Back-to-School Info
The information below has been compiled to help our Upper St. Clair families prepare for the start of school. Additional information will be added as it becomes available.
Is there additional back-to-school information that would be helpful to you and others? Please share your suggestions via email to tvojtko@uscsd.k12.pa.us. The district’s intent is to make this page as helpful and user-friendly as possible.
- Back-to-School Online
- School Calendar
- School Supply Lists
- School Start & Dismissal Times
- School Traffic Patterns for Arrival/Dismissal
- Bus Transportation
- Food Services
- Physical/Dental Exams & Immunizations
- Insurance Information
- Before/After School Care & Kindergarten-Plus
- 2025-26 Student Handbooks & Policies
- Parent Teacher Council & School parent organizations
- Medication Procedures
- Volunteer Clearances
- Technology
- Parent Communications
Back-to-School Online
The district’s annual Back-to-School Online effort will launch at 8 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. Beginning then, families must log in to Focus/Parent Portal to review and complete annual forms/information to ensure a smooth start to the school year. Upon logging in, families will see a section titled Pending Forms and will need to click the green rectangular button to complete the Back-to-School forms.
Once all online forms are completed, student schedules, teacher assignments and bus information will be accessible. To view this information, select your child’s name from the left navigation pane. Below the name is a link for class schedule. Bus information can be accessed by selecting Child Info and then Transportation.
As a reminder, the Focus/Parent Portal username is the email address associated with the account. If you have forgotten your password, there is a “forgot password” link on the Focus/Portal login page. For additional account assistance, please email parentportal@uscsd.k12.pa.us (be sure to include your student’s name).
School Calendar
The first day of school for students in grades 1-12 is set for Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. For our kindergarten families, Wednesday, Aug. 20 and Thursday, Aug. 21 will be used to conduct welcome events and orientation. Students will arrive with a parent or other caregiver during their scheduled session and remain at the school together until the program concludes. More detailed information will be provided from your respective school as the date nears. The first regular day of kindergarten – including riding the school bus – will occur on Friday, Aug. 22. The last day of the school year is Friday, June 5, 2026.
School Supply Lists
- Baker Elementary
- Eisenhower Elementary
- Streams Elementary
- Boyce Middle School
- Fort Couch Middle School: The basic supplies such as pens, pencils and paper along with a school-issued Chromebook will be needed to start the school year. Any additional items will be teacher-specific and will be addressed at the beginning of the school year.
School Start & Dismissal Times
|
|
Drop-off Window |
School Start Time |
Start of Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|
High School |
7:40-7:55 a.m. |
8:00 a.m. |
2:45 p.m. |
Elementary Schools |
8:20-8:30 a.m. |
8:35 a.m. |
3:05 p.m. |
Middle Schools |
8:40-8:50 a.m. |
8:55 a.m. |
3:35 p.m. |
|
|
|||
AM Kindergarten |
8:20-8:30 a.m. |
8:35 a.m. |
11:15 a.m. |
PM Kindergarten |
12:10-12:20 p.m. |
12:25 p.m. |
3:05 p.m. |
Days that impact the regular school schedule:
- Two-Hour Delays
- Flexible Instructional Days
- Cancellations
- Early Release Days (Open House, Celebration of Learning, STAR Nights)
- Scheduled District-wide Early Dismissals
School Traffic Patterns for Arrival/Dismissal
Bus Transportation
Bus stop information can be found in Focus/Parent Portal when Back-to-School begins on Friday, Aug. 8. To locate your child’s bus information:
- Log in to Focus/Parent Portal (make sure there are no "pending forms" to complete)
- click on your child's name in the column on the left side of the screen;
- select CHILD INFO;
- and then click TRANSPORTATION.
- Please call the garage ASAP at 412 833-1600 ext. 3450 if an error was made in your child’s transportation schedule.
-
Bus transportation is provided to and from the student's primary residence. For students who reside equally at two households within the District, please contact Transportation Director Jonn Mansfield at jmansfield@uscsd.k12.pa.us with the children's names (first and last) and the address for the transportation schedule information for the second household.
- Transportation information for students who enroll after Aug. 8, can be accessed in Focus/Parent Portal within 48 hours after completing the registration process.
- Bus stop assignments are usually at the closest intersection to your child’s address. The Bus Stop Guidelines are used to route the buses to and from school in order to meet the school bell schedule.
