Back to School

Prepare for the 2023–24 Academic Year

Our Back to School page is designed to help prepare you and your son for the upcoming academic year. If you have any questions, or are looking for information that is not listed, please email us.

Please Note: This page is updated often and many resources will be added throughout the summer as they become available, so be sure to check back regularly.

List of 17 items.

After Care (Middle School Only)

We offer an After Care Program for our middle school students. For the 2023–24 school year, all middle school families are required to register for the program and select one of five different levels of service. Please complete the online form by August 18, 2023.
Bus Transportation

We are excited to continue our bus transportation that features new regional locations for 2023-2024. You may explore our low-cost a.m. and p.m. options listed by region and select the service that best fits your needs. Bus fees are between $2,000-3,000 annually (billed via FACTS, price dependent on chosen route) and include your son’s morning and afternoon transportation.

Bus routes, stops, times, and an interest form may be found on our Transportation page.
Calendar

The online calendar for the 2023–24 school year is now available via onCampus. A preview of some important dates for the school year can also be found here.

You can access the online calendar by logging in to onCampus and clicking on the Calendar tab. Once there, you can switch between grid and list views as well as day, week, and month views.

Some other helpful features are listed below:

Toggling Event Categories: You can toggle between different event categories including Athletics Events, Arts Events, College Counseling Events, General School Events, and more.

Managing Separate Calendars: If you have more than one son at Loyola, you can toggle between their individual calendars, which include assignments, athletic schedules, class events, and more.

Printing: There is a dedicated print button in the top right corner to print the schedule. See screenshot below for reference.

Exporting & Subscribing: You can export the calendar to an external calendar platform of you choice, such as Outlook. You can also subscribe to each individual calendar and receive updates when changes to the calendar are made. These options are available via the button at the top right next to the print button.

The calendar is also accessible on the front end of our website here, but it is more limited as you can only filter by a limited number of categories, and you cannot toggle between your son(s) specific calendars.
Daily Schedule

The daily schedule for the 2023–24 school year will be as follows:

Start Time
All grades will start at 8:00 a.m., with the exception of a late start on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m.

Dismissal Time
2:55 p.m. for all grades

Homeroom
Homeroom meets from 8:00 to 8:10 a.m. daily for all grades.

Letter Days
We will maintain an A – D letter day rotation with two Anchor Days scheduled before and after mid-term exams.
Dining Plans
Welcome back to the Dining Hall! To ensure your student is ready to enjoy breakfast and lunch with fellow students during the 2023–24 school year, simply fund your account at loyolablakefield.revtrak.net. Once they have a balance, the student can simply select their menu items and enjoy!

If you are a new student this year, keep an eye out for a welcome email. It will come from noreply@myschoolaccount.com, and can often go to your spam folder. Questions? Contact S0093@sagedining.com.

Our offerings this year include:
- Full Deli, made to order every day
- Mediterranean Station Daily
- Build Your Own Salad Station
- Soup from scratch daily
- Hot Sauce Station
- Spicy Buff every Thursday
- Taco Tuesdays
- Seasonal Dessert Rotation
Dress Code

Students are required to dress according to standards determined by the school. In all cases, student dress should be characterized by neatness and cleanliness. More details about the 2023–24 dress code can be found at the bottom of this page under the General School Forms section.
Health & Wellness

In order to maintain a safe and healthy learning environment, we ask that students refrain from attending school or other school-sponsored activities while experiencing symptoms of illness.

These include: Fever, vomiting/nausea, diarrhea, extreme fatigue, persistent/heavy cough, or severe respiratory symptoms.

Airborne Illness
Illnesses such as influenza, common colds, RSV, and COVID-19 can spread quickly. If your son is experiencing symptoms, he should refrain from attending school. If diagnosed with a specific airborne illness, please follow instructions from your healthcare provider and remain at home until symptoms improve.

Questions? Contact the School Nurse.
Health Records & Forms

Please visit our Health & Wellness page for more information regarding student health information, required forms, and deadlines for the 2023–24 academic year.
Math Prep

Math packets for the 2023-2024 school year may be found below. Your son should complete the packet for the class he will be going in to for the 2023-24 school year. Packets are due on the first day of school.
onCampus Access & Credentials

New students will receive their login credentials (User ID and Password) for our education management system, onCampus, during Student Orientation in August. This is so that our faculty and staff can guide them through the process of logging in and how to navigate the onCampus platform.

