The first day of school is still three weeks away for most students on the North Olympic Peninsula, but hundreds of students are already heading through school hallways, preparing for the coming school year.
Marching band rehearsals started Monday at Port Angeles High School, and high school football teams across the state began practice today.
“It’s a good introduction for them,” said Mark Urnes, Port Angeles Band Boosters president.
“It gives them a grounding before they go back to school — particularly for the freshmen,” Urnes said.
Three-day camp
About 75 student musicians registered for the three-day camp, he said.
Band members learned the fundamentals of marching, the school fight song and “The Hey Song,” a crowd rouser, for the first day of school and the first football game a day later.
Back-to-school season officially begins today, as seventh- and eighth-grade students file into Stevens Middle School to register for the 2011-2012 school year.
On Thursday, Sequim students will join the parade into school buildings to get their class schedules, school identification and portraits.
Next week, all other school sports begin practice, the Port Angeles High School registrations will get under way, and student leadership groups will meet to prepare for Freshman Rider Day on Monday, Aug. 29.
At Forks High Schools, the district uses the Link program, in which juniors and seniors become Link leaders, mentoring freshmen — linking the older and younger students.
Forks Link leaders will start their training in the next week or two, Quillayute Valley superintendent Diana Reaume said.
School districts on the Olympic Peninsula will hold their first day of classes on a staggered schedule.
Port Angeles, Crescent and Cape Flattery schools will open Thursday, Sept. 1.
Sequim, Port Townsend, Chimacum, Brinnon and Quilcene schools will welcome students Tuesday, Sept. 6
Quillayute Valley School District students begin Thursday, Sept. 8.
It’s a good thing Forks High School starts late because the school grounds are in havoc during construction of the new high school buildings, Reaume said.
New buildings
The new buildings are expected to be completed in November and open in January, she said.
School grounds should be clear of any blocking construction activity and ready for students by the first day of school, she added.
Unlike other schools on the Peninsula, Quillayute Valley middle and high schools will not conduct a registration day, Reaume said.
Instead, returning students will receive their schedules by mail.
Students who are new to the area can register for school on any weekday after Thursday, Aug. 25, Reaume said.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
