Whether your student is new to Xenia Community Schools or is returning for their senior year, families should make sure that each student’s paperwork is up-to-date and complete in Final Forms prior to the start of school.

GO TO FINAL FORMS

FOR RETURNING STUDENTS: 
Families must sign off on annual permissions, update medical information and emergency contact details, review parent and student technology agreements, and more.

FOR NEW STUDENTS: 
Families must complete their online enrollment through Final Forms five (5) business days prior to the start of the school year to ensure that their student can start on the first day. For the 2025-2026 school year, this means that enrollments must be completed by Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. However, the sooner you complete this process, the better! Once students are enrolled, they will be placed with the appropriate teacher and a schedule of classes can be created for them. In addition, enrollment lets transportation know who should be added to bus routes, and also allows us to schedule incoming Kindergarten students for screening! 

Visit the "Ready for Kindergarten" and "Ready for Preschool" sections of this page for more information for these grades.

XCS Back to School Schedule for 2025-2026: 

• August 4-12: Kindergarten Screenings (by appointment only; schedule dates vary by building) 
• Tuesday, August 19: First Day for Students (K-12)
• Monday, August 25: First Day for Xenia Preschool Students

Open House Schedule for 2025-2026:

Xenia Preschool Open Houses: Thursday, August 21 
Open House for AM Students: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Open House for PM Students: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Arrowood Elementary
Kindergarten ONLY: Friday, August 15 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Grades 1-5: Monday, August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Cox Elementary
Grades K-5: Monday, August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. 

McKinley Elementary
Grades K-5: August 18 from 5:00 – 5:45 p.m.

Shawnee Elementary
Kindergarten ONLY: August 15 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Grades 1-5: Monday, August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Tecumseh Elementary
Grades K-5: Monday, August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Warner Middle School 
Thursday, August 14 from 3:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Xenia High School
Thursday, August 14 from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Xenia Community Schools uses ParentSquare to communicate with our students and families! 

ParentSquare is used for items such as newsletters, announcements, snow day notifications, group chats, calendars, conference appointments, volunteer sign-ups, and more. It replaces OneCall, and adds text and push notification options for those who prefer that to voice calls.

Note that phone calls will still be made for urgent messages, regardless of your day-to-day settings. 

How do I get an account? 
ParentSquare automatically generates an account for each parent/guardian, using the email address and phone number associated with their child's information submitted through FinalForms, so make sure your information is up to date!

Parents/guardians who are new to the district will receive an initial invitation at the beginning of each school year to activate their account, and follow-up invitations will be sent periodically. Families who enroll after the start of the school year will receive an invitation after your enrollment is complete.

While it is not required, we highly suggest all parents/caregivers: 

1. download the ParentSquare app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store, and 
2. verify your ParentSquare account using the invitation link sent to the email address that you provided through the FinalForms. 

Learn more about ParentSquare. 

We understand that families are anxious to get student classroom assignments, but ask for everyone to be patient with the process! Due to ongoing enrollment that will continue through mid-August, class assignments and student schedules cannot be confirmed until just prior to the start of the school year.

Check back soon for updates.

Please note that specific supplies and directions vary by building and grade, so be sure to visit your school's Supply List page for details! Find both printable PDFs and accessible lists: 

• Xenia Preschool
• Arrowood Elementary
• Cox Elementary
• McKinley Elementary
• Shawnee Elementary
• Tecumseh Elementary
• Warner Middle School 
• Xenia High School 

Xenia Community Schools is a one-to-one district, providing access to a Chromebook to each student in grades K-12 to support their learning in school and at home!

Each student receives a Chromebook for classroom use at no additional cost beyond the initial technology fee. 

K-5 students leave their Chromebooks at school, which can be charged overnight and ready for the next day. 

6-12 students will be issued a Chromebook and a carrying case. They are responsible for bringing their Chromebooks to school fully charged each day. They should take their devices to their school's main office for repairs. At that point, we will issue the student a loaner until their device is repaired. 

Please read the parent and student technology agreements to be signed in Final Forms for important guidelines, procedures, and responsibilities.

Remember the devices are for school use only, and the student is responsible for caring for their own device. Charges may apply for the repair of any damaged device. 

