Happy Friday, Ligon Families:

Our halls were filled with excitement this week as we welcomed new staff on Monday, all staff on Tuesday, and met many of our new students and families on Thursday at Into the Blue. Our staff has been preparing diligently, and we’re looking forward to a great school year!

This week’s message is long, but please review it thoroughly as it contains important information for the first day of school. 

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions. 

Dr. Williams
Principal

 

Homeroom Bell Schedule

For the first three weeks of school, we will follow our Homeroom bell schedule. Students will report to their 4B class when they arrive to campus. During homeroom, students will engage in team-building activities, review schoolwide expectations and procedures, and participate in mini-lessons on topics such as goal-setting and time management. Please take a moment to ensure your student(s) know their 4B teacher and room number.

 

A/B Day Calendar

As a reminder, we operate on a A/B Day block schedule. Click here to access the A/B Day Calendar for the 2025-26 school year. The first day of school—Monday, August 25th—is A Day.

 

Student Schedules

The schedule change request form will remain open until the end of the day on Friday, August 29th. Completing the form does not guarantee a change will be made. As of Tuesday, September 2nd, all schedules will be finalized for the school year. Please note: We are unable to accommodate students only receiving the electives they requested.

 

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

North Carolina law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Immunization records should be emailed to Ms. James, Data Manager, at mjames6@wcpss.net.

 

Bus Transportation

Families can view bus transportation details, such as route numbers and stop locations, in their Campus Parent account. If your student is assigned to a bus but does not ride regularly, please submit a decline transportation form. To request bus transportation, register as a bus rider. Questions? Contact Ms. Liggett, Assistant Principal, at bliggett@wcpss.net. 

 

AM/PM Carpool Information

All carpool vehicles must have a Ligon Carpool tag. Families should complete the Carpool Tag Request form to indicate whether a new or additional carpool tag is needed for this school year. Please ensure your student knows their carpool number.

The carpool line operates at the school's main entrance on E Lenoir Street. 

• Morning arrival begins at 7:05 AM and ends at 7:35 AM. Students should not be dropped off before 7:05 AM.

• Afternoon dismissal begins at 2:20 PM. Students cannot be checked out from the main office after 1:50 PM. After 1:50 PM, families must participate in the carpool line.

• Once in line, please pull forward to allow as many vehicles as possible. 

• Students can be let out/picked up anywhere along the sidewalk inside the main entrance loop. 

• When exiting carpool, please turn right onto E. Lenoir Street. If you need to make a left turn, please continue straight onto Montague Lane and then turn left at E. Davie Street. 

• There should be no parking or drop-off on either side of Church Street or S. Haywood Street.

Walkers and Bike Riders

Instead of bus transportation or carpool, families may choose for their student(s) to walk or ride their bicycle to school. Students must be registered via the Walker/Bicycle Rider form.

Registered walkers may be picked up on S. State Street or Chavis Way.

• Please park on only the right side of the street and do not block driveways. 

• Please ask your child to use the sidewalks instead of walking through our neighbors' yards. 

• Walkers should not be picked up on E. Lenoir Street, Haywood Street, or Church Street. 

• School parking lots are also off limits for drop-off and pick-up of students. These are for staff only. 

Personal Device/Cell Phone Policy

WCPSS policy requires all student personal devices (e.g., cellphones, smartwatches, headphones) to be put away during the school day. This includes class transitions and lunch. This policy is designed to support student focus, well-being, and a safe, engaging learning environment:

• Devices must be silenced and put away between 7:05 AM - 2:15 PM.

• At 2:15 PM, before dismissal, students will be permitted to check their phones for any important messages received during the school day.

• “Put away” means out of sight and not easily accessible (i.e., in their backpack).

• Exceptions are allowed for health plans, emergencies, administrator-approved translations, safety plans, or assistive communication.

• Students may use devices on school buses, but the volume must be low and headphones used. Drivers can limit device use if safety is a concern.

