Back to School Month has been recognized since the 1960s throughout August.  Back to School Month is a time of preparation and transition.  Parents are getting their students ready to transition from the ‘lazy days of Summer’ to going to bed and getting up earlier to go to school.  Students tuck away their boogie boards and goggles and either get new backpacks or dust off their old ones to officially move from Summertime to School Days.  Many states have tax-free shopping days to simplify and reduce the cost of shopping for school clothes and supplies, but families still feel compelled to shop despite the associated costs.  Families plan to spend at least $875 per child to buy clothes, school supplies, and electronics for each child in elementary through high school this year.  Have you ever sat outside the stores and watched the expressions on the faces of the parents during back-to-school shopping time?  It is rare to hear laughs and see smiles.  Instead, the parents look disgusted and the children mad, probably because the parents disagree on the outfits the children prefer or vice versa.  Could it be possible that the parents are not fond of enduring the annual process of paying the going rate for necessary items to send children to school?

Some school systems have already started classes, and others begin later in the month; other states’ schools welcome their students back after Labor Day.  No matter the date, preparation for returning to school can be a time of high anxiety.  Back to School Month is a time to reflect and focus on making the return as exciting as possible.  Some organizations offer ideas that may relieve anxiety and help families prepare for school with as little to no stress as possible.

Here are some fun ideas that may be rewarding for students and their families during this back-to-school season.  No rule restricts fundraising or providing school supplies and backpacks to community organizations.  There are students in shelters and others in low-income families who can’t afford to buy school supplies and would welcome donations of school supplies.  Such an act of altruism could go a long way in teaching students the value of helping others in need.  Students everywhere share the exact school supply needs, regardless of zip code.  School supplies like pens, pencils, composition books and notebooks, crayons, scissors, and glue sticks are among the most popular.  Families may decide to take on such a project.  Volunteering at local schools may help parents and older students positively impact students and school staff.  Older siblings, relatives, parents, or other adults may also volunteer at local schools, especially during the first week the students return.  Such help may take the focus from the dismal feelings of having to return to school to the positive feelings people experience when they are helping others eliminate their needs and the associated social stigma.

Operation Xcel hopes families and their children acclimate or reacclimate to school attendance and realize academic success during the upcoming school year!  We want families to know you are valued and your success matters!  We extend our services to help students and their parents increase their “educational, social, and career-readiness through tutoring, mentoring, STEAM-based academic enrichment, test preparation, and parenting and advocacy workshops.”  Get in touch with us if we can be of assistance.  Enroll your students in our Operation  Homework programs if needed.  We exist because of you!