Scranton Public School Back to School Newsletter 2026
WELCOME BACK, STUDENTS, FAMILIES, AND STAFF!
Welcome back! I hope this message finds you rested, recharged, and ready to go! We are so excited to kick off this upcoming school year, which we know will be filled with opportunity, learning, and growth.
A big change across all schools in North Dakota this year is our transition away from PowerSchool to a new Student Information System called Infinite Campus. Our team is working hard to get this up and running. There will be a brand-new parent and student portal to check grades, schedules, attendance, lunch balances, and so much more. In the coming week, you will receive an email with instructions on getting your portal set up. It has been a heavy lift this summer and will admittedly be a work in progress as we transition, but we are confident this will be a great platform once fully functional.
Our custodial and maintenance staff have been working extremely hard over the summer to prepare the building for the return of our students and staff. We’ve completed several facility updates, highlighted by a brand-new sewer system in the kitchen and new flooring throughout the kitchen and cafeteria.
We have also resurfaced our gymnasium floor with a fresh paint design and new surface. Because of this investment, no one will be allowed on the playing surface without dedicated gym shoes. For physical education in grades K–12, all students must have a pair of shoes designed specifically for gym use only (no street shoes).
The classrooms and hallways are freshly waxed, polished, and ready to go. Our building may be of an older variety, but our years of taking pride in this facility show—it’s in fantastic shape! A huge thank you to Marie, Arica, Ty, Maddox, and Nate for their incredible work on summer maintenance!
NEW FACULTY
Our students will be welcomed by some fantastic new staff members this year:
Mrs. Evans – K-12 Principal
Mr. Fischer – 7-12 Social Studies
Mrs. Kordovsky – 5th Grade
Miss Erickson – Returning to lead our 3rd Grade classroom!
We also have a few familiar faces stepping into exciting new roles within the district:
Miss Johnson – Moving from 5th grade to become our STEM, Library, and Technology Coordinator
Mrs. Bergquist – Heading up our Title I program with reading interventions.
Mrs. Bergstrom – Returning to her old stomping grounds in Kindergarten!
Mrs. Salzsieder – Moving across the hall to lead 1st Grade!
Our team continues to evolve into an amazing group of educators dedicated to providing the best educational experience possible. With numerous curriculum updates aligned for the new year, we are excited to deliver a world-class education.
SCRANTON PUBLIC SCHOOL CHECKLIST
Verify Office Records: Make sure the main office has a copy of your child’s birth certificate and updated immunization records. Immunization rules have changed; please review the UPDATED REQUIREMENTS. Immunizations can be obtained through your local healthcare provider or the Bowman County Health Nurse.
Fill out the FREE AND REDUCED MEALS APPLICATION: Many federal funding dollars for our district are directly tied to the number of approved applications on file. PLEASE APPLY—you are directly helping our district by doing so! Please be assured that all applications are kept strictly confidential.
Watch for your Infinite Campus Portal Invite: Keep an eye on your inbox this week for setup instructions to stay connected with your student's grades and attendance throughout the year!
FIRST DAY & SCHEDULE DETAILS
First Day of Classes: Wednesday, August 19th
School Hours:
Secondary (7–12): Second bell rings / Class starts at 8:25 A.M.
Elementary (K–6): Second bell rings / Class starts at 8:20 A.M.
Playground Supervision: Elementary playground supervision begins at 8:00 A.M. Please refrain from dropping off students prior to 8:00 A.M.
Bus Routes: Bus drivers will call families prior to the first day of school to confirm pick-up and drop-off times. Reminder: Riding the bus is a privilege. Students who do not follow bus safety rules are subject to losing bus riding privileges.
HANDBOOKS & RESOURCES
Please take time to review the updated policies for the upcoming school year:
SCRANTON SCHOOL FEES & ATHLETIC PASSES
All school fees and activity passes can be purchased at the main office.
School Lunch Fees
Single Meal Price: $3.80
Yearly Meal Price: $641.25 (171 days x $3.75/meal)
Milk: $0.50 / milk
Preschool Tuition
Monthly: $75.00 / month
Yearly: $675.00 / year
Night Hawk Activity Tickets
(Admission to both Scranton and Hettinger regular-season athletic events)
Student Pass: $45.00
Adult Pass: $80.00
Senior Pass (55+): $45.00
Athletic Single-Game Gate Admissions
Student: $5.00 (Varsity) | FREE for JH & below
Adult: $7.00 (Varsity) | $4.00 (JH & below)
Senior: $5.00 (Varsity) | $4.00 (JH & below)
LOOKING AHEAD
2026–2027 can be our best year yet at Scranton Public School! This year, I challenge our students, staff, and community to push forward together. We want to set our expectations high and work as a unified team to achieve them. School is a safe place to step out of our comfort zones, take on new challenges, and grow both academically and personally.
Let's SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS together!
Sincerely,
Kelly Pierce
Superintendent, Scranton Public School