Learn more on our Technology Department page. 

Each school year, all eligible* XCS students will automatically be routed for transportation for the first few weeks of school. Routes may be adjusted as enrollment changes and/or students choose not to use school busing. 

For the 2025-2026 school year, families will receive their student's bus route information through the email provided in Final Forms by Monday, August 18. These lists will include any students enrolled by the 5-day deadline.

FIRSTVIEW APP
First Student will continue to use the FirstView App to share up-to-the-moment updates with families and approved caregivers for students riding the bus to and from school, as well as during field trips or travel for athletics! 

*NOTE: For security reasons, the district's access code for the app will change annually. You should only have to update the code one time each year, but you will need to update the code in order to access current Xenia Schools busing information. Please be aware that the code is not posted publicly, but will be shared with enrolled families the week before school starts. It will also be available at Open House events and from the office in your student's building.

If you have not already created a FirstView account, you can do that by following the instructions in this Parent Registration Guide.

TRANSPORTATION VARIANCE REQUEST FORM
For non-XCS students eligible for busing, or XCS families who would like to request variance in their student's route, a parent/guardian may complete this request form.

Note that this request should be used for a change that will be for an extended length of time, and should not be used for a single day change. 

Have other questions about busing? Be sure to visit the Transportation page.

Xenia Community Schools no longer charges an annual Academic Fee* for students. However, there there are fees for participation in Athletics or other activity groups, as well as fees for expenses such as repairs for damaged Chromebooks, field trips, and other similar activities. This includes:

• AP Test Fee (per subject) - $100
• Athletic Pay-to-Participate Fee - $100 (cap at $200 per participant/$400 per family per year)

MAKING PAYMENTS IN PERSON
Families may choose to pay their fees in person at their student's building with cash, check, or credit card. Families with multiple students may pay for all students at any of their children's school building. 

MAKING ONLINE PAYMENTS
Xenia Community Schools uses Payschools Central to process all online payments. Parents can create an account online; accounts can also be managed through the app available on Google Play or the App Store. Setting up an account is simple, and parents can link to students using their ID number. 

Go to PaySchoolsCentral

Note that convenience/processing fees apply to all online and in-person credit card payments. To avoid transaction fees, families may pay with cash, money order, cashier’s check, or personal check. 

For any family with a past-due account on Academic fees from a previous year, please reach out to the secretary in your child's building to make arrangements to pay the balance due. Flexible options are available. 

*Approved at the July 15, 2024 regular meeting of the XCS Board of Education. 

Once again this year, Xenia Community Schools is eligible to participate in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) free breakfast and lunch program for ALL students K-12! 

This means that the standard school breakfast and lunch will be free for all grades without additional paperwork.

As in previous years, all a la carte options are still available for purchase at Warner Middle School and Xenia High School. Students may also purchase a second regular meal at any building.

For students who choose to purchase a la carte food items in the cafeteria, you can choose to add money to your child's account balance online using your PaySchoolsCentral account. In fact, now is a great time to add to your child's balance so that they don't have to carry cash to school! 

Students may also choose to pay in cash for those items, but should note that any "change due" for a purchase made with cash will be issued as a credit on their individual lunch account rather than in cash. This account balance can be used for future purchases, and can roll over from year-to-year. Any account balance can also be refunded by request upon leaving the district (withdraw or graduation). 

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact our Student Nutrition Office at 937-562-9019 or by email at foodservice@xeniaschools.org.

Xenia Community Schools is committed to the health and well-being of every student, and our goal is to provide a safe and healthy environment for our school community. The district has four full-time nurses, as well as clinic aides to ensure that students receive minor treatment for any simple concerns, as well as provide maintenance care for any chronic conditions, manage health screenings, and oversee your child's medical records. 

In addition, the district partners with Dayton Children's to provide healthcare options for any Xenia student in need of care! The school-based health center is housed at Warner Middle School, and transportation from each building is available. Learn more about the program on the health center page. 

Note that families that are new to Xenia Community Schools will receive a welcome letter and packet from our school nurses in time for fall. 

All XCS families can learn more about our clinic policies and procedures on the XCS Health Services page.