New parents may access onCampus prior to Orientation by using the credentials they created during the Admissions application process last year. Email communications@loyolablakefield.org or helpdesk@loyolablakefield.org if you have forgotten your credentials.

Returning students and parents may access their onCampus profiles at any time using their existing credentials.
Orientation

Please see below for dates and times of Back-to-School Orientation. All students are expected to attend their respective orientation.

6TH GRADE
Friday, August 25 from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM

7TH GRADE
Thursday, August 31 from 9:00 AM to Noon

8TH GRADE
Monday, August 28 from 9:00 AM to Tuesday, August 29 at 2:00 PM (overnight)

9TH GRADE
Monday, August 28, from 8:00 AM to 2:30 PM
Tuesday, August 29 through Thursday, August 31st (Times are dependent on grouping. Groups and times will be published in August.)

10TH GRADE
Friday, August 25 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

11TH GRADE
Tuesday, August 29 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

12TH GRADE
Wednesday, August 30 from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Middle School Transfer Student Orientation is Wednesday, August 23 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 p.m.. Middle School Transfer Students are students beginning their Loyola career in grades 7 or 8. They should attend both transfer orientation and their respective grade level orientation.

High School Transfer Student Orientation is Monday, August 28 from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. High School Transfer Students are students beginning their Loyola career in grades 10, 11, 12. They should attend both transfer orientation and their respective grade level orientation.
School Store

Current store hours are 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. during normal school days. The store is also open during select special events. Check our School Store page for daily schedule changes, or to order from our online store.
School Supplies

We provide supply lists for students in grades 6–9, while students in grades 10–12 are expected to come to school equipped with pencils, pens, and paper, and will receive their supply lists from their teachers on the first day of school.

Middle School Supply List
Freshman Supply List
Student Handbook

The 2023–24 student handbook is available here.
Student Schedules

Student schedules for the 2023–24 school year will be available mid-August.
Summer Reading

Please consult the summer reading list located at the bottom of this page for the 2023–24 school year. It is organized by grade level.

Students can expect to engage with their assigned readings during orientation and as their first academic unit.
Textbooks
Beginning August 8, you may begin ordering textbooks for the 2023–24 school year through our online bookstore with BNC K-12 (formerly known as MBS Direct).

To order books, you will need to:
1. Visit the online bookstore and create an account, if you have not previously done so. The online bookstore can be accessed here.
2. Navigate to "Menu" then "Order Your Materials" as seen in the image below. You will be asked to enter a Student ID, which is the student e-mail address. Student e-mail addresses are based on the following convention: first initial of student's first name, middle initial, student's last name, and class year. For example, John Paul Smith of the Class of 2024 would be jpsmith2024@loyolablakefield.org.
3. View course materials and select your preferred format (new, used, or purchase from the marketplace).
4. Check out.
Please take note of the following:
- If you order between August 8 and August 21, BNC K-12 will provide free shipping for orders larger than $99.00. It may take several days for books to arrive, so it would be ideal to order on or shortly after August 8.
- You are not obligated to purchase books through BNC K-12. You may use this site to view the texts required for your son’s courses, and you may decide which texts you prefer to purchase directly from them or through other providers.
- Take note that some texts are listed as "required, previous purchase." This means that your son likely already has this book and should have kept it over the summer. If your son for some reason does not have the text, you can then purchase it from BNC K-12.
- For some courses it is noted that the instructor will provide access to a digital text for the class. The cost of these digital texts will be charged through FACTS accounts once all course enrollments are finalized. This typically occurs in mid-October. The actual cost for these digital resources will be shared with students in early September, but typically is approximately $50.00 per text.
- If you are not sure of your son’s placement in a course, do not order the book for that course yet.
If you have questions or concerns about the courses your son is enrolled in, please do not order books yet. We will begin addressing issues or concerns about course enrollment beginning on August 7. At that time, you may contact our scheduling office by emailing mlackner@loyolablakefield.org.

If you have any financial concerns and need assistance with a payment plan for books, please contact jpoole@loyolablakefield.org.

For questions regarding returns or any other customer service related concerns, please contact BNC K-12 directly through their Customer Support Page .

Summer Math Packets

Students should complete the packet for the math course/level they will be entering in the fall of 2023. Math packets are required and must be turned in on the first day of classes.

