00, lunch $3.30, and milk $.50. You can access your student's lunch account here. Students will be given a PIN # to pay for lunch; cash is not accepted. Please ensure your student has this number before the first day of school. 

Student Schedules, and Food Service Pin Number

On August 19 at 8:00am, you will be able to view your student's schedule in HCPSS Connect. After logging in, select Class Schedule from the left menu (you may need to select "More Options" first). You can also view your food service pin number by selecting "Student Info". Click HERE to log in.

School Supplies

  • School Supply lists can be found here:  https:/cms.hcpss.org/resources
  • Teachers will inform students of what is needed once school begins.
  • All students will have an HCPSS Chromebook distributed to them if they don’t have one already.  Students may not use personal computers during school hours.

Daily Attendance

From the Health Room:

  • All medications need to have up to date prescriptions and orders in order for students to receive medication during school hours.  
  • Please review this information for OTC and Prescription Medications:  https://www.hcpss.org/health/medications/
  • Vaccines: The Maryland State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene requires all incoming 7th- and 8th-grade students in the state of Maryland to have one Tdap and one meningococcal (Meningitis) vaccine before entering school.  Letters have been mailed home to parents of students who still need to provide proof of vaccination. Failure to provide proof of updated immunizations by the first day of school, August 25, 2025, will result in your student being excluded from school. See flyer for details: English Version and Spanish Version
  • Questions?  Contact our nurse at Ross_Usmani@hcpss.orgStudent Personal Device Policy

Please take a moment to review the HCPSS Student Personal Device Policy, found HERE, with your student. Cell phones must be silent and away all day. If you need to reach your student, please call the Front Office at (410) 313-1506.

Lockers

All students will have access to a locker by request to store any items during the school day. 6th grade students will have lockers pre-assigned and staff will help students learn how to use them during the first weeks of school.  For 7th and 8th grade students look out for our locker request information which will be released during the first weeks of school.