For the third year, Springfield Public Schools will throw a Back to School Bash for families.
The one-stop-shop allows parents and students to pick up needed supplies — including a new backpack — and access resources before the start of the 2024-25 school year.
They can get immunizations, sports physicals and fill out paperwork for free or reduced-price school meals.
"This is one of the ways that we show how much we care. This is a day of service for staff members and employees — when we give back to our community," said Ron Woodard, director of family support services for SPS. "We just want to make it excellent. When we say we care we mean it."
More than 175 volunteers have signed up to help families from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27, at the Springfield Expo Center, 635 E. St. Louis St.
The event is free and open to all SPS students and families.
What are the giveaways?
In the sprawling Expo Center, there will be different spots where families can pick up items that will provide immediate help, like groceries, plus school-related giveaways for the start of the school year.
The list of free items is long and will include:
- Two bags of complimentary groceries from Convoy of Hope
- Bombas socks
- Backpacks
- School supplies
- Hygiene items from Care to Learn
- Immunizations and sports physicals
Families will able be able to eat a meal while they are there. There will be live entertainment and fun activities for kids, including inflatables.
Need a sports physical? How to sign up:
Sports physicals will be provided for free but families are asked to sign up in advance. Appointments are available every 15 minutes with the last ones starting at 1:30 p.m.
The sign-up page is here: www.sps.org/bash.
Families who have access to a printer can download and print the sports physical packet in advance.
The CoxHealth CARE Mobile will be located upstairs at the Expo Center, where families enter, and there will be a large banner.
What is new this year?
Families can get their photo taken with KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs.
"We wanted to bring in the mascot. We thought it would be great for kids," Woodard said. "Springfield is known as Chiefs Kingdom South so we thought it would be fun to incorporate their organization into what we're doing."
There will also be an increase in the quality of the prizes that are giving away to families at the event, Woodard said.
There is also an "Express Lane" for backpacks and other key items this year to help families navigate through crowds. "We've made improvements in the overall quality of the event in order to get people in and out."
Who will be at the resource fair?
At least 50 nonprofit, charitable and educational organizations have signed up to host booths at the bash.
"People can go through and get connected to various community partners who will be providing resources and information to families that might help them get a good start to the new year," said Jessica Blake, coordinator of community partnerships, volunteers and public relations.
Asked for examples of groups that will be there, Blake said it will range from Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks and the Springfield Fire Department to the Council of Churches of the Ozarks and Ozarks Food Harvest.
Blake said Ozark Food Harvest will have vouchers for eggs from Vital Farms.
"It's a very wide range of partners. They're all gearing up to serve 5,000-plus people," she said. "They're really excited to be part of the event and they want to be there to support families, like we do."
There will also be a job fair
At the event, families can apply for jobs.
A handful of local employers looking to hire will be present, including SPS, which is looking to fill positions.
"A lot of people miss that but we have companies that are looking for employees," Woodard said. "For some of our families who may be on the low-income end, this will be a great opportunity for them to potentially find opportunities for employment that may be a better fit."
Best time to show up?
The event starts at 9:30 a.m. but in the past two years, families started lining up long before the doors opened. The line formed at the Expo Center and continued east along St. Louis Street.
Last year, more than 5,000 individuals showed up. The event will end at 2 p.m.
Instead of funneling families in one direction, Woodard said they will be encouraged to start at different points. That will hopefully avoid any bottlenecks.
"People can start anywhere at the event," he said. "That is the language they will hear from line hosts and volunteers."
Best place to park?
There is a parking garage just east of the Expo Center and limited on-street and off-street parking nearby.
Why is the event in late July?
The new school year is more than a month away. Students return to class Monday, Aug. 19.
Woodard said parents have asked why SPS scheduled the event in late July. He said the district wanted to provide the resources to families prior to Missouri's Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, which is Aug. 2-4.
Over that three-day sales tax holiday, certain purchases — such as clothing, school supplies, computers and other items defined by state statute — are exempt from sales tax.
"We're going to be able to provide a lot of supplies, backpacks and things like that but if there are any materials that parents need that they didn't get from us, they'll be able to buy at a good cost the next week during tax-free weekend," Woodard said. "We thought that was important."
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