The first day of school in Bay County will be Monday, Aug. 11. Here are a few things you should know before school starts:
How do I register my student?
Instructions on how to register your student in Bay County can be found at https://focus.bayschools.net/focus/apply/
What about bus transportation?
Parents wishing to receive transportation services for the 2025-26 school year may do so by accessing their “Parent Portal” for bus routes and zones. Full details are at https://bay.k12.fl.us/transportation.
School and law enforcement held a news conference concerning bus safety. Here’s our story.
The city of Panama City is talking about possible speed enforcement efforts in school zones. Read more here.
How does lunch work at Bay District Schools?
Those who want to pay for school meals online can visit https://bay.k12.fl.us/school-meals. To see what’s on school menus, visit https://bay.nutrislice.com/menu
What school supplies does my child need?
To find out what your child needs for school, visit https://bay.k12.fl.us/school-supplies. Click on the school your child goes to and get ready to go school shopping!
Florida back-to-school sales tax holiday
The state sales tax holiday for back-to-school shopping has begun and runs through Aug. 31.
Here’s what is included in the sales tax holiday.
Find more information about the sales tax holiday here.
What about school safety?
For more information on school safety at Bay District Schools, visit https://bay.k12.fl.us/safety-security
What are off days and holidays for the 2025-2026 school year?
For the full academic calendar, visit https://bay.k12.fl.us/academic-calendar
What happened this summer while school was out?
Check this story for a recap of the news from the summer, including school grades.
When do schools in other Florida counties start?
Check the full list here.
Alan Festo contributed
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Are you ready? School starts Aug. 11 in Bay County. We have all the info here.
Reporting by DeonTay Smith, Panama City News Herald / The News Herald
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