🚌🚨 Bus number or route number? Start with the letters.

Every KCS route begins with a **two-letter abbreviation** identifying the high school feeder area. The numbers that follow identify the specific route.

🔴 Example route magnets (one from each feeder area) are pictured below.

SA - St. Albans High School feeder area
RH - Riverside High School feeder area
NH - Nitro High School feeder area
SH - Sissonville High School feeder area
CH - Capital High School feeder area
HH - Herbert Hoover High School feeder area
GW - George Washington High School feeder area
SC - South Charleston High School feeder area

This applies to every route in that feeder area, even if your child attends an elementary or middle school.

📍 **The KCS route number tells students which bus to board.**
🚌 **The bus number identifies the physical vehicle.**

➡️ On the right side of the bus, the passenger-door side, the permanent bus number is displayed near the front. Directly behind that number, students will see one or more **white KCS Route Number magnets.**

Every route magnet has a **white background.** The route’s letters and numbers are printed in a color representing the high school for that feeder area. The color is an additional visual cue, but students should match their complete route...both the letters and numbers.

🔢 The permanent bus number must remain visible, which is why both numbers appear on the bus.

👀 What if a bus has several magnets?

That means routes have been combined or the bus is transporting students to another bus. Students should look for their assigned route among the displayed magnets and follow directions from school staff.

Why did KCS make this change?

The bus number stays with the physical vehicle, but the route number stays with the route. If a different bus is needed because of maintenance, a breakdown, or another transportation need, students can continue looking for the same route instead of having to learn a different bus number.

This reduces the number of afternoon changes students, families and staff must track and helps dismissal run more smoothly.

The easiest reminder:

🔵 Start with the letters. Find the white magnet. Match the complete route. 🔵

📱 Midland Trail Weekly Update – August 24 💜🖤💎

Good evening, Midland Trail families!

Tomorrow officially kicks off the 2026–2027 school year at Midland Trail Elementary School, and we could not be more excited to welcome our Diamonds back! 🎉📚✏️

There is something special about the first day of school. New classrooms, new teachers, new friendships, and new opportunities await every student who walks through our doors. Our staff has worked hard to prepare for an incredible year, and we are ready to fill our hallways with the energy, excitement, and potential that make Midland Trail such a special place. 💜

As we get ready for the first day, here are a few important reminders to help everything run smoothly:

⏰ NEW SCHOOL START AND DISMISSAL TIMES

🚪 Doors open: 6:45 a.m.
🔔 Tardy bell and morning announcements: 7:25 a.m.
🚌 Dismissal begins: 1:45 p.m.

Please make sure your Diamond arrives with enough time to get settled and be ready to learn before the 7:25 a.m. tardy bell.

🚗 IMPORTANT ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

The safety of our students is our highest priority. Please help us by following these procedures:

💎 Pre-K students must be dropped off directly at their classroom or through the designated drop-off line. Pre-K students may not be dropped off unattended.

💎 Pre-K pickup will take place in the church parking lot.

💎 **Our buses and after school care are always in the front of the building first during dismissal. Please do not park or block this area. After they have loaded and pulled off, we will start our dismissal for walkers and car riders. Please be patient in line and careful when pulling off. **

💎 Early pickups must be completed by 1:30 p.m. After that time, our staff will be preparing students for dismissal.

💎 All changes to your child’s pickup or dismissal arrangements must be communicated directly to the school office. Please do not rely solely on messages to classroom teachers.

📞 School office: (304) 949-1823

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as everyone gets comfortable with these routines. Together, we can make arrival and dismissal safe and efficient for every Diamond.

📚💎 ATTENDANCE MATTERS AT MIDLAND TRAIL!

Every day in school matters because every day brings another opportunity to learn, grow, build confidence, and take another step toward success.

When students attend consistently and arrive on time, they are better prepared to stay on track academically, develop strong routines, and reach their full potential.

🏆 Classes with the highest attendance will be recognized each week!

Help your Diamond start the year strong by making school attendance and arriving on time a daily priority.

💎 Every Day You’re Here… You Shine! 💎

💜🖤 FRIDAYS ARE MIDLAND TRAIL PURPLE DAYS!

