JULY 16, 2026 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kevin Christian, APR, CPRC, Director of Public Relations
352.671.7734 w ◊ 352.840.3265 c
[email protected]
ORIENTATION DATES AND TIMES ANNOUNCED FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR
Students, Parents, and Families Welcome
MARION COUNTY – Each new school year offers new information about everything school-related. Much of this information is shared at school orientations, giving students, parents, and families opportunities to become more familiar with their new or returning campus and classroom layouts before the actual school year begins.
These special “meet and greets” also offer advance notice of class schedules, bell times, teacher assignments, bus routes and stop times, extra-curricular activities, and other school-related events.
Families are encouraged to ensure their contact information is correct during these orientations and to sign up for free online Family Access at each school, giving them 24/7 access to student grades, attendance, academic, and additional information on any mobile device.
As well, updated contact information will form the foundation of Apptegy, the District’s new communications platform. With a mobile app coming in the near future, effective communication is more likely to happen with accurate contact information.
Here is a listing of orientation dates and times alphabetically by school. New students, especially kindergarten-aged children, should register now for school to avoid long lines on Monday, Aug. 10, the first day of class for students in Marion County Public Schools. (Wyomina Park Elementary students return Tuesday, July 21 because of year-round school.)
|
School
|
Orientation Date
|
Orientation Time / Grade Level
(All grades unless otherwise noted)
|
|
Anthony Elementary
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
|
8AM VPK, ASD, Pre-K ESE, Kindergarten
8:40AM Grades 1-5
|
|
Belleview Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
1PM
|
|
Belleview High
|
Aug. 5
Aug. 5
|
5PM
3:30PM Freshman Preview
|
|
Belleview Middle
|
Aug. 7
|
9AM New students and Grade 6
|
|
Belleview-Santos Elementary
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
|
9AM VPK - Grade 2
10:15AM – Grades 3-5
|
|
Bridgeway Academy
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 7
|
1PM Grades 1-5
1PM Grades 6-12
|
|
College Park Elementary
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
8:30AM Pre-K – Grade 2
9:15AM – Grades 3-5
|
|
Dr. NH Jones Elementary
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
12PM Primary
1PM Intermediate
|
|
Dunnellon Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
10AM
|
|
Dunnellon High
|
Aug. 6
|
4PM
|
|
Dunnellon Middle
|
Aug. 6
|
2PM
|
|
East Marion Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
1PM
|
|
Eighth Street Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
10:30AM
|
|
Emerald Shores Elementary
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
|
11:30 Pre-K & Kindergarten
12:30PM Grades 1-5
|
|
Fessenden Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
9AM
|
|
Fordham Early Learning Academy
|
Aug. 7
|
10:30AM
|
|
Forest High
|
Aug. 6
|
5:30PM
|
|
Fort King Middle
|
Aug. 6
|
5PM
|
|
Fort McCoy School
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
8AM VPK
8:30AM Grades K-8
10AM Grade 3
|
|
Greenway Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
12PM
|
|
Hammett Bowen. Jr. Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
1PM
|
|
Harbour View Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
12:30PM
|
|
Hillcrest
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
10AM New Families
11AM Returning Families
|
|
Horizon Academy at Marion Oaks
|
July 30
|
6PM New students and Grade 6
|
|
Howard Middle
|
Aug. 7
|
8AM
|
|
Lake Weir High
|
Aug. 6
|
5:30PM New students and Grade 9
|
|
Lake Weir Middle
|
Aug. 6
|
9:30AM New students and Grade 6
|
|
Legacy Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
10AM
|
|
Liberty Middle
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
|
12:30PM ESE students
2:30PM All others
|
|
Madison Street Academy
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
9AM Pre-K - Grade 2
10:30AM Grades 3-5
|
|
Maplewood Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
9AM
|
|
Marion Oaks Elementary
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
9AM Sensory friendly
9:45AM Grades K-2
10:45 Grades 3-5
|
|
North Marion High
|
July 30
Aug. 6
|
9AM Freshman Preview
5:30PM Grades 9-12
|
|
North Marion Middle
|
Aug. 7
|
1PM New students and Grade 6
|
|
Oakcrest Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
1PM
|
|
Ocala Springs Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
8:30AM
|
|
Osceola Middle
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
9AM Last Names A-L
9:45AM Last Names M-Z
|
|
Reddick-Collier Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
10AM
|
|
Romeo Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
1PM
|
|
Ross Prairie Elementary
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
1PM ASD, EBD, VPK, Pre-K, and Kindergarten
8:30AM Last Name A-L
10:30AM Last Name M-Z
|
|
Saddlewood Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
12:30PM
|
|
Shady Hill Elementary
|
Aug. 6
|
10AM
|
|
South Marion High
|
Aug. 6
July 30
|
6PM
10AM Freshman Connection
|
|
South Ocala Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
11AM
|
|
Sparr Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
10AM
|
|
Stanton-Weirsdale Elementary
|
Aug. 7
|
8:30AM
|
|
Sunrise Elementary
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
9:30AM VPK, ASD, IND, Pre-K ESE and Kindergarten
10AM Grades 1-5
|
|
Vanguard High
|
Aug. 6
July 28
|
6PM
8:30AM Freshman Preview
|
|
Ward-Highlands Elementary
|
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
Aug. 6
|
8:45AM VPK and Kindergarten
9:30AM Grades 1-2
10:30AM Grades 3-5
|
|
West Port High
|
Aug. 5
July 29
|
5:30PM
8AM Freshman Preview
|
|
Winding Oaks Elementary
|
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
Aug. 7
|
8AM VPK and ESE
9:15AM Grades K-2
10:30AM Grades 3-5
|
|
Wyomina Park Elementary
|
July 20
|
1PM
|
For more information, reach out to individual schools, check school websites at www.marionschools.net, or contact the Public Relations Office at 352.671.7555.
# # #
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An Equal Opportunity School District
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