JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It’s the last weekend before Duval County students head back to the classroom and a school supplies giveaway and the Friends of Brentwood Library 10th annual Back-2-School bash on Jacksonville's Northside ensured students were prepared to head back to the classroom.
“Definitely excited because they’re getting ready to go back to school, they will be going back prepared that’s the most important part, we have a couple months of school and we want to be ready," Quichavia Lawson, a Duval County mother of four, said.
600 backpacks filled with school supplies were ready to be taken home with families. Families, members of the school board, city leaders and even Mayor Donna Deegan filled the Brentwood Library for the event.
For many families, events like this ensure their students have the supplies they need for success.
“It is very important because we don’t have the stores that the other neighbors have, we don’t have a Walmart in this area, we don’t have a target, we only have dollar general and family dollar. So we don’t have the stores that they need to get the necessities for school," Latina Evans, whose son is going into 7th grade, said.
Getting students back on a school routine is just as important as filling their back with supplies.
The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests before the first day families visit their children’s school, practice school travel routes, develop a sleep and eating routine, and plan after school care/activities.
“What we’re doing is I’ve bought the uniforms for Jaxon, that’s where he’s going, and just trying to get him accumulated to everything. My son has been doing KHAN all summer so it’s really trying to get him ready," Keith Taylor, father of 9th grader, said.
Duval County School leaders also suggest parents create a linked parent account prior to their student starting school.