Summer has come to an end and it's time for school.

Classes throughout the district begin Tuesday, Sept. 4.

Checking lunch accounts: With the start of school comes the school lunch account. Parents are encouraged to check their child's lunch account often to assure that funds are available to purchase lunches.

Accounts can be checked online through mySchoolBucks.com. Those who don't have Internet access may call the Gockley cafeteria between 9:30 and 11 a.m. to check the balance.

Box tops: The PTO is collecting box tops from General Mills products and will continue to do so throughout the year.

The box tops are sorted and sent to the General Mills Corporation in return for donation dollars to our school.

Please look for the Box Tops for Education logo and clip and save the coupons. Thanks for helping out!

Attendance rules: All children are expected to be in school each day unless they are ill or a family emergency occurs.

Parents are asked to remember that a written note explaining the child's absence is required within three days of a student's absence.

Parents and students are also reminded to avoid arriving late because this interrupts instructional time. Parents should accompany their child to the office when they are tardy.

Also, children who will be absent because of a trip must bring in a completed trip form before leaving.

Join the PTO: The Whitehall-Coplay Parent-Teacher Organization provides numerous educational and cultural programs for students. Many of the special events could not occur without the assistance and financial support of this dedicated organization for students in all grades.

Visit the PTO website for information at www.orgsites.com/pa/whitehall-coplaypto.

During the upcoming weeks you will receive information about becoming a member. Please consider joining. There are no commitments, though volunteers are welcome to participate in the following opportunities: hospitality, holiday parties, school spirit, fundraisers, publicity, book fairs, Children's Day and special projects.

Fundraising information will also be distributed.

District website: Be sure to check the district website at www.whitehallcoplay.org/districtsite/index.html for information on many upcoming events as well as general information the district is sharing. You can access lunch information, important health room news, PTO event schedules, special building activities and many more resources.

Many schools are going green and suggest you do, too, by reading school newsletters online.

Do you have any school news? This is a weekly column of upcoming school events in the Whitehall-Coplay School District. Teachers, administrators, parents, students, coaches, PTOs, club advisors and community members are invited to share news of their upcoming activities. Please email me at jamb87@hotmail.com with the subject line "for Whitehall-Coplay Press" at least one week before an event. The Press comes out every Thursday. My column is completed by the Sunday before. Hope to hear from you!