All families who have completed their new Kindergarten student's enrollment will receive a welcome letter from their child's school beginning the first week of August with important information about their schedule and the start of the school year. 

All Kindergarten screenings will be scheduled for during the first two weeks of August, by appointment only! 

Families who have completed* their student's enrollment for fall will be invited to schedule their child's Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) screening through ParentSquare once our enrollment staff has confirmed your enrollment status. 

FALL 2025 KINDERGARTEN OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULE
Kindergarten ONLY Open House (Shawnee & Arrowood)

• Arrowood: August 15 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
• Shawnee: August 15 from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Grades K-5 Open House (Cox, McKinley & Tecumseh)

• Cox: August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. 
• McKinley: August 18 from 5:00 – 5:45 p.m.
• Tecumseh: August 18 from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

HEALTH SERVICES
If you have not already done so, gather your child's Immunization Records! With certain exceptions, per XCS Board policy 5320, every student must meet Ohio's Immunizations for School Attendance Guidelines.

Learn more about immunization requirements on our Clinics page.

If your child needs immunizations and you do not have a regular doctor, or you simply have trouble scheduling an appointment, immunization appointments are available with the nurse practitioner from our school-based health center. Appointments are available throughout the summer, as well as during the Kindergarten screening dates in August.

Appointments during the screening dates are limited, so be sure to schedule your appointment as soon as possible by calling the Dayton Children's school-based health center directly: 937-641-4623.

FAQS ABOUT KINDERGARTEN 
Want to know more about the screening process for Kindergarten?
Most importantly, families should know that the kindergarten screening is not a test! During a brief evaluation session (approximately 15 minutes), your child will simply be assessed to measure their current knowledge and abilities in multiple areas, including: social skills, language and literacy, mathematics, physical well-being, and motor development.

Watch this informational video from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to learn about the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA).

Want to know more about what to expect for Kindergarten?
Be sure to explore specific topics about Kindergarten on this FAQs page for families from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce.

*Remember that a "complete" enrollment means that you have filled out all required forms online, and have submitted all required documents. Enrollment cannot be processed until all required information has been received! 

To apply for a spot at Xenia Preschool, families must complete* the regular school registration process online through Final Forms.  

Upon completing the online application, Preschool families will be placed in line for available spaces, and scheduled for screening in late spring or prior to the start of the school year in August. Families should remember that space in Xenia Preschool is limited, and placement is not guaranteed. 

Note that applications received during summer months may not be processed until late summer due to summer staffing levels. Families may not receive screening information until early August, depending on their application date.

For 2025-2026:
Monday, August 25: First Day of School for Preschool
Thursday, August 21: Preschool Open Houses

• Open House for AM Students: 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
• Open House for PM Students: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Have questions about Xenia Preschool?
Be sure to visit the Xenia Preschool site and read our Preschool FAQs for more information.

*Remember that a "complete" enrollment means that you have filled out all required forms online, and have submitted all required documents. Enrollment cannot be processed until all required information has been received! 

Student and staff safety is the most important consideration when inclement weather calls are made.

Below are answers to the frequently asked questions we receive regarding inclement weather. If you have a question that is not addressed here, please email us.

Q: How is the decision made to delay or close school due to inclement weather?

A: There are many different factors that go into making the call for a delay or closing. Very early in the morning, a team of administrators investigates and monitors the weather, temperature, wind chill, and road conditions. These observations begin as early 4:00 a.m. The team drives the roads in our district, stays in contact with neighboring districts, and researches information from the National Weather Service. First Student, the company managing our bus fleet, is also a vital part of that decision.

By 5:30 a.m., the Superintendent makes a decision about school delays, and the decision is communicated district-wide.

Q. Where will information be posted regarding school delays or closing?

A: Notifications are made in this order:

• A ParentSquare Urgent Alert goes out.
• A notice will be posted on the homepage of this website.
• A notice will be posted on the district's Facebook and Instagram pages.
• Notices are put on WHIO Channel 7 and WDTN Channel 2.

If a notice is not posted in those locations, school is on as scheduled.

