Enrollment

PRE-K AND KINDERGARTEN GUIDES

·         Kindergarten Guide

·         Pre-K Guide

2026-27 REGISTRATION FOR CURRENT WATERLOO SCHOOLS K-12 STUDENTS:

Annual Updates/Registration will open on July 8, 2026. Please make sure your email and address information is up-to-date with your school, so that you receive all communication sent out for this. Follow this link to start registration.
 

 

If your child/ren are new to the Waterloo Schools or have left and are returning from another school District, needing to enroll to finish the 2025-26 school, please follow this link to start registration.

Registration needs to be done by the legal parent/guardian.

Prior to starting school or when transferring into the school district, students must present an approved immunization record or certificate signed by a health care provider, stating that the student has received the immunizations required by law. Students are not allowed to begin school without the proper immunizations as required by Iowa Law. Only for specific medical or religious purposes are students exempt from the immunization requirements. A physician must sign medical exemptions or you must provide the District with a completed Religious exemption form.

Elementary School Supply List (Suggested)

English

Spanish

Bosnian

Marshallese

French

Haitian Creole

Burmese

 

Middle School Supply List (Suggested)

English

Spanish

Bosnian

Marshallese

French

Haitian Creole

Burmese

 

2026-27 DISTRICT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS
All elementary students and their families are welcome to visit their school between 4:30-6:00 pm on August 20. This is a great time to find classrooms, drop off supplies, and meet new friends!

Incoming 6th-grade students and any new-to-the-district middle school students are invited to an open house at their home middle school on August 20 from 5:30-7:00 pm.

ORIENTATION
East, West, & EXPO ALC will hold 9th-grade orientation on Monday, August 24. 

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
The first few days of school will be a rolling start, similar to last year, and include 2-hour early dismissals.

• Monday, August 24, for grades: K, 1, 2, 6, 9   *2-hour early dismissal
• Tuesday, August 25, for grades: 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 (in addition to K-2, 6, 9)  *2-hour early dismissal
• Thursday, August 27, First day for PreK
   

SCHOOL TIMES **New Times for 26-27
    Elementary (including Cunningham): 8:45am – 3:50pm
    Middle & High Schools: 7:40am – 2:45pm
    PreK: Monday-Thursday: 9:00am – 3:30pm

IMMUNIZATIONS
Iowa Vaccine Law Requirement
Vaccination Requirements for students in grades 7 and 12:
7th Grade:
Students entering 7th grade are required to have a minimum of one dose of TDap and Meningitis vaccines to attend school. If a child has not had a Meningitis vaccination after the age of ten years, they will be unable to go to school until after the dose is given or a medical/religious exemption is obtained.

12th Grade:
Students entering 12th grade are required to have a minimum of two doses of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (A,C,W,Y); or 1 dose if the student previously received a dose at sixteen years of age or older. There is no provisional period to implement this requirement, meaning students will be sent home on the first day of school until after the dose is given or a medical/religious exemption is obtained.

You may call your medical provider or visit the Iowa Department of Public Health website at: https://idph.iowa.gov/immtb/immunization/laws for more information on Iowa immunization laws and the meningococcal requirement.

Please contact your medical provider now to set up an appointment to get your child immunized. Medical and religious exemptions must be on file with your child’s school (they must be done yearly).

2026/27 Athletic Activity & Registration
We are excited to launch a new online Athletic & Activity Registration process for all students in grades 7-12.
Beginning July 8, 2026, registration will be available through the Infinite Campus Parent and Student Portals. This new process provides a single location to complete required forms, upload physicals, and register for athletic and activity participation.
All required forms must be completed before students are cleared to participate.

Start Registration Here:
https://waterlooia.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/waterloo.jsp

FEE WAIVER POLICY
There are no standard instructional fees for students based on Board policy. However, there may be costs associated with instrument rental if your child enrolls in one of those classes. Students will be notified by their teacher and given the appropriate fee waiver form for those who qualify.

There will continue to be fees for lost books, ID cards, yearbooks, parking, etc. that apply to various schools. These fees are not subject to Fee Waiver.

BUSSING
Bus routes should be available for parents to view on their Parent Portal by August 19, 2026.  You will need to have registration completed by July 27, 2026, to assist in your child having a route by the first day of school.

DISCRETIONARY TRANSPORTATION
Under authority of Chapter 285 of the Code of Iowa, the Waterloo Community School District will provide transportation, or reimburse parents for all high school students residing more than three (3) miles from their designated high school; all middle school students residing more than two (2) miles from their designated attendance center; and all elementary students residing more than one (1) mile from their assigned attendance center.

Students who live under the above guidelines may apply for discretionary busing. Consideration will be based on space availability on the bus, on a regularly scheduled stop, and on a regularly scheduled route. Applications will be available beginning July 1st of the upcoming school year and approved in the order they are received. Discretionary forms are available on the WCSD website www.waterlooschools.org under “Bus Transportation”.
Students on a Voluntary Transfer do not have the option to apply or receive a discretionary route/stop. Your application will automatically be denied.
Discretionary transportation will not be available for at least the first month of school. During the school year, any request for transportation on a discretionary basis will require a minimum of 3 days for processing. This will provide time for the transportation staff to determine space availability on existing bus routes.

Please review the district transportation handbook on the WCSD website www.waterlooschools.org for more guidelines.  

DRESS CODE UPDATE
Follow the link for the board-approved dress code for students: https://www.waterlooschools.org/studentservices/standardized-dress-code/

LUNCH PROGRAM
All students enrolled in the Waterloo Community School District are eligible for a healthy breakfast and healthy lunch at NO CHARGE to your household each day of the school year.

ALL WATERLOO SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE FREE LUNCHES FOR THE 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR!
The Waterloo Community School District is participating in the United States Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) in all elementary, middle, and high school buildings. The school district meets the reimbursement formula to qualify for no-cost breakfast and lunch. Pre-K students will also be offered an afternoon no-cost snack.
Please note:
Families will still be responsible for a la carte items, such as extra milk, extra entrées, and extra side items.

FEES
The school district operates a lunch and breakfast program. Students may bring their own lunches to school or they are eligible for free school lunch, including milk. Students with cold lunch brought from home, if they wish, may purchase milk for $.50. We do not participate in the free milk program. Students are not permitted to leave the building during lunchtime.

FOOD BROUGHT TO SCHOOL FROM HOME OR BY PARENTS/GUARDIANS
Food brought to school should adhere to district nutritional standards and should not be of minimal nutritional value. Parents/guardians are asked to only send items that will make positive contributions to a child’s diet and health. All food items, including those sent for class distribution (parties, birthdays, etc.) will be handled in accordance with the Regulation for Food Safety in Schools.

When a parent requests to have lunch with their student and it includes outside food (restaurant-prepared food), a place will be provided to have lunch. If bringing prepared food becomes a problem, each situation will be dealt with on an individual basis.

STUDENT LUNCH BALANCES CARRIED OVER
The monies that are currently in your student’s lunch account will remain there. The money can be used for extra milk or ala carte items at the middle and high school levels. If you would like a refund of the lunch monies in your child’s lunch account, please call (319)433-2037 or email hodzicsuljicd@waterlooschools.org. A refund will be processed.

NEGATIVE LUNCH BALANCES
Students who have negative balances from prior school years will continue to have a negative lunch balance. Even though your child is eligible for free lunch meals this year, you are still responsible for the meals served in prior years. Please make payments at your child’s school building either to the lunch associate or the main school office. Payments for negative balances can also be mailed to the WCS Food Service Office, 1516 Washington Street, Waterloo, IA 50702.