NOTE: There is no distinction for honors levels with the prep work. For example, if your son is taking Algebra II Honors, he should complete the Algebra II packet listed below.

Parking Permits

Any Juniors or Seniors who wish to park on campus this year should fill out the form here. Please note parking permits are for Juniors and Seniors only. A separate form must be provided for each automobile that you wish to register.

Any student who was issued a parking permit last year does not need to register again.

Summer Reading 2023–24

List of 6 items.

Classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026

This year our summer reading program for students in the classes of 2024, 2025, and 2026 include one self-selected and one course-assigned book. A list of courses and their assigned summer reading can be found here.

Each student should have completed his self-selected book prior to his scheduled orientation day in August. During orientation a member of the faculty will lead a small book discussion group. Students should be prepared to contribute to the discussion and demonstrate understanding of the book.

In addition, each student will be asked to read one course-assigned book that will be used during the first academic unit in his English course. This book should be completed before the first day of classes on September 5, 2023.

Each student in 10^th, 11^th, and 12^th grades received an email from Mr. Bromwell on Thursday, June 22^nd detailing both of their summer reading book selections.

Don't forget! Many of our books are available in e-book and audiobook format via the Sora app (available on the Learning Commons Resources tab on your Resource Board).
Class of 2027 Ignatian Honors Program
Read the first four books of Homer’s Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson (ISBN 978-0-393-35625-0), which are known as the Telemachy, because they tell part of the story of the teenage son of Odysseus Telemachus’ journey into adulthood. While the Odyssey obviously centers around the hero Odysseus’ return home from the Trojan War, the epic itself starts with Telemachus’ story, and his journey is intricately intertwined with that of his father and mother, Penelope.

You are welcome to read the introductory material, but we ask that you read carefully the following:
- Book I: The Boy and the Goddess (pages 105-119)
- Book II: A Dangerous Journey (pages120-134)
- Book III: An Old King Remembers (pages 135-151)
- Book IV: What the Sea God Said (pages 152-179)
Write down some observations about the relationships that most influence Telemachus. Important people in his life include his mother Penelope, his father Odysseus, his nanny Eurycleia, his guardian Athena, the suitors who live in his house, his new friend Pisistratus, and the heroes Nestor and Menelaus. You are expected to bring these notes with you when you return to school in the fall.
Class of 2027 (Honors and College Prep)

Incoming 9th grade students are expected to read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

Students can expect to engage with this text as their first academic unit, as well as take a short assessment at the beginning of the year.
Class of 2028
Book 1:
All rising Loyola 8^th graders should read the book The Pearl by John Steinbeck. They should expect an assessment on their reading during the first week of classes.

Book 2:
All rising Loyola 8^th graders should read the book Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin.

After reading the book, they should type a short essay about the book they read. They should have this essay completed prior to the first day of classes. The teacher will instruct students on how to submit it. The essay should include the following information:
- Paragraph 1: Identify the title, author, main characters, and setting of your book.
- Paragraph 2: Describe the main problem of the book, and the steps the main characters take to overcome that problem. Don’t summarize every single detail – stick to the most important moments. Aim for no more than 10 sentences here.
- Paragraph 3: What did you think of the book? Did you like it? Why or why not? What elements of this book relate to your own life?
Class of 2029
Book 1:
All rising Loyola 7^th graders should read The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall. They should expect an assessment on their reading during the first week of classes.

Book 2:
All rising 7^th graders should read The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg by Rodman Philbrick. After reading the book, they should type a short essay about the book they read. They should have this essay completed prior to the first day of classes. The teacher will instruct students on how to submit it. The essay should include the following information:
- Paragraph 1: Identify the title, author, main characters, and setting of your book.
- Paragraph 2: Describe the main problem of the book, and the steps the main characters take to overcome that problem. Don’t summarize every single detail – stick to the most important moments. Aim for no more than 10 sentences here.
- Paragraph 3: What did you think of the book? Did you like it? Why or why not? What elements of this book relate to your own life?
Class of 2030

Book 1:
All rising Loyola 6^th graders should read the book The Wild Robot by Peter Brown. They should expect an assessment on their reading during the first week of classes.

Book 2:
All rising Loyola 6^th graders should read the Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus by August Derleth. They should expect an assessment on their reading during the first week of classes.

Orientation 2023