IPS parents and students gear up for back-to-school with Back to School Night

INDIANAPOLIS — More Central Indiana students will return to class this week. To ensure they get a strong start, Indianapolis Public Schools is hosting "Back to School Nights” to allow kids to meet their teachers and take home supplies.

"We have about 420 students that are scheduled to come on the first day. Our students come from all backgrounds, and all environments. We have a lot of international students this year," Mary Preston, Principal of Charles Warren Fairbanks School said.

For Preston, Charles Warren Fairbanks School is one of IPS's hidden gems.

"Many of our students, are learning English for the first time, or they're learning to read. They're trying to get a good grasp of number sense and all those things," Preston said.

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That's why when it comes to "Back to School Night,” Preston said they must go the extra mile to make sure parents and students have a smooth transition.

"By having our school supplies and notebooks and paper and pencils all of those supplies. It allows parents to not worry about those things, we have them," Preston said.

Support Angel Shipp knows well from when she attended Charles Warren Fairbanks School.

"Ever since I have been going here, that's how it has been,” said Shipp. "It was a hard time for my mom and me. I didn't ask for more things because I knew she was going through something."

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She came back today to send a message to other students.

"It's okay to be different from people. You don't always have to have to change yourself just to fit in," Shipp said.

Kaylee Wright was there getting her daughter Journee ready for school.

"I personally am not spending $800 per child to go to school, but I try to use the resources around me," said Wright. "I do think it's necessary for you to come to back-to-school nights to get the resources, but also I think the main thing for me is to create a relationship with the teacher."

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"Our teachers are equipped and ready to do what's necessary because we don't want kids to worry about the next kid or what they don't have. We want them to think about what they do have and what they can do," Preston said.

To see when your student's back-to-school night is, check out the schedule on the district's website.