• No permission is required for a student to use a personal device to call 911.
  
  

At Ligon, if a student uses a device when they shouldn't:

• 1st Offense: Verbal warning

• 2nd Offense: The device will be turned in to the front office and parents/guardians will be contacted. Students may pick up their device at the end of the school day.

• All subsequent offenses: A parent/guardian will be required to pick up the device at the end of the school day.

Please note that students are responsible for keeping their own devices safe, and the school system is not responsible for lost or stolen devices. Any student device may be searched if there is a reasonable suspicion of a rule being broken.

 

School Meals

The Wake County Board of Education recently approved a 25-cent price increase for the 2025-26 school year. This increase is necessary to cover rising costs of food, supplies, and wages and benefits for staff. As such, full-price meals for middle and high schools during the 2025-26 school year will be: 

• Breakfast: $2.25

• Lunch: $4.00

To apply for free or reduced-price meals, visit www.MySchoolApps.com. Families must reapply to receive meal benefits each school year. Prior-year meal benefits will ​carry over up to 30 school days into the new school year. Questions? Call (919) 856-2920 (English), (919) 588-3535 (English and Spanish), or email cnsmealbenefits@wcpss.net. Additional information, including the link to view breakfast and lunch menus, can be found on the School Meals page.

 

Grade Level Supply Lists

Click here to access the 2025-26 grade level supply lists. The supplies listed are required for core classes (ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies). Elective teachers will share lists of additional supplies needed, if any, during the first week of school. All students are expected to bring their WCPSS-issued Chromebook and charger to school each day. If hardship prevents you from obtaining the required supplies, please contact Ms. Pellas, school social worker, at tpellas@wcpss.net.

 

Grade Level Newsletters

Beginning next week, each grade level newsletter will be linked in this message. Our grade level newsletters are the best source of information for grade-level-specific announcements and provide a way to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in core classes.

 

Fall Sports Tryouts

Tryouts for Ligon's football, cheer, girls’ soccer, and volleyball teams will be held Tuesday, September 2nd through Friday, September 5th. As a reminder, only 7th and 8th-grade students are eligible to participate. Students must also meet eligibility requirements, have a current physical on file, and be cleared in DragonFly prior to September 2nd. Visit the Ligon Athletics website for more information. Questions? Contact Mr. Medinas, Athletic Director, at wmedinas@wcpss.net. 

 

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)

The Ligon Parent Teacher Association (PTA) plays a critical role in supporting our school. The PTA helps to fund essential programs (e.g., Athletics, Food Ark, PBIS), sponsors teacher appreciation events, assists with facility improvement projects, and so much more. If you are able, please consider donating to the PTA or purchasing a membership online. The first general membership meeting of the school year will be held on Thursday, September 11th at 7:30 AM in the Media Center. Questions? Contact Heather Garner, PTA President, at LigonPTAPres@gmail.com.

 

Ligon Arts Boosters (LAB)

Support the arts at Ligon – Join LAB! LAB fundraises, volunteers, and advocates for all Ligon arts programs. Help keep the arts thriving, click here to become a member. Questions? Contact LAB@LigonArtsBoosters.org. 

 

Subscribe to the School Calendar

Click here to add our school calendar to your Google, Outlook, Android, or iOS calendar. The school calendar includes Athletics, Arts, meetings, teacher workdays, and more! Select dates and events are also listed below. 

 

Mark Your Calendars

August 25: First Day of School
September 1: No School (Labor Day)
September 2-5: Fall Sports Tryouts
September 10: Open House, 5:30-7:30 PM
September 11: PTA General Membership Meeting, 7:30 AM
September 16-17: Fall Pictures
September 22: School Improvement Meeting, 2:45 PM
September 23: No School (Teacher Workday)
September 24: Volleyball (Away) vs. Oberlin, 4:00 PM
September 24: Girls Soccer (Away) vs. Oberlin, 4:00 PM
September 25: Football (Away) vs. Oberlin, 4:00 PM