Ready, Set, Cubs! Back-to-School Countdown Is On

The lazy days of summer are numbered, Olney — the Cubs are heading back to class in less than a week, and there’s a lot to pack into these final days of vacation. From Chromebook pickup to Meet the Teacher night to the first football practice hitting the grass, here’s everything parents need to know to make the transition smooth (and maybe even a little fun).

Mark Your Calendar

The big one: Wednesday, August 12 is the first day of school for Olney ISD. Everything else on this list is building toward that morning.

Before then, families have a few stops to make: Friday, August 7 — Junior high students in grades 6-8 can pick up Chromebooks and class schedules from noon to 4 p.m. Just remember: registration and the socioeconomic form must be completed first, or there’s no Chromebook to grab.

Saturday, August 8 — It’s picture day for Cub football, 8 a.m. at the high school gym, followed by an intrasquad scrimmage at 9:30 a.m. — a good chance for the community to get its first look at this year’s team.

Monday, August 10 — The big one for younger families: Meet the Teacher night. At the elementary school, students with last names A-K go from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., and L-Z from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., with a short Title I meeting before you find your child’s classroom. Enter through the cafeteria doors. Over at the junior high, 6th grade parents and 7th/8th grade families swap time slots between 6 and 6:45 p.m. for their own Title I meetings and Meet the Teacher sessions.

Wednesday, August 12 — First day of school. Cue the new-backpack photos on the front porch.

The Supply List Just Got Shorter

Parents of elementary students can breathe easy this year: thanks to the Olney Elementary PTO’s “No-Stress School Supplies” program, every basic school supply is covered for every student. All kids need to bring is a backpack and a reusable water bottle (plus a nap mat, PreK families). The program runs on donations — a suggested $30 per student keeps it going, so if your family’s in a position to chip in, the PTO won’t turn it down. Atmos Energy also delivered backpacks to the Olney Elementary Assistant Principal Kalynn Philipp just before the first day of school as part of its Fueling Safe and Thriving Communities Initiative.

Cubs Football Is Already in Motion While most of Olney is still enjoying summer, the Cub football team has been grinding through a full week of two-a-days — practice on the grass every morning, followed by weights and conditioning. Freshmen had their orientation Wednesday, and juniors, seniors and sophomores have been rotating through laptop pickup throughout the week. Coaches have one simple rule for anyone showing up to lift: real tennis shoes only — Crocs, slides and Hey Dudes need not apply.

The Cubs open their season on the road at Quanah on August 28, with the home opener following in September. If you’d like to support a Cub athlete, cheerleader or band member, ad space in this year’s football program is available — just get your order in by August 7.

Volleyball: Lady Cubs Hit the Court Volleyball season is getting underway as well, with the Lady Cubs hitting the gym this week for afternoon practices. Their first scrimmages are set for Friday, Aug. 7, at Knox City and Saturday, Aug. 8, at Newcastle. Fans won’t have to wait long to cheer them on at home: the Lady Cubs host Wichita Christian on Monday, Aug. 10, followed by Gold-Burg on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Band Camp: Where the Real Bonding Happens

Anyone who’s sent a kid to band camp knows it’s not really about the music, or at least not only about the music. The Olney High School Band’s own description of camp week captures it well: kids arrive nervous, exhausted, and occasionally ready to quit — and come out the other side a little more confident, a little more resilient, and a lot closer to their bandmates. It’s the kind of shared struggle that turns into some of the best memories of a kid’s high school years, blisters and all.

And this year’s camp is a full week: uniform checkout and full rehearsals run Monday through Friday, August 3-7 (Monday’s the big one for seniors and juniors, with sectionals, marching fundamentals and a dinner break built in), band pictures go Thursday evening, and the week wraps with Band Olympics and a pool-and-pizza party at the city pool Friday. After a long weekend, rehearsals pick back up Monday, August 10, before easing off for the actual first day of school on the 12th. From there, band season shifts into performance mode fast — a “Meet the Cubs” night at the football stadium on August 17, and the band in the stands for the season-opening game at Quanah on August 28.

Booster Club Wants Your Help (and Your Watermelon) The Olney Athletics Booster Club is kicking off the season with a snack drive, stocking bins that will keep Cub athletes fueled all fall. They’re asking for individually packaged donations — think Gatorade, bottled water, Goldfish, applesauce pouches, granola bars, peanut butter or cheese crackers, fruit snacks, and other wrapped snacks. Every item donated earns an entry into the Booster Club’s prize basket drawing, so it pays to be generous. Watermelons are needed too — drop yours off Sunday, August 16 at 6 p.m. in the gym parking lot; just look for a Booster Club member.

It all builds to Meet the Cubs on Monday, August 17 at 7 p.m. at Cub Stadium, where the community gets its first look at the football, volleyball, cross country, cheer and band programs for the new year. Bring the family — there’s a free hot dog, free watermelon and free water for everyone who comes out to help kick off the 2026 season.

FFA Families, Take Note

Olney FFA’s livestock season is already stirring. Students interested in showing an animal at county show or majors should reach out to the ag department — Ms. Morgan for swine, goats and poultry, or Mr. Maroney for cattle, lambs and rabbits. And the Friends of FFA support group, which helps fund scholarships for FFA students, is looking to grow its reach to the Junior FFA program this year as well.

Save the Date Beyond August Football season kicks off in style with the Olney Athletics Booster Club’s 2nd Annual Tacos & Tailgates, set for Friday, September 4 — the same night as the Cubs’ first home game. It’s shaping up to be a big community turnout, so keep it on the radar even though it falls just past the back-to-school rush.