Edmonds School District distributes school supplies during back-to-school fairs

Though students will not be returning to classrooms for in-person learning in the fall, the Edmonds School District held its annual back-to-school fair at several locations to provide students with school supplies.

Monday and Tuesday, staff and volunteers distributed backpacks with paper, notebooks, pencils and markers to students. Some were also supplied with face masks donated by volunteers. Around 1,600 families pre registered to receive supplies.

At the advice of public health officials, district leaders decided last month to start the 2020-21 school year with remote learning. However, Family and Community Engagement Coordinator Sally Guzmán said staff still felt it was important to continue to provide support to families even if this year’s event was less of a fair and more of a drive-thru pick-up site.

“It’s mainly to show our families we’re here to support them in their time of need because we do this every year,” she said.

Community Health Clinic (CHC) was also onsite to provide students with basic health evaluations before the school year starts. Though it remains uncertain when or if the district will hold sporting events this season, the CHC also provided student athletes with free physicals. Dental checks were also available to check for cavities and offer fluoride treatments.

Families who qualified for free-and-reduced meals were also reminded to fill out their paperwork to ensure their students would receive meals during the year. After schools closed in March, Guzmán said the district received funding from the federal government to help keep students fed

“It’s really important for families to fill out the free-and-reduced lunch form too because it provides money for (the district),” she said.

To learn more about and apply for the free-and-reduced meal program, visit the district’s website.

–Story and photos by Cody Sexton

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