Back To School EVENT PLANNING GUIDE

What Is Our Backpack Program? What Will Each Student Receive? Positive Promotions’ backpack program can provide Backpack a backpack and basic supplies for each student. We You have the choice assemble the by putting the basic of four types of backpack contents inside the backpacks of your backpacks that can choice, send them to you, and then you distribute be imprinted with them to students. This saves you considerable time your school’s logo and trouble while helping ensure that each student is and name. prepared and ready to go when the school year • Mesh See-Through commences. • See-Through We’ve developed this guide to assist you in creating an event at which you can distribute the backpacks. • Fabric Planning a special event to do this is a great way to • Clear Drawstring reach out to local businesses and parents as well as gather community support. By working together, you Basic Backpack Contents can help students succeed! Each backpack is assembled with the following products inside. What Are The Advantages Of Having • Eraser A Backpack Program? • One-Subject Notebook Starting a backpack program at your school has • Pencil many benefits. For one, it ensures that every student • Pencil Pouch begins the school year prepared and with supplies • Pencil Sharpener that are essential for success. It also helps eliminate competition between students by “leveling the • Six-Inch Ruler playing field” as all students will have the same backpack. This gives students the confidence they Additional Products need to begin the school year with a positive The following items can be added to outlook. backpacks for an additional cost. It’s also a great way to connect with parents. • 2G USB Drives Providing school supplies shows them that your school cares about their children, and it saves them • Colored Pencils money. Plus, it promotes a positive relationship with • Composition Books parents and may encourage them to get more • Crayons involved in your school and attend workshops and other events. • Glue Sticks • Highlighters Keep reading and start planning your school’s backpack program today! • Index Cards • Stylus Pen Is Funding Available? • Loose-Leaf Paper Yes! If you're in a Title I school, you can use • Folder without Fasteners parent involvement funds to help pay for the • Scissors backpack program.

1 ORGANIZING A BACKPACK DISTRIBUTION EVENT

Why Hold An Event? • Contact local media about doing a story previewing the event. A backpack distribution event gives parents and children a chance to experience a positive school- • Hang fliers at your local library and in businesses related outing together, and it increases parent throughout the community. involvement in your school. It also allows children the • Send a message to parents through your school’s opportunity to interact with their peers. Plus, it’s a phone alert system. time when both parents and students can meet and • Use social media resources, such as Facebook and talk to school administrators, staff, and teachers. It Twitter, to invite parents to the event and remind easily can be a fun and rewarding time for all! them about it.

STEP 1: Pick A Date And Time STEP 4: Control The Crowds Hold your event before the beginning of the school If you’re expecting more than 100 people, you’ll year, when parents are thinking about buying school have to figure out a way to get them what they supplies and clothes. Some districts need in a timely manner. They won’t want to wait hold their events just prior to or long in line to get a backpack, so think about the during their state’s tax-free week or best way to handle the “traffic.” Here are some ideas weekend when many go back-to- to help you divide up parents so not everyone is Event! school shopping. (Positive heading to the same table at once. Promotions will have a Tax-Free • Set up several backpack distribution tables that are Weekend List posted on our run by school personnel. If the backpack program website, www.positivepromotions.com.) is for your entire district, have a different table set Allow yourself ample time to set up in the morning, up for each school. and be sure to give parents at least a three- or four- • Separate students by their last names. Have a table hour window to stop by and pick up backpacks. for students with last names that begin with letters When you include set-up and take-down time, your A through E, then F through K, and so on. backpack event may be an all-day affair. • Designate a table for each grade. STEP 2: Choose A Venue Whatever you decide, be sure that you have proper signage so parents know where they should go as The location of the event will depend on several soon as they arrive. factors, such as the number of students receiving backpacks and the facilities that are available to you. STEP 5: Develop A Tracking System If your backpack program is for just one elementary school, the event could probably be held in the Devise a way to know which students picked up school’s cafeteria or gymnasium. But, if it’s for students backpacks and what children still need them after in an entire school district, you’ll need a large facility the event is over. Have a registration table where and you may have to think beyond your school parents sign in, and be sure volunteers and school buildings. staff have lists of students’ names. When parents register, give them a ticket for each school-age child STEP 3: Get The Word Out in the family. Parents can show volunteers the tickets when they pick up backpacks. Make sure parents Here are several ways you can let parents know hold onto their tickets throughout the event. If there’s about your backpack event. a table with additional supplies not already in the • Add a note to each student’s last report card backpacks, they can show their tickets again to get before summer break. extra supplies for each child. • Put advertisements in your local newspaper. 2 ADDITIONAL BACKPACK PROGRAM PLANNING INFORMATION

