When school starts in Boone County, and Missouri's school supply sales tax holiday

The school year is approaching and Boone County school districts are getting ready for the first day. Parents also have a chance to save money thanks to a sales tax holiday, deals from retailers and other events where school supplies and more are given away.

This is what to know about the 2024-25 school year in Columbia and Boone County:

School calendars

The first day for Columbia Public Schools is Aug. 20, but students entering sixth or ninth grade will get an early jump start orientation to their new buildings Aug. 19.

"Students will have orientation activities and will run through their schedules to ease the transition to a new building," the district said.

There is no school for students in Columbia on Sept. 2 for Labor Day, Thanksgiving break is Nov. 27-29, Winter break is Dec. 23-Jan. 2, Jan. 20 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Spring Break is March 24-28. Teacher work days or paid federal holidays Sept. 23, Oct. 2-4, Nov. 1, Nov. 4-5, Nov. 15, Jan. 3, Feb. 14, Feb. 17, Feb. 28 and April 11 also mean students are not in session. The end of the parent-teacher conference window for elementary and middle schools is Nov. 15 and Feb. 28.

The last day of school is scheduled May 23. Graduation for Douglass High School will take place that morning and Battle High School that afternoon. Rock Bridge High School will hold its graduation the morning of May 24, while Hickman will hold its that afternoon.

It is a good idea for parents to complete the annual registration process, including school bus opt-in prior to Aug. 1.

Other public school districts in Boone County, including Hallsville, Centralia, Sturgeon and Harrisburg, start Aug. 20. The Southern Boone County school district in Ashland starts Aug. 27. Registration information, calendars and supply lists for the respective schools are on district websites.

Sales tax holiday, school supply deals

Missouri has a sales tax holiday for school supplies and more. It starts at 12:01 a.m. Aug. 2 and runs through midnight Aug. 4.

This is when parents can save at least a little money on clothes valued at $100 or less, school supplies where the purchase does not exceed $50, computer software valued at $350 or less, personal computers or peripheral devices valued at $1,500 or less and graphing calculators where the price does not exceed $150. Local and state sales taxes do not apply to these purchases during the three-day tax holiday.

Retailers also are offering deals on school supplies and other items for the back-to-school period.

Walmart kicked off its back-to-school deals last month. Some items of interest are:

• Crayola Classic 10 count Fine Line Marker Bulk Supplies Set, 24 Packs for $35.00 (was $49.97);
• Reebok Backpack for $14.00 (was $20.00);
• Paw Patrol Backpack for $20.99 (was $34.99);
• The Children’s Place Girl’s Unform Short Sleeve Polo 2-Pack for $12.00 (was $25.95);
• Crayola Creative Fun Double Easel for $35.00 (was $54.00); and
• PHANCIR Foldable Lap Desk for $17.99 (was $39.99).

Target kicked off its back-to-school or college shopping savings July 8. The national retailer has introduced a 20-for-$20 supplies list.

"Target is introducing a list of 20 must-have school supplies that add up to less than $20 in total," the retailer said in a news release. "The list offers 20 popular supplies, such as Mondo Llama 12-pack colored pencils, up&up liquid glue, notebooks and more."

Target also is selling Summit Ridge Kids' backpack for $5, and many back-to-college essentials area available for less than $20.

"Getting ready for a new school year is a busy time for teachers, students and parents, so Target (is) focused on making it affordable and easy for everyone," said Rick Gomez, executive vice president and chief commercial officer.

This includes already announced price reductions on a variety of frequently shopped items, including grocery items.

Staples is providing many significant deals now through Aug. 31.

“We’re focused on delivering value across a wide range of essentials, from notebooks and crayons to advanced AI-enabled tech, helping families and educators make the most of their budgets as they prepare for the school year ahead,” said Marshall Warkentin, chief marketing and merchandising officer.

Teachers can get a 20% exclusive one-time use coupon for supplies by downloading the Staples app for details. Purchases must be made in store with a valid teacher ID. This offer is not available at certain locations in North Carolina and Virginia.

School supply deals include:

• 35-cent Staples 1-subject notebooks, available in store (limit 30) and online (limit 10).
• 50-cent Crayola crayons, 24 per package, available in store (limit 30) and online (limit 10).
• 50-cent Staples composition notebook, available in store (limit 30) and online (limit 10).
• $1.29 BIC Round Stic Xtra Life ballpoint pens, 10 per pack, available in store and online.
• $2.49 Sharpie highlighters, 4 per pack, available in store only.
• $4.99 Elmer’s Disappearing Purple Washable glue sticks, 12 per pack, available in store and online.
• $4.99 Expo dry-erase markers, 4 per pack, available in store only.

Technology deals at Staples:

• $300 off select computers, available in store and online.
• $300 off Lenovo IdeaPad 5i 2-in-1 16" laptop with Intel Core 5 Processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage ($549.99, reg. $849.99), offer valid in store only. Limit 2.
• $250 off ASUS VivoBook 17.3" laptop with Intel Core 5 Processor, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD storage ($449.99, reg. $699.99), available in store and online. Limit 2.
• $300 off HP 16" Pavilion laptop with Intel Core Ultra 7 Processor, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage ($699.99, reg. $999.99), available in store and online.

Customers also can bring in old school supplies or back packs to get a same-day $10 off $30 in-store coupon as part of a recycling program Staples has in partnership with Close the Loop.

Products accepted include:

• Backpacks;
• Lunch bags;
• Pencil pouches (soft and hard case);
• Writing instruments (pens, markers, pencils, crayons, highlighters and more);
• Rulers and similar items (protractors, triangles and more);
• Glue sticks and empty glue bottles;
• Tech (calculators, headphones, earbuds, cables, flash drives and more);
• Binders (empty, regular and zipper).

A complete list of eligible products is available at staples.com/recycling.

School supply giveaways

Does your child need a backpack? Voluntary action center is providing them now through Aug. 30.

Columbia organization Rock the Community will hold a back-to-school event 2-6 p.m. July 27 at Douglass Park, where free back packs and school supplies will be given, along with a variety of kids games, art, contests and more, such as a 3-point shootout and a double dutch contest, which includes a cash prize.

Harrisburg Baptist Church, 340 E. Sexton St. in Harrisburg, will host a back-to-school fair 10 a.m. to noon July 27 for students in the Harrisburg school district. Free school supplies and backpacks will be available. Students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at the event to receive supplies. There is no financial requirement to attend and a bounce house and snacks will be available. The community closet also will be open.

Hallsville Inter-Church Council will host its back-to-school bash 1:30-3 p.m. at the Lemone Building of the Hallsville Fairgrounds, 500 E Hwy OO. Free school supplies, door prizes, snacks and treats will be available. For those who cannot attend with their child, parents can grab supplies at 2:30 p.m.

Prairie Grove Baptist Church, 860 East Park Lane in Columbia, will host a drive-thru backpack giveaway 10 a.m. to noon Aug. 3, while supplies last. The church is next to Missouri Furniture on the outer road between Interstate 70 exits 133 and 131. The event will happen rain or shine and backpacks will be filled with school supplies. Call 573-474-5106 for event updates.

West Middle School will host a free community health and information fair 2-6 p.m. Aug. 16 from the MU Health Care Pavilion at 1769 W. Ash St. This is where the Columbia Farmers Market typically is held. Backpacks, school supplies, haircuts, shoes, clothes, sports physicals, dental/vision/health screenings, a food court, household essentials, mammogram/cholesterol screenings and more will be available.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on X, formerly Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.