Summer’s still in full swing, but Branford and North Branford public school districts are readying for the first day of the 2012-’13 school year—Wednesday Aug. 29. Both towns start off the calendar year with a full day of school on Aug. 29, followed by full days on Thursday, Aug. 30 and Friday, Aug. 31. Both towns’ schools will be closed on Monday, Sept. 3, in recognition of the Labor Day holiday.

In Branford, a notable change this school year is the reduction of the school bus fleet by one vehicle, resulting in some significant changes to some bus schedules. The town’s diminished student enrollment led to the reduction to the bus fleet.

In North Branford, notable changes include the implementation of full-day kindergarten for the 2012-’13 school year, with the Board of Education also approving a new 9 a.m. start time for the town’s K-2 building, Jerome Harrison Elementary School. Harrison’s school day will end at 3:25 p.m.

Complete school-year calendars, school hours, and all school-related news is posted at www.branford.k12.ct.us for Branford schools and at www.northbranfordschool.org for North Branford schools. Both school districts also offer email alerts for parents who sign up for the service.

A quick synopsis of bus schedules, orientations and school hours for each town follows here:

Branford Public Schools

Bus schedules: First Student Transportation has made some notable changes to its Branford district routes. The updated changes were finalized on Aug. 10, will be posted at www.branford.k12.ct.us, and are also available with this story at www.zip06.com/branford.

New Student Orientations

Branford High School (BHS) invites all members of the freshman Class of 2016, as well all students new to the BHS community (grades 9 to 12), to attend orientation on Thursday, Aug. 23 at BHS, 185 East Main Street. Students should report to the auditorium at 8:30 a.m.; program ends at noon. Bring a pen or pencil and a lock for a locker. For more information, call Assistant Principal Anna Puglia at 203-315-7832.

Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) will hold a new student orientation for grade 5 to 8 students new the school on Friday, Sept. 24 at 11 a.m. in the WIS lecture hall at 185 Damascus Road. Bus information will be available to new students that day as well. The WIS PTA will also hold its incoming 5th-graders Pizza Party on Monday, Sept. 24, 12:15 p.m. on the softball field. All incoming 5th-graders must be accompanied by an adult. A brief question and answer period for new 5th graders will be offered. The WIS office phone is 203-488-8317.

School Hours

Branford High School, 185 East Main Street: Warning Bell 7:25 a.m., first period begins at 7:30 a.m., and last period ends 2:25 p.m.

Walsh Intermediate School, 185 Damascus Road: 8:05 a.m. to 2:50 p.m.

Branford’s three elementary schools (grades K - 4) begin their day at 8:45 a.m. and close at 3:15 p.m. The schools are: John B. Sliney Elementary School, 23 Eades Street; Mary R. Tisko Elementary School, 118 Damascus Road; and Mary T. Murphy Elementary School, 14 Brushy Plain Road.

North Branford Public Schools

Bus Schedules

The district office mails bus schedule information directly to individual households of public school students. Residents should expect letters during the month of August, before school begins. As of press time, the approximate date when bus schedules are to be mailed was not available from the district.

New Student Orientations

All parents of incoming freshman, Class of 2016, should have received in the mail details of the North Branford High School (NBHS) Freshman Orientation program. It’s a two-day program on Wednesday, Aug. 22 (8:45 a.m. to noon) and Thursday, Aug. 23 (8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.) at NBHS, 49 Caputo Road. The program concludes with a leadership-team building field trip to Deer Lake in Killingworth on Aug. 23 (permission slips required). For information call NBHS at 203-484-1465.

The 2012-’13 Kindergarten Parent

Orientation, for parents only, is Thursday, Aug. 23, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Jerome Harrison Elementary School, 335 Foxon Road. The informational evening for parents of incoming kindergarten students provides an opportunity to learn about the full-day kindergarten program and general information about the school. The school will also hold a Family Open House on Tuesday, Aug. 28, for parents/families of K-2 students, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Arrive at any time during the open house hour to view your child’s classroom or meet his or her teacher.

School Hours

North Branford High School, 49 Caputo Road: block schedule begins at

7:35 a.m.; last block ends at 1:57 p.m.

North Branford Intermediate School: (grades 6 to 8) 654 Foxon Road, 8:05 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Totoket Valley Elementary School: (grades 3 to 5) 1388 Middletown Avenue, 8:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Jerome Harrison Elementary School: (grades K to 2) 335 Foxon Road, 9 a.m. to 3:25 p.m.