- Bus stop times are approximate and may vary slightly due to loading times and traffic. Therefore, please have your child at the stop location five minutes in advance in order to prevent students from running after the bus or delaying the next stop.
- If needed, route adjustments and changes may be made after the start of the school year, as student schedules change.
- Transportation requests for extenuating circumstances, beyond the district's bus stop guidelines, can be made by contacting the transportation office at 412 833-1600 ext. 3451.
- Lost items will be moved to the front of the bus for the child to retrieve the next time he/she rides the bus.
Contact
Jonn Mansfield
Director of Transportation
jmansfield@uscsd.k12.pa.us
412-833-1600 ext. 3451
To reach the dispatch office, call 412-833-1600 ext. 3450. This is the best number to contact if you need to get important information during bus route times or if the bus driver needs to be contacted.
Buses typically run late the first week
Please keep in mind that during the first week of each school year buses tend to run late – especially the elementary buses in the afternoon. Our school staff will be taking extra time and care at dismissal to ensure that our students board the correct bus in the afternoon. Each day you should see a gradual improvement as we inch closer to the target arrival time. Your patience and understanding throughout these first days of school are much appreciated.
Transportation Safety
- Click here for bus safety tips and to download a School Bus Safety Activity Book from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
- Families and student-drivers are encouraged to review Pennsylvania’s School Bus Stopping Law in advance of the start of the school year. (This is especially important for new drivers.)
Food Services
Upper St. Clair’s Nutrition Center offers a variety of meal choices with one goal in mind: to provide outstanding service and high quality “kid-friendly” meals that meet or exceed the latest federal and state requirements. Menus are designed to ensure that students receive a balanced meal, consisting of foods from all major food groups in the right proportions to meet calorie and other nutritional needs.
Our staff is looking forward to serving your children nutritious, great-tasting menus that support their achievements in school and promote healthy lifestyles.
Universal Free Breakfast:
ALL Pennsylvania students are eligible to receive FREE breakfast at school during the 2025-26 school year. Daily, students are able to receive one breakfast meal at no charge.
Free/Reduced Price Meals
Free/Reduced Priced Meals are available for eligible families. Family circumstances can change at any time; therefore, please know that applications can be completed anytime during the school year.
Families can submit Free and Reduced-Priced Meal Applications online by logging in to www.schoolcafe.com. The application process is quick and easy. This process will require an adult to login using the Student ID of any student in your household. Applying online will speed up the determination process and benefits can be utilized sooner. Please remember to include all students in your household that attend USC schools on the same application.
SchoolCafé
Upper St. Clair families are encouraged to utilize SchoolCafé - a FREE tool to manage their children's meal accounts. SchoolCafé is available online and as an app from the AppStore and Google Play.
- access your child's purchase history
- monitor account balances
- receive low balance alerts
- make online payments
- set up automatic payments any time your student's account falls below your predetermined limit
Physical/Dental Exams & Immunizations
Please make sure your child’s health information is up-to-date.
- Physicals required for kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 11
- Dental exams required for kindergarten, grade 3 and grade 7
Turning in completed forms:
If you have completed dental/physical forms to turn in, you can do any of the following:
- Have your child turn in the form(s) in-person when school begins
- Mail the completed forms to the school. Please include "Attn. School Nurse" in the address line.
- Scan and email your completed forms directly to your child's school nurse.
Insurance Information
Before/After School Care & Kindergarten-Plus
Extended Day Services (EDS) operates within all three Upper St. Clair elementary buildings as well as Boyce Middle School. Before-school care operates from 7 a.m. until the beginning of the school day. After-school care is offered from the end of the school day until 6 p.m.
EDS also offers the Kindergarten-Plus (K-Plus) program for kindergarten students. K-Plus is a half-day kindergarten enrichment program offered opposite a child's regular half-day kindergarten session.
2025-26 Student Handbooks & Policies
- Upper St. Clair School District
- Baker, Eisenhower & Streams Elementary Schools
- Boyce Middle School
- Fort Couch Middle School
- Upper St. Clair High School (coming soon)
Additional Information
Parent Teacher Council & School parent organizations
Research supports a strong correlation between family involvement and academic success. Parent organizations are formed at the individual school level with leadership and coordination provided by an overarching USC Parent Teacher Council.
