July 30, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are thrilled to welcome our new seventh-grade students and are equally excited to have our eighth graders return to Shaler Area Middle School for the 2025–2026 school year.

Student Schedules
On or about August 4, student schedules will be available via Infinite Campus. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s schedule, please contact the School Counseling Office at 412-492-1200 x8-2520. If you’re having trouble accessing Infinite Campus, contact the Main Office at x8-2501. Please note: Math placements are determined using a multi-criteria rubric that includes academic performance, assessment data, and demonstrated skill level. If you have any questions after viewing your child’s schedule, please contact the Main Office at x8-2501.

Walk Your Schedule – Optional
We invite students and their families to attend an optional “Walk Your Schedule” event on Tuesday, August 12, from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. This self-guided opportunity allows students to familiarize themselves with the building and locate their classrooms before the first day. Maps will be available in the front lobby. Please note: the building will be closed to visitors on August 11, 13, 14, 15 and 18, as our staff will be involved in professional development and school preparation.

7th Grade Orientation – Required
7th Grade Orientation will take place on Monday, August 18, 2025, and is a required half-day for all incoming seventh-grade students. Students will ride their assigned buses to and from school and will be dismissed at 12:15 PM. During orientation, students will participate in rotation activities, run through their schedule, meet teachers, and have lunch. Students should come prepared to engage, but should not bring book bags on this day. This will be a wonderful first step in their middle school journey!

First Full Day of School
The first full day of school for all students is Tuesday, August 19, 2025. The student day runs from 7:40 AM to 2:50 PM.

• 7th graders will report to the cafeteria upon arrival.
• 8th graders will report to Gym A.
  These locations will also serve as daily morning reporting areas throughout the year.

Back to School Night – Optional
Please join us for an optional Back to School Night on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, between 6:00 and 8:00 PM. This night is an open house format. Students and families are welcome to explore the school and meet teachers by informally walking through the class schedule. In addition, representatives from our counseling team, activity sponsors, and the PTO will be available to share opportunities for involvement. Our administrative team looks forward to meeting you during an informal “meet and greet.” If you would like to schedule a more in-depth conversation with a teacher or administrator, please contact them directly or call the main or counseling offices.

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures During the School Year

As we work together to ensure a safe and efficient environment for our students and community members during arrival and dismissal times, please take note of the pick-up and drop-off procedures.

Arrival Procedures:

• Students may begin arriving at 7:20 AM.
• Drop-off is on the stadium side of the school building. Please pull through the car lane cones for drop-off.
• Ensure your vehicle remains in the car lane and pull up as far as possible to drop off students.
• Be cautious of all traffic and students crossing. Students always have the right-of-way but must also follow directions from staff.
• All students will enter through the designated doors. All students and visitors will be screened using the OpenGate System before being permitted to enter the building.
• 7th-grade students report to the cafeteria, and 8th-grade students report to Gym A upon entry.

Dismissal Procedure:

• Please refrain from picking up children in the library parking lot or in the shopping center parking lot. This is a vital safety measure to protect all children and community members. This also ensures timely dismissal and traffic patterns since there is typically a police officer who directs and releases traffic onto Mt. Royal Blvd. Students are not permitted to cross the parking lot. Students must use the sidewalks and cross at the corner.
• When picking up your child at the end of the school day, please line up in the upper parking lot next to the stadium. Cars will move from the upper parking lot and park parallel to the sidewalk along the curb.
• Students will exit the building, proceed to the Shopping Center side, and wait on the sidewalk for their ride to pull up to this designated pick-up location.
• Shaler Police will release cars onto Mt. Royal Blvd.  Our security guard and staff will direct traffic flow. Please do not block the intersection, as buses have the right of way at dismissal
• Bus riders will go to Gym A for dismissal.

All parents, guardians, and students must adhere to these procedures to maintain a safe environment for everyone.

For continued updates, school supply lists, and important announcements, please visit our website:
https://shalerarea.org/schools/middle-school/

We look forward to partnering with you to make 2025–2026 a fantastic school year. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best wishes,

Shannon Howard
Principal
Shaler Area Middle School