Dover School District outlines plans for 2026-2027 school year

posted on 8/24/2026

The Dover School District is preparing to welcome students back for the 2026-2027 school year, with the first day of school for all grades set for Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Superintendent of Schools Dr. Christine Boston this week released information for families about opening-day schedules, student orientations, transportation, registration and other preparations for the new year.

Before classes begin, several orientations are scheduled for Monday, Aug. 31. Kindergarten students will have orientation from 9 to 11 a.m., with individual elementary schools providing additional information to families. Fifth-grade students will have orientation at Dover Middle School from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., with buses running normal routes. Students who are new to the district in grades 6-8 are also invited to attend to meet their counselors, tour the school and ask questions.

At Dover High School, freshmen orientation will be held Aug. 31 from 7:40 a.m. to noon, also with buses operating on their normal routes.

The first full day of school district-wide is Tuesday, Sept. 1. Elementary school doors will open at 8:05 a.m., with dismissal at 3:05 p.m. Dover Middle School doors open at 7:10 a.m., classes begin at 7:30 a.m., and dismissal is at 2:20 p.m.

At Dover High School, doors open at 7 a.m., classes begin at 7:40 a.m. and students are dismissed at 2:30 p.m. The first day will follow a Green Day schedule and begin in Advisory. Bellamy Academy will follow the same 7:40 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. schedule. See the video below for more information about the high school.

Middle school students can view teacher assignments and high school students can view their schedules through the Infinite Campus parent portal.

Transportation and registration

Bus routes and schedules for the new school year are available on the School District website. To qualify for bus transportation, elementary students, including kindergarten students, must live at least one mile from school; middle school students must live at least 1½ miles away; and high school students must live at least two miles from school.

Families with questions about regular bus transportation can contact First Student Transportation at 603-692-4406. Questions about special education transportation within Dover can be directed to Seacoast Learning Collaborative at 603-679-2021. For other special transportation arrangements, contact the district's Student Services Department at 603-516-6800, ext. 1103.

Families enrolling a new student can complete registration through the Dover School District website at sau11.nh.gov. New students must also provide proof of immunization before they can be admitted to a New Hampshire public school.

School and district offices will be closed Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 7:30 to 10 a.m. for a district-wide staff conference, and Thursday, Aug. 27, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. for mandatory staff training.

Additional information, including school and department contact information, is available in the full 2026-2027 school opening release on the City of Dover website and at the Dover School District website, sau11.nh.gov.

Superintendent Boston joins the Dover Download

For more about the year ahead, Superintendent Dr. Christine Boston will appear on the Dover Download podcast on Tuesday, Aug. 25, to discuss the start of school, preparations for the new academic year and what students, families and the community should know as classes resume