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It’s time to go Back to School
Yes, it’s time to (Beep! Beep! Will someone please turn that thing off?) get back into the routine of going to bed early, getting up with the chickens, fixing a nutritious breakfast and outfitting students with backpacks, shoes and supplies. Okaloosa County schools commence on August 5 while Escambia and Santa Rosa County schools commence on August 23. Most of us walk right by the school supply lists at the stores, ignoring them as if they will go away, while others thrill to the smell of a brand new composition book and a fresh box of markers. There are so many items to purchase for school. First, assess the shoe situation. Most schools require closed-toe shoes suitable to wear at gym class. Translation: tennis shoes. Flip flops will impede your child’s progress on the track field. Chances are, last year’s shoes are too small and too worn out to make a good impression on the first day of school. Secondly, take a trip to the hair stylist. A fresh haircut and style help with confidence and present a well groomed look to the teacher and administrators. Clothing: On these hot August days, summer “play” clothes are acceptable wear at school. However, some schools have restrictions on wearing tank tops and short skirts, so check with your school before school starts. Most classrooms are air conditioned, so an extra layer tucked into the backpack may help fight the chill. Dental appointments and optical checkups are best done before school starts. If your child has been watching TV or playing video games all summer, you may not realize if there is a change in vision until they cannot read the board. A pre-school checkup will help get kids adjusted to wearing corrective lenses. School supplies – Before taking a trip to the school supply mart, check to see if you need everything on the list. Last year’s scissors and ruler may work just fine, as will those map colors that were only used once. It saves money and is a great way to recycle school supplies. Backpack - A shiny new backpack is one way for students to express themselves, but before you buy one, make sure they are allowed at your school. Before heading off to school, get your immunizations. Florida law requires Pre-K, Kindergarten and 7th grade students to certain vaccinations, all of which are administered free at the Health Department. Fees – Bring your checkbook to your school’s orientation to pay for art fees, P.E. fees and other miscellaneous fees. This is also the time to deposit money in the lunch account, purchase a yearbook and join the school PTA. Lockers, parking permits: some schools have a day designated for locker assignments. If your child has a vehicle and is old enough to drive, he or she will need to procure a parking decal. Before and after school care: if your child is young, you may want to arrange before or after school care, as well as lessons. Depending on the particular interest, there are classes in martial arts, musical instruments, dance, tutoring and organized sports. Going back to school forces families to live on a schedule, and that means having real breakfasts and dinners. Most kids are starving when they hit the door after school, so invest in some healthy snack foods to tide them over until dinner time. Summer break is over, but there’s still a lot of summer left. You can sleep late and lounge about on the beach on the weekends. Just remember to turn the alarm off. SALES TAX HOLIDAY AUGUST 13-15 Exempt items include: Books Clothing and footwear Any article of wearing apparel, including all footwear intended to be worn on or about the body. Certain school supplies Pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, notebooks, notebook filler paper, legal pads, binders, lunch boxes, construction paper, markers, folders, poster board, composition books, poster paper, scissors, cellophane tape, glue, paste, rulers, computer disks, protractors, compasses and calculators. |
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