Every Friday, we are asking our students, staff, and families to show their school spirit by wearing purple, black, or Midland Trail Diamonds gear!

Let’s fill our building with Diamond pride and show everyone what it means to represent Midland Trail! 💜🖤

As we begin this new school year, remember that being a Midland Trail Diamond means showing up, working hard, supporting one another, and rising to every challenge. Diamonds are not defined by easy circumstances; they are shaped through perseverance, commitment, and the determination to shine.

Our expectations are high because we believe in our students, our staff, our families, and everything this school can accomplish together.

Tomorrow, we begin writing a new chapter; one filled with growth, achievement, school pride, and opportunities for every Diamond to shine.

We cannot wait to see everyone in the morning! 💜🖤💎

Diamonds Are Produced Under Pressure!

Let’s make 2026–2027 our best year yet!

Let’s talk all things KCS! Parents and guardians are invited to join KCS Superintendent, Dr. Paula Potter and school leaders for a town hall meeting from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. at the high school in their feeder area.

📅 Monday, August 24, 2026 - Sissonville Feeder Area
📅 Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - Capital Feeder Area and Chandler
📅 Wednesday, August 26, 2026 - St. Albans Feeder Area
📅 Tuesday, September 1, 2026 - Herbert Hoover Feeder Area
📅 Wednesday, September 2, 2026 - George Washington Feeder Area
📅 Wednesday, September 9, 2026 - Nitro Feeder Area
📅 Monday, September 14, 2026 - South Charleston Feeder Area and Ben Franklin
📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - Riverside Feeder Area and Carver

Bring your questions...we hope to see you there!

First assignment of the year: walk through the door. ✅
Next assignment: discover just how far you can go. 💙

We spent the morning at Lakewood Elementary, South Charleston Middle and Nitro High, where the smiles were bright and that unmistakable first-day energy was everywhere.

There are questions waiting to be asked, goals waiting to be set, talents still to be discovered and memories no one knows about yet. That’s the best part of a first day: so much of the year is still full of possibility.

Welcome back, KCS. We can’t wait to see what comes next. ✨

The night before school has finally arrived
For some, it’s tomorrow; for others, close behind.
But all across KCS, a new year is in sight,
And first-day excitement is building tonight.

Backpacks are packed, or soon they will be.
There are teachers to meet and old friends to see.
The countdown is on, and plans are taking shape
For a year full of moments just waiting to be made.

Familiar hallways will fill once again
With footsteps and laughter and old and new friends.
There will be questions, discoveries and more,
With brand-new possibilities behind every door.

So rest up, KCS. This year is brand new,
With memories to make and great things to do.
Tomorrow or soon, when your first day begins,
We’ll be ready and waiting to welcome you in. 💙

📱 Midland Trail Weekly Update – August 16

Good evening and happy Sunday, Midland Trail Diamonds! 💜🖤💎 This is Mr. Canada with our first weekly update of the 2026–2027 school year!

🎉📚 WELCOME BACK, DIAMONDS! 📚🎉

Our staff has been working hard to prepare for an exciting year filled with high expectations, academic growth, strong attendance, and Diamond pride! We cannot wait to welcome our students and families back to Midland Trail!

🏫🎒 PRE-K ORIENTATION HAS MOVED!

Join us on Wednesday, August 19, for these important events:

🔹 Pre-K Orientation: 8:30 a.m.

During Orientation, families can meet their teachers and school staff, receive help with ClassDojo and Schoology, find school bus information, complete beginning-of-the-year paperwork, and learn important information for the first day of school.

🔔🎒 IMPORTANT NEW SCHOOL TIMES

Please review our new arrival and dismissal times for the 2026–2027 school year:

🚪 Doors Open: 6:45 a.m.
⏰ Tardy Bell and Morning Announcements: 7:25 a.m.
🚌 Dismissal Begins: 1:45 p.m.

Students should arrive with enough time to eat breakfast, report to class, and be seated and ready to learn before the 7:25 a.m. tardy bell.

🚗 IMPORTANT ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

For the safety of every Diamond, please follow these procedures:

🔹 Pre-K pickup will take place in the church parking lot.

🔹 All early student pickups must be completed by 1:30 p.m. We cannot accommodate early pickups after that time because our staff and students will be preparing for dismissal.

