But before children return to classrooms, there are a few things that parents should do to make sure students are prepared.

Jean Rush, superintendent of the McLouth school district, said it was important to make sure parents help their children learn during the summer.

She recommended working with children to improve vocabulary because it was key to them being successful readers in the classroom. She also suggested trying new hands-on activities outdoors.

Simple tasks around the house such as gardening, measuring carpentry projects or working with recipe measurements will keep the kid’s mathematically engaged. She said this was important for kids of all ages so they maintained the same learning state of mind as during the regular school year.

As it gets even closer to the first day of classes Rush also said that parents should start getting their children back into a routine.

If a student is just starting out in kindergarten that means a parent must also start thinking about getting their students the required immunizations.

Brenda Brister, immunization coordinator for the Leavenworth County Health Department, said that children between the ages 4 and 6 are required by schools to get what is best known as the “Kindergarten Series.” This is a series of five shots that all students must complete before entering school.

She said for older students, who were in junior high and high school, it was just as important to make sure they were up to date on their tetanus booster. All students must also get a physical before the start of the school year.

The first day of school for Tonganoxie will be Aug. 17 and will be a full day of classes.

This year’s enrollment for Tonganoxie Elementary School will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 2, 4, 7 and 8 and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 3.

Enrollment for Tonganoxie Junior High will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 8 and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 9-11. And enrollment for Tonganoxie High School will be held 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 8 and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 9.

New students need to take immunization cards and birth certificates to enrollment.

Textbooks will cost $30 for kindergarten classes and $50 for grades 1 through 12. The activity or sports fee will cost $10 for grades 7 and 8 and $15 for grades 9-12. There is also a technology fee for all grades kindergarten through 12 of $5.

The first day of classes for all McLouth schools will be Aug. 16 and will have a 1:35 p.m. dismissal.

Enrollment for all McLouth students in grades kindergarten through 12 will be 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 7 and 8:30 a.m. to noon Aug. 8 in the school cafeteria.

Students will be sent enrollment packets that will contain all the forms and information about the specific items each student is responsible for bringing to enrollment.

The price of textbooks for McLouth grades kindergarten through 5 will be $40 and for grades 6-12 will be $45. There is also a $15 athletic participation fee per sport and a $15 cheerleading participation fee.