Preparing for the School Year
First Day of School - August 18, 2026 - 9 a.m.
REQUIRED
Student-Athletes
Tryouts and practices for fall sports begin Monday, Aug. 10. Physicals for student-athletes must be completed on or after May 1, 2026 in order to be valid for the upcoming school year. Students and families must complete and submit a digital copy of their physical and the wellness packet regarding concussion and neurocognitive baseline testing.
All athletes involved in high incident sports must complete SWAY neurocognitive testing prior to the start of the season (Football, Volleyball, Softball, Basketball, Wrestling, Soccer and Baseball). Testing is for all 9th and 11th graders, or athletes new to Pius. Coaches will communicate dates and times for testing of their respective teams.
Contact Drew Erks, Athletic Trainer for more information drew.erks@piusx.net.
Sign up for parking spot
The registration time for parking spots will begin on July 13 and end on July 21. Each student will be assigned a locker; no sign-up is needed.
Signing up for a parking spot is ongoing until all spots are filled. There are a limited amount of parking spots available. If space allows, some spots may be awarded to sophomores, but this is less likely because of the space needed for construction of our new theater. Students are asked to consider carpooling with siblings, friends and neighbors. Students who park on side streets near the school are responsible for following the posted street signs related to parking.
For more on parking at Pius X, see the Student Handbook.
Key Dates for Freshmen
- Saturday, Aug. 1 – Retreat: (Option 1)
- Wednesday, Aug. 5 – Green & Gold Day, 8:30 am – 3pm: Students will pick up their schedule, locker information, student photo and ID, self-guided tour with class schedule, shop uniform options, and more. (See below)
- Saturday, Aug. 15 – Retreat: (Option 2)
- Monday, Aug. 17 – Freshmen Orientation 8am – noon
Required New Parent Meeting
Parents of freshman and other students new to Pius X High School should attend our New Parent Meeting at 6 pm on Monday, Aug. 10. A meeting for parents with a student-athlete in a Fall sport is at 7 pm that same evening.
SENIORS
Childhood Pictures for Yearbook
Childhood Pictures for ALL SENIORS are due Friday, October 30. This is the photo that will be used in the video at the senior breakfast at the end of the year. There is no cost to submit this photo. Learn More
Senior Picture Guidelines
The deadline this year is Friday, October 30. Students whose pictures are missing may not be included in the yearbook.
If any senior wants the Pius X Yearbook staff to take his or her photo, we would be happy to help. Contact Mr. DeWispelare by August 30 to schedule. Learn More
ON THE CALENDAR
Green and Gold Day: Wednesday, Aug.5
Green and Gold Day is the name for our Student Picture and Schedule Day. There is not set schedule, so students (and a parent, if desired) are able to do the following tasks at their own pace some time between 8:30 am and 3 pm. Students should enter the Commons doors (door #21, southeast corner of building) and plan to:
- pick up their class schedule and walk the hallways to learn how to best get from class to class;
- learn locker number and combination, and have plenty of time to practice;
- have their photo taken (see rules below) and get their student ID. Picture retakes are offered Sept. 15. Parents will be given information in the weeks following regarding how to order prints (optional). The photos of students in grades 9-11 will appear in the yearbook;
- be given their referral card (this and the student ID must be on a lanyard and visible during school days);
OPTIONAL
- Speak with a school counselor about scheduling questions;
- Inquire about school uniform options and, when available, purchase uniform items;
- Pick a previously-ordered yearbook of the 2025-26 school year;
- order a yearbook of the 2026-27 school year. These yearbooks will be available in August 2027;
- deposit money in the student’s meal account. This can also be done using MySchoolBucks (see below);
- purchase Pius X gear sold by the Booster Club. Orders can be made at any time using the online store.
If you can’t make it during this day, you may stop by the main office (door #1) on week days between Aug. 6 and Aug. 13 from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Here is a list of reminders for proper appearance for picture day:
– Men – Clean shaved; Hair – must be not touching their collar and to the middle of the ear; Sideburns – must be to the middle of the ear; No earrings or piercings; Nice shirt or polo is preferred; If you are wearing a t-shirt no writing can be on the shirt.
– Women – No piercings other than ears; No cleavage; Shoulders must be covered; No shirts with writing on them.
– Pictures are a head-and-shoulder shot only. Students will bring home a picture card with your order codes. You may order directly from Barksdale, our ID picture partner..