🔹 All changes to a student’s normal pickup or dismissal plan must be communicated directly to the school office. Please do not rely on messages sent only to classroom teachers.

🔹 All Pre-K students must be either walked directly to their classroom by an adult or dropped off through the designated drop-off line. Pre-K students may not be dropped off unattended.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as our families and staff become familiar with these procedures. Every expectation has been established with the safety and well-being of our students in mind.

💎📚 ATTENDANCE MATTERS AT MIDLAND TRAIL!

Every day at school is another opportunity for our Diamonds to learn, grow, and shine!

🏆 The classes with the highest attendance rates will be recognized each week!

Please help your child arrive at school on time and ready to learn every day. Strong attendance will be a major part of our schoolwide focus this year.

Every Day You’re Here…You Shine! 💎

💜🖤 FRIDAYS ARE PURPLE DAYS!

Every Friday will be Midland Trail Elementary Diamonds Purple Day!

Students and staff are encouraged to wear:

💜 Purple
🖤 Black
💎 Midland Trail spirit wear

Let’s fill our school with Diamond pride every Friday!

Midland Trail families, we are excited to begin this journey with you! Our expectations are rising, our goals are growing, and our Diamonds are ready to shine.

Let’s make the 2026–2027 school year our best year yet!

💎 Diamonds Are Produced Under Pressure! 💎

Have a wonderful evening, and we will see everyone tomorrow!

💜🖤💎 It’s always a great day to be a Midland Trail Diamond!

That feeling when the attendance excuse is submitted and you can get on with your morning. 🕺

When your student is absent, you have an online option...no early-morning phone call or paper note to keep track of.

📱 Find the attendance excuse form in the KCS app on your device.

💻 Or visit your child’s school website and select Attendance Form in the top-right corner of the homepage.

One less thing to handle before the coffee kicks in. ☕

Update: After various considerations, Open House will still take place today from 4:00 - 6:00 PM. Our Pre- K Orientation has been moved to Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 8:30 AM. This is a mandatory meeting for all Pre- K parents. Please make sure that you are present and on time.

🎟️ KCS 65+ Tickets

Kanawha County residents age 65 and older can receive free admission to many school sporting events, concerts, musicals, plays and art shows with a KCS 65 and Older Club Card.

Applications and additional details are available on the KCS website. Some exclusions apply, including postseason playoffs and banquets.

⏰ School Start and End Times for 2026–2027

Most KCS schools will follow the same schedule as last year, but start or dismissal times have changed at a few schools as part of updates to help bus routes flow more smoothly across the county.

Before the first day, please find your child’s school in the graphics below and double-check its start and end times...even if the schedule was the same last year.

Please note that these are school bell times, not when doors open for students. We’ll see our students Wednesday! 💙

Due to inclement weather, Midland Trail will be moving our Pre-K Orientation from tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM. Further instructions about the make up date will be posted tomorrow morning after further assessment of the area. Thank you for being patient. As stated earlier, we hope that our families are safe and protected during this time.

💜 To our Midland Trail families and staff affected by today’s storms: We are sending love, prayers, and support to all of our Diamonds and their families. We hope everyone remains safe and sound during this difficult time.

We will keep you updated regarding any changes to our Pre-K Orientation and Open House.

Please stay safe, Diamonds! 💎

🌿 Beautifying Midland Trail Elementary! 🌸

We are excited to share our landscape beautification project at Midland Trail Elementary! Our goal is to create a clean, welcoming, and well-maintained campus that our students can be proud to call their school and that shows our families and community that excellence matters at Midland Trail!

A very special THANK YOU to East Charleston Lowe’s for their generous support and donation of mulch and flowers to help make this project possible. Your partnership means so much to our school! 🌷

We also want to recognize Mrs. Gilmore and Ms. Higginbotham for their hard work and dedication in making sure this project was completed before the start of school. We appreciate you! 👏

We are proud of our school, proud of our students, and proud of the community that supports Midland Trail Elementary! 🏫🌿

Together, we are making Midland Trail a place where excellence matters!

Have questions about exceptional student services? Today is a good day to get answers.

