As the new school year approaches, it's time to get students ready to go back to the classroom. For parents, that means buying school supplies, purchasing uniforms, tracking down important dates and events, and filling out necessary forms.
Since we know how busy the back to school season is, we've compiled a list of important dates, events, forms, and general information, to get your child ready for school. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Enrollment procedures and requirements
If you are enrolling a child to a Chicago public school for the first time, follow this links below to find out what information and materials are needed when you go to register your student. If you have any other questions, please contact the school you are enrolling your child. 
English | Spanish | Polish.
School start dates
- Regular school year starts: Tuesday, September 4, 2012
- Track E year-round schools started on Monday, August 13, 2012 (to see if your school is a Track E school, follow this link)
- Also this year, with each CPS school now having a Full School Day, CPS schools have new start and end times. Check the bell times your child's school here or visit our 'Find a school section', enter the name of your student's school and select the Search button.
- Charter schools: Each charter school has its own start date. Contact your child's school to confirm his or her first day of school.
- View our back to school flyer and poster.
- Watch our Back to School PSA with some of Chicago's finest athletic stars, like Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls, Pavel Pardo of the Chicago Fire, Kahlil Bell and CPS' own CEO Jean-Claude Brizard.
Health requirements
Students are required to have all health forms on file at their current school by October 15, 2012 or they may face expulsion from school. You can view the Minimum health requirements English | Spanish.
Parent Involvement
Parents, we may need to reach you! During flu season or if your child is chronically truant, there is an increased need for schools to immediately connect with parents. Please call your child's school to give them your current contact numbers. Learn more about updating your contact information at your child's school.
For more information on the Office of Family and Community Engagement, please click here
Thank you Volunteers!
Everyone at CPS would like to extend a big thank you to all our volunteers who helped out with our Back to School phone banking efforts. Nearly 650 volunteers placed almost 60,000 phone calls to families in Chicago. Thank you to all our volunteers! We couldn't have done it without you.
If you are interested in volunteering for the 2012 Back to School Campaign.
If you'd like to get involved in the 2012-2013 Back-to-School Campaign by volunteering two hours of your time to help with both of our Back-to-School phone bank drives, scheduled today through Aug. 10 (Track E) and Aug. 20-31 (Track R). Phone banking will be held at the Central Office (125 S. Clark St.) and Zenos Colman Elementary School (4655 S. Dearborn). Please sign up today at cpsbacktoschool2012.eventbrite.com, for Central Office phone bank, and cpsbacktoschool2012colman.eventbrite.com, for the Coleman Elementary phone bank.
School supplies
Contact your child's school directly to get the complete list of school supplies needed for your child's grade. You can also view our general list of school supplies.
View application deadlines, holidays, report card distribution dates, and much more on our Key Events and Student Days Off calendars. Each section also features downloadable versions of all CPS calendars.
Uniforms
Contact your child's school directly to find out whether or not uniforms are required for the 2012-2013 school year. For school contact information, visit our Find a school section, enter the name of your child's school and select the Search button. Contact information is available on each school page.
Learn more about your child's school
To learn more about your child's school visit our Find a school section, enter your zip code or the name of your child's school and select the Search button. There you can view everything about your child's school in one place. See scorecard data, demographics and statistics, weekly school recycling reports, and much more. Help your child.
High school orientation
Help your child prepare for high school before school starts. View the dates for this year's high school orientation at chooseyourfuture.org 
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Contact us
Do you have questions or concerns about getting your child ready to go back to school? There are a variety of ways to get in touch with us:
Hotline at (773) 553-3CPS (3277)
Office of Access and Enrollment at (773) 553-2060 (magnet, selective enrollment schools)
at (773) 553-1530
at (773) 553-1800
at (773) 553-2860
at (773) 553-2242
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