First Day of School
This school year will begin on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. We will have class meetings for each grade. Below is a tentative bell schedule:
First Day of School (Subject to change)
1: 9:00-9:27
2: 9:32-9:59
3: 10:04-10:31
Class Meetings: 10:36-11:40
5a: 11:45-12:08
5b: 12:08-12:31
5c: 12:31-12:54
5d: 12:54-1:17
4: 1:22-1:49
6: 1:54-2:21
7: 2:26-2:53
8: 2:58-3:25
Parent Open House
This year’s Parent Open House will be Aug. 24 at 6:30 pm. Come to learn about the school year and enjoy a light supper.
Preparing for the new school year
Student Wellness
Over the counter medication at school (Tylenol, Motrin, Tums, Benadryl)
Permission to give Over the Counter Medication form. We have medication at school and are always taking donations of Tylenol, Motrin, Tums, Benadryl and cough drops.
Students that require prescription medication at school
Permission to give prescribed medication form along with the medication in a bottle from the pharmacy. We cannot accept medication in anything other than what the pharmacy gives you.
Allergy and/or Asthma
- Allergy/Asthma Action Plan-2 pages, requires a practitioner’s signature
- Self-management form signed if student will carry medication with them during the day
Diabetes
- Diabetes Action Plan OR similar plan from the doctor
- Self-management form signed
- When completing registration on Power School please use the Medical and Alerts tabs for life threatening allergies and/or medical conditions only.
School Supplies
Below is a list of school supplies your child may need. Individual teachers will communicate any course-specific requirements (such as art supplies or specialized calculators) before the school year begins or during the first week of class. Students should wait for that guidance before purchasing specialty items.
WILL NEED
Blue or black pens
Pencils or mechanical pencils with extra lead
Highlighters (2–3 colors)
Backpack
Planner
Notebooks
Lanyard (school will provide one if needed)
iPad “pencil”
LIKELY NEED
3-ring binders
Dividers with tabs
Pocket folders (one per class)
Calculator (math and science courses; graphing calculator may be required for advanced math)
Index cards
PERSONAL ITEMS
Water bottle
Gym clothes and athletic shoes (for gym classes)
Hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes, tissues (optional classroom donation)
Funds for Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks
If you had meal money left in your account from the last school year, it’s still there! Deposit new funds in one of two ways:
- Bring check/cash to school front office (include student ID#)
- Use the MySchoolBucks website (fee may apply)
- Use the MySchoolBuck app for smartphone (fee may apply)
Menus are posted in advance at PiusX.net/menu
Finding Your Way
Each classroom has a 4-digit room number, but there’s an easy way to navigate:
- the first number is the floor (first or second floor),
- the second number is the hallway number (#1 hallway is closest to the front door of our school, #2 is in the middle; of our building #3 is toward the back/north),
- the third and fourth numbers are the room numbers, with even numbers on the south side of our school, and the odd numbers to the north.
Wayfair signs are posted throughout the school.
How Pius X Communicates with Families
Pius X strives for efficient and effective communication with parents using a variety of methods:
Principal’s Weekly Email: Principal Jennifer Tran will send a weekly email to all parents highlighting important events, updates and successes.
Social Media: Pius X shares stories about our school via Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn and YouTube, TikTok and BlueSky. If you are so inclined, please like/follow any account you wish and help us share the good news about Pius X.
Counseling Center email: Our counseling department will send occasional emails with important information about scholarships and other post-secondary information. These are mostly targeted toward seniors and occasionally juniors, too. Contact the counseling office if you are the parent of a junior or senior and you are not receiving these emails.
Athletics and Activities: Coaches use various methods to communications with students and their families. Information for each sport or activity is provided by coaches and sponsors at the pre-season meetings or by email.
There is no printed school newsletter.
Frequently Asked Questions
UNIFORMS
Pius X hosts uniform try-and-buy events throughout the summer. Students can try on parts of the uniform to determine what sizes are needed, then place their order through Lands’End Uniform. These events include trying on, purchasing and ordering new uniforms, used uniforms, and Pius X gear sold by the Booster Club. Learn more about these remaining dates.
Uniforms are also available for try-ons and purchase on Green and Gold Day.
Volunteers organize Thrifty Thunderbolt, where they wash and sort uniform donations from families, and make them available to other families. For more information, email uniformshop@piusx.net.
LUNCH / STUDY HALL
Lunch is divided into four sections, A-B-C-D. Students will be in class for two of those sections, eat lunch during one and have study time during the other. EXAMPLE: The student has ‘B lunch’. They will have 20+ minutes to study (section A) in their fifth-period classroom, then eat lunch in the commons (section B), then have their fifth-period class (sections C & D). Students will learn their assigned lunch section in class on the first day of school.