Mercer Island public school students will return to school on Wednesday, Aug. 29, for the 2012-2013 school year.

Here’s some information for students heading back to school.

This year the Mercer Island School District will have early release days on Wednesday, a change from Mondays in years past. The first day of school will not be an early release day.

Due to the Labor Day holiday, students will not have school on Monday, Sept. 3.

Elementary students in first through fifth grade will be able to access their class placement information on Aug. 22 via Skyward Family Access, while a letter will be sent the same day to kindergarten families.

Island Park Elementary

A kindergarten open house will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Aug. 28, and new family tours will also be held on Aug. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m.

The PTSA will host a welcome back coffee at school at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 29.

Lakeridge Elementary

The kindergarten orientation will be held at 2 p.m. on Aug. 28, with new student orientation the same day at 3 p.m.

West Mercer Elementary

West Mercer will host its Kinder Social from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 27. A kindergarten through third grade open house will take place at 4 p.m. on Aug. 28.

The PTA welcome coffee and volunteer sign-ups will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Aug. 29.

Islander Middle School

Registration began on Aug. 9 for new students. Aug. 21 is ‘Fees and Photos Day,’ when pictures will be taken and schedules will be given out to students. Students in sixth grade can come to the school from 10:30 a.m. until noon, while seventh and eighth-graders should arrive between 1 and 3 p.m.

At 10 a.m. on Aug. 21, Skyward will be available to parents to view schedules.

On the first day of school, sixth-grade students arrive at school first at 8:10 a.m. and will attend an assembly in the cafeteria at 8:25 a.m.

Seventh and eight-graders arriving on buses exactly three hours later than usual will head to their first period class at 11:25 a.m.

Lunch is not scheduled on the first day for seventh and eighth grade students.

Mercer Island High School

The MIHS counseling center opens on Aug. 16 for new student registration. The next day, Aug. 17, Skyward will open at the end of the day for parents and students to view student schedules.

On Aug. 20, fall sports practice begins for everyone except football, which begins on Aug. 15.

The first pictures, fees and ORCA card distribution day will take place on Aug. 23. Freshmen can come to the school between 7 and 10:45 a.m. while juniors can attend between noon and 3 p.m. The second day will be on Aug. 24 for sophomores, between 7:30 and 10:45 a.m., and seniors between noon and 3 p.m.

A barbecue and tour for incoming freshmen and new students will be held in the high school commons on Aug. 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.

To learn more back-to-school information, visit the MISD website at www.mercerislandschools.org.