Five things every parent (and student) should know before heading out the door for the first day of school today.

1. Start times: Remember, each level of education (there are four in the St Michael-Albertville School District) start and wrap up at a different times.

Morning kindergarten students at Albertville Primary start their day at 7;45 a.m. and are released at 10:15 a.m. Afternoon session starts at 11:30 a.m., with dismissal at 2 p.m. Full-day kindergarteners (Kindergarten Express) are in class from 7:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Elementary students (St. Michael, Big Woods, Fieldstone) are in session from 7:45 a. m. to 2:15 p.m.

Middle School Students (STMA East and West) run from 8 a.m. to 3:05 p.m. After-school activities for middle-schoolers typically begin at 3:30 p.m.

The St. Michael-Albertville High School opens to students at 7:30 a.m., but classes run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

2. Bus Information: Parents should be able to access all necessary bus route information through the School View Portal, which is located on the STMA School District’s website. If you are a first-time rider, or are a kindergarten student, information was sent out the last week of August.

Parents who don’t have the proper information should contact Rita at 763-497-6500, ext. 5100 for more information.

If you’ve changed personal information (pickup address, drop-off address) for a student, call Don’s Bus Service immediately at 763-497-2585 so adjustments can be made. This includes daycare drops.

3. Weather: Today’s weather is going to make kids wish they were still enjoying vacation. Tuesday’s high is set for a balmy 88 degrees, with a low of 62. A jacket might be required at the bus stop in the morning, but probably won’t be needed at recess or on the way home.

4. Kids Play: The St. Michael-Albertville School District offers a somewhat unique feature with its after school programs, Kids Play, which is run through the Early Childhood/Family Education office. Kids Play spots are full for this school year, but if you are interested for 2012-2013 you should e-mail LisaB@stma.k12.mn.us. There is already a waiting list for next year.

5. Plumb full Primary: This year’s kindergarten class could again be one of the largest in the district’s history (according to census information), with nearly 475 students. With five straight classes at or above 400 students, the future looks bright for the high school, which was built to handle 1,800 to 2,000. Last year there were more than 5,100 students in the district.

Bonus item: This year's senior class will be among the largest to graduate from St. Michael-Albertville High School as we know it. We'll have more numbers soon, but the boom seen 12 years ago here is starting to make its way through the school district.