The USC Parent Teacher Council provides leadership and coordination for all the PTA/PTOs/PTSOs in the District. Here’s just some of the PTC’s important initiatives:
- Publishes the district-wide family directory
- Coordinates STEAM and wellness programs.
- Hosts Arts in USC – a district-wide arts contest/show for students in grades K-12.
- Funds and manages the annual Scripps Spelling Bee in USC.
- Supports families of gifted students through the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) Committee.
- Supports families of special education students through the Partners in Education (PIE) Committee.
- Hosts the annual welcome dinner for new families entering grades 1-12.
- Manages the Upper St. Clair Parent Teacher Council Facebook page to share district and community information.
- Provides an annual appreciation breakfast for central office administrators and staff.
- Provides leadership training for PTA/PTO/PTSO officers.
- Maintains consistency among the USC volunteering units in many areas.
Medication Procedures
Please review the medication policy within the school handbooks carefully. Medication should be in its original labeled container with a medication order form.
NEW in 2025-26
District nurses may administer up to three doses of over-the-counter pain analgesic medications (acetaminophen/ibuprofen) under a standing order written by the school physician with parent permission. Parents will be asked during back to school registration / new registration if they give permission for such medication to be administered when the nurse determines through assessment and non-pharmacologic interventions that a student’s condition warrants such medication. Parents will be contacted at each instance of administration for additional verbal confirmation of permission to administer.
Volunteer Clearances
The Child Protective Services Law requires background checks for volunteers in schools. If you are planning to volunteer in your child's school or classroom, volunteer clearances are needed in advance.
Instructions for obtaining clearances
PLEASE NOTE: Clearances, which are valid for five years, are processed by outside agencies and it will take time for them to be completed. Prospective volunteers are encouraged to complete the process as soon as possible.
If you have previously submitted volunteer clearances to the school district, you can check the expiration date(s) online.
Technology
Student Devices
Upper St. Clair School District provides every student with a Chromebook.
Technology Support
Our technology department has developed a robust help site – https://go.uscsd.org/support – with information to quickly resolve many common issues. Search by keyword (i.e. Google Meet, Canvas, Single Sign-On) to find helpful articles and tips to assist you. The site also provides a direct link to submit a help desk ticket, if needed.
Parent Communications
The Upper St. Clair School District values effective, efficient and timely communication with families and the community. The information outlined below is intended to serve as a quick reference for families:
Focus/Parent Portal
The USCSD Parent Portal is used annually for Back-to-School Registration for ALL students K-12. In addition, the portal provides access to report cards, bus transportation information, online forms and more.
Canvas
Canvas is a Learning Management System (LMS) used by all Upper St. Clair teachers in grades 5-12. Parents are able to monitor their student's progress including homework assignments, course materials, due/test dates and grades.
Weekly Recap
Every Friday, a Weekly Recap is sent via email to all families and staff members with all the latest district news, upcoming events, bulletin board fliers and links to media coverage of the school district. The latest issue of the Weekly Recap is also available on the district's website.
Automated Alert System
In the event of a school-wide or district-wide urgent situation (i.e. school delays/cancellations, evacuation, lockdown, relocation, emergency dismissal), information will be shared via our Automated Alert System. Phone calls and/or emails will be sent to the numbers/emails that are designated by parents/guardians through the Back-to-School Online process. Please DO NOT UNSUBSCRIBE from the emails as you will also be opting out of the urgent phone messages too.
Social Media
The district utilizes social media to celebrate the accomplishments of our students and staff. Like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X(Twitter), and Threads @uscschools.
Upper St. Clair TODAY magazine
Made possible through the combined resources of the staff and volunteers of the Township and School District of Upper St. Clair, the quarterly magazine is mailed directly to all Upper St. Clair homes and businesses. View current and past issues online at www.twpusc.org/usctoday or https://issuu.com/usctodaymag.
Online Bulletin Board
The USC Online Bulletin Board provides information about non-district sponsored community events, activities, camps, classes, concerts, and other opportunities that might be of interest to our families and community members. Information is updated as it is received - check back often for the latest information. Click here to visit the Bulletin Board. To access the Bulletin Board from the district's website, select the lowercase pushpin icon, located below the rotating photo.