The Office of Exceptional Students Open House is happening today from 2–6 p.m. at the Edison Staff Development Center, 157 2nd Avenue in South Charleston. Families can find information about IEPs, 504s, transportation, speech services, OT/PT, behavioral support, technology and more.

Childcare is available, and free homework supplies will be offered while they last. Can’t attend in person? Use the QR code on the flyer to schedule a virtual appointment.

📣 Riverside Feeder Area—let’s kick off the school year TOGETHER! 💜

Join us for our Town Hall Meeting with Dr. Paula Potter on August 19 from 5:30–6:30 PM!

Whether you’re a parent, educator, community leader, business partner, or neighbor, your voice matters. Come connect, share ideas, hear what’s ahead, and help us build stronger schools, stronger students, and a stronger community.

🎓 Everyone is welcome!
💜 Let’s start our school year off STRONG!
🏆 Together, we are WARRIORS!

🚌 What is my student's bus route number?

We received this question a few times after yesterday’s bus post. The quickest way to find your student’s route is through the KCS Bus Route Finder.

Just:

📍 Enter your home address
🏫 Select your student’s school
🔎 Click Find Bus

The results will show the available route, bus stop location, pickup/drop-off times for that address, and your student's bus route number. Be sure to review both the morning and afternoon information, they may not be the same.

The route number is listed in the results, such as CH06 in the picture below. The bus number may change, but the route stays the same.

🔗 Find your student’s bus route here: https://findmyschool.us/kanawhawv

The bus number is still there. We’re just asking everyone to mostly ignore it. Simple enough, right? 😅

Beginning this school year, KCS students will be assigned to a bus route instead of a specific bus number.

Each route has a two-letter abbreviation for the high school feeder area followed by two numbers, such as HH01. The letters will appear in that high school’s colors, and the route number will be displayed on the side of the bus next to the bus number.

🚌 What does that mean?

If your student’s route is HH01, look for the HH01 sign. It could be attached to bus 1908 today, bus 2101 tomorrow or bus 1911 next week. If the bus displays HH01, it is covering your student’s route.

The bus number identifies the vehicle. The route number tells you where it is going.

📱 What about the Where’s the Bus? app?

The app will also identify your student’s bus by the route number. Instead of looking for bus 1908, families will look for their student’s assigned route, HH01 in this example.

🔔 Why are we making this change?

In the past, about 90% of transportation’s bus-change notifications simply told families that a different bus was covering the same route. Assigning students to routes will eliminate most of those notices.

That means fewer notifications such as “bus 1908 will ride bus 2101 this afternoon” and more room for the updates families actually need to see.

The bus number has not been fired. It just has a much smaller role this season. The route number is the one to remember.

The newest piece of back-to-school technology does not need to be charged, updated or connected to Wi-Fi. A rare and beautiful thing. 😅

Beginning this school year, KCS students in pre-K through third grade will be required to scan a student bus tag when getting on and off the bus. Scanning is optional for students in fourth grade and above.

Each scan works directly with the Where’s the Bus app, so parents/guardians will receive a notification when their student scans on or off the bus. It is a small tag that provides an extra layer of student safety...and some valuable peace of mind for families.

Here are the three types of tags:

🟠 Pre-K: Orange tags are provided by the bus garage during the required pre-K orientation.

🚌 Grades K–3: These tags display the student’s grade prominently, reminding the driver that an adult must be present at the stop. They also include a QR code for scanning.

📱 Grades 4–5: These tags feature a larger QR code. Students in these grades do not need an adult present at the stop.

The QR code contains only the student’s ID number...not a name, address or other personal information.

And so we are all on the same page: The tag is a safety tool, not a ticket to ride. No child will be refused a ride or left standing on the side of the road because a tag was forgotten or lost. Without a scan, the app simply cannot notify the parent or guardian that the student got on or off the bus.

If a tag disappears, as small objects sometimes mysteriously do, schools will print a new one. Example K-3 and 4th and above tags are pictured below.

4,536 meals. 648 boxes. Five weeks. And behind every number was a student. ☀️💙

Each box contained seven meals for the week ahead. Through the summer meal box pickup program, the KCS Child Nutrition Department, with help from the Maintenance Department, made sure those boxes were ready for students throughout the summer.

The numbers are worth celebrating, but what they represent matters most: students having meals available even when school is not in session.