Foyil students return to class with emphasis on attendance

The first bell rang Monday morning to mark the start of the 2025-26 school year for the Foyil Panthers. Students across all grades returned to classrooms after a summer filled with sports practices, band rehearsals and anticipation for the year ahead.

District leaders say the priority this year is clear: be in class, be engaged and make the most of each school day. Superintendent Brad Jordan said the annual schedule pick-up and meet-the-teacher event was a big success, setting a positive tone for the year.

Importance of attendance

Jordan emphasized that missing school can have long-term consequences.

“We would like parents to know that attendance is vitally important,” Jordan said. “There’s studies out there that show when kids miss 10% or 20%, that can be an entire year of schooling by the time they get to their seniors, so attendance is so important. Our teachers want you here, our principals want you here, so come to school and learn something.”

New cell phone policy

One of the biggest changes for the 2025-26 year is a statewide cell phone policy spanning the entire district. Jordan believes the change will lead to more meaningful student interaction.

“Kids are going to be more engaged, not just only in the education aspect of things but actually with their friends,” he said. “It will be more like when I was in school—there was no such thing as a cell phone—and so it will be neat to go back to those days in my opinion.”

A year of activities ahead

Sports teams and extracurricular groups are already in motion, with practices continuing through the summer months. The district says students are ready to compete and perform this fall.

School day schedule

Classes run from 8 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. each day for all grades in the district. Staff members say they are eager to help students succeed and make the most of the new year.

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