Danielle Work and her son pick up free crayons at a booth during the Cox Back to School Fair Aug. 13.
Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011 | 4:47 p.m.
Parents, kids hit back to school fair
KSNV coverage of back to school fair, Aug. 13, 2011.
Coming up
Back to school fairs will be Aug. 20 at the Boulevard Mall and Aug. 27 at the
Galleria at Sunset. Both fairs are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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With school starting for Clark County students Aug. 29, parents like Danielle Work spent Saturday afternoon at the Cox Back to School Fair at Meadows Mall.
Work said she took her three sons to the annual fair because her eldest two — second and third graders — are enrolling in public school for the first time. She said she could no longer pay for private school and the fair was helping make the transition to the Clark County School District.
“They went to a small school, so I knew right away what I was getting into,” said Work. “I’m nervous but (the fair) has been helpful.”
Work said finding out which schools her sons will attend and how to sign up for lunches was the most important thing.
The yearly fair is designed to help parents fill out paperwork for free or reduced lunches, get discounted immunization shots, find bus routes or receive free school supplies.
Jaymes Aimetti, assistant principal at Will Beckley Elementary School, said it’s important for families to be prepared.
“It kind of introduces the children, especially if they’re out of district, to the various programs that are available, everything from back-to-school information all the way to getting vaccinations,” said Aimetti.
He said programs like reduced student meals help students perform well in school, but parents may not be aware of their responsibilities.
“We need to have the children fed as far as breakfast and lunch, but parents may not understand it’s important to fill out paperwork through food service,” said Aimetti.
Like meal plans, Janie Jett at the CCSD bus transportation booth said parents may just assume their kids will ride the same bus.
“You really need to check every year because stops do change, times change and the route numbers on the buses do change,” said Jett.
Other services at the fairs include discounted immunizations, free eye exams and fingerprinting from Nevada Child Seekers for missing children.
Back to School fairs sponsored by Cox Communications continue every Saturday until school starts.
The Boulevard Mall will host a fair Aug. 20 and the Galleria at Sunset mall will host one Aug. 27. Both fairs are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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