Q. It’s very cold with a wind chill. Why wasn’t school delayed?

A: There is no magic number when it comes to the temperatures and whether or not we will delay the start of school. It is hard to predict what the wind chill will be the night before, so most times the decision is made in the morning. On cold mornings we continuously monitor the weather conditions before a decision is made. Our school buildings are warm, safe, and an ideal place for students to be when it is extremely cold outside. Parents should make sure their child is dressed appropriately for cold weather, wearing winter hats, gloves, heavy coats, and boots.

Q. My neighborhood is fine, why are we delaying or closing?

A: Xenia has a wide variety of roads and terrain, including areas with hills that can become impassible in certain weather conditions, and rural areas where snow removal can be challenging. Your part of the city may be passable, but that does not mean that buses can safely take children to school in all parts of Xenia.

Q. My roads are bad, why wasn’t school delayed?

A: While your neighborhood might have more difficult driving conditions, other areas may not. We encourage parents and teenage drivers to use extreme caution when driving in less-than-ideal conditions.

Q. Other districts are delaying, why aren’t we?

A: Sometimes our decision is different from our neighboring districts, because each district has its own unique set of roads and snow removal procedures. We drive the routes throughout our district to make sure that buses and cars can get through. The decision is made based on what is best for Xenia students and staff.

Q. Why wasn’t the decision made the night before?

A: With Ohio weather, it is hard to predict what will happen from one moment to the next. Frequently predictions of heavy snowfall, ice or extreme cold do not end up causing conditions that would justify delaying or cancelling school. Waiting until morning allows us to drive the roads and make the call based on the actual weather and road conditions.

Q. I still have to go to work, but my students are at home because the district is delayed or closed. What should I do?

A: The decision to delay or close has a ripple effect throughout our entire community, not only for our students and employees, but for thousands of parents and family members, many of whom must go to work no matter the weather. Whatever decision is made, it is determined based on the best information available and in the best interest of students and staff. We understand that some will agree with the decision and some will not. We encourage your family to create a plan in the event of school delays or cancellations. Students thrive on routine, and we understand these changes are disruptive and challenging for our families.

Q. When are bus drivers notified?

A: Decisions are made based on the safety of Xenia students. Bus drivers play a very important role in ensuring our student’s safety. First Student, the company that manages our bus fleet, notifies bus drivers as soon as the decision is made. It is important to note that in almost all cases, the notification to bus drivers is made prior to the ParentSquare phone call that goes out to parents. Additionally, First Student has an app that notifies all bus drivers about changes to the schedule.

Q. I am concerned about the safety of my child and do not feel comfortable sending them to school. What can I do?

A: We realize that parents may not be happy with our decision. We encourage parents and teen drivers to use extreme caution when driving in less-than-ideal conditions. While your neighborhood might have more difficult driving conditions, other areas may not. Ultimately, the decision is yours as a parent. We always encourage good attendance, and we believe that students should be in school whenever it is in session, as it is the law. Parents can make the decision to keep their students at home if they believe that road or weather conditions make travel to school unsafe.

Our student Code of Conduct specifies that reporting of student absences is the obligation of the parent/custodian. The parent should phone their child's school within one hour from the start of school on the day of the absence. Parents may leave a voice mail at any time. Upon the child's return to school, the parent shall provide written documentation, either a parent note or medical excuse, stating the specific day(s) absent, reason for the absence, appropriate signature, and contact number.

Q. What if bad weather arrives when my children are in school?

A: If inclement weather arrives while students are in school, a decision to release early may be made. School principals are contacted immediately, and the notice will go out to parents through ParentSquare, on this website, through socila media, our website, and on news media. Buses will load students according to the normal dismissal order. All students picked up by parents may leave school as soon as their parents arrive.

Q. Will after-school activities be cancelled if school buildings are closed?

A: Typically, after-school student activities will be canceled when school has been closed or closed early. Check our Facebook page and our website for specific information related to those activities.

Q: How does a delay or early dismissal affect students?

A: The schedule of classes will be adjusted to the shorter day. See the bell schedules for WMS and XHS for more details. In addition, due to the lunch schedule beginning shortly after arrival, breakfast is not usually served on a 2-hour delay day at WMS and XHS.