Things To Think About 1. Find Volunteers Ask teachers and school staff members to volunteer Robeson County a few hours of their time to help out with the event. (Break the day into two-hour shifts so people don’t have to volunteer for the entire day.) Since the event will take place over the summer, it’s important A Success Story to let teachers and staff know about it well in Making A advance. That way, they can factor the backpack event into their summer vacation plans. If you need Difference With more volunteers, find individuals from organizations Backpacks and businesses in your community to help out. Getting parents involved in their children’s education 2. Line Up Sponsors And Community is a challenge for many school districts. For years Tom Partners Lowry, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Support Seek the assistance of local companies and for Public Schools of Robeson County, North Carolina, businesses to donate items or sponsor the event. struggled to find a program that encouraged parental Perhaps local grocery stores or restaurants can participation. He knew many parents were on limited provide drinks and refreshments. Similarly, clothing incomes and, as a consequence, students were not getting stores may be willing to supply coupons for school clothes, and other businesses may be willing to the supplies necessary to start the school year off on the provide door prizes. These little “extras” will give right foot. Lowry and Title I Parent Involvement Coordinator parents further incentive to attend the event. Amy Haigler came up with a plan—the school district would provide each student with a backpack full of supplies and 3. Set Up Additional Tables would pay for it with Title Use the event as an opportunity to educate and I parent involvement funds. The results of the “backpack program” were astounding. inform parents about programs at your school. Perhaps your school’s guidance counselor could Now, all students in Robeson County receive a have a table and talk to parents about anti-bullying backpack and supplies from the district, and their parents and anti-drug campaigns. Cafeteria workers could save money. This has motivated parents to get involved in be on hand to sign children up for free and reduced school-related happenings and attendance at parent lunches. School nurses can distribute information workshops has increased from 40 to over 400, Lowry and about health and wellness for children. Haigler say. The backpack program also has had a positive 4. Get Feedback About The Event impact on Robeson County communities as a whole. Local Ask for feedback from participants about what businesses and even individuals who are not affiliated with worked or didn’t work at the event. Assign several the school rally behind the program and do what they can to volunteers to man an “evaluation table” and help make it a success. For the people in Robeson County, provide forms for parents to fill out. Use their the backpack program means prepared students, involved comments to make next year’s backpack event even better! parents, and a brighter future for their community’s children.

3 Backpack Event Backpack Program Event Follow-Up Timetable And Checklist 4 to 6 Months Before ❑ Pick a date and time for the event. While most of your work will be finished at the end of ❑ Determine a location. the event day, be sure to keep the following in mind. ❑ Figure out ways to advertise the event. Volunteer And Sponsor Recognition: Send ❑ “thank you” notes to all of the volunteers, businesses, ❑ and organizations that 2 to 3 Months Before helped. Or give them ❑ Inform parents about the event. gifts and tokens of ❑ Line up volunteers and establish a volunteering appreciation at the schedule. event. (See the gift ❑ Determine how you will organize the event. ideas below.) If time (See Step 4 on page 2.) ❑ Establish a layout for the site. and budgets allow, you ❑ Continue publicizing the event. could even hold a ❑ Make a list of “extra” tables and materials needed. special recognition (See #3 on page 3.) event just for volunteers ❑ Determine how many students need backpacks. and supporters. ❑ Purchase backpacks. ❑ Reach out to area businesses and organizations for Leftover Backpacks: If parents can’t attend the support. backpack event, be sure they can pick up a ❑ backpack at another time. Plan a pick-up date at ❑ your school at least a week before school starts. If 1 Month to 2 Weeks Before some backpacks still remain unclaimed, distribute ❑ them on the first day of school. Confirm participation with all volunteers and supporters. ❑ Continue advertising the event. Gifts For Parents, ❑ Print out lists of parents and students who are invited. Volunteers, And Donors ❑ Have all supplies (tables, chairs, tickets, etc.) ready. ❑ Invite the media to attend the event. These Positive Promotions’ items can be ❑ imprinted with your school's logo and name or ❑ with just our stock appreciation logo and 1 Day to 1 Week Before handed out during or after the event. ❑ Set up as much as possible. • Umbrellas ❑ ❑ • Vista Tote Day of Event • Water Bottles ❑ Finish setting up at least an hour before the event begins. • Notebooks ❑ Be sure everyone knows his/her responsibilities and has necessary materials. ❑ Clean up at the end of the day. ❑ ❑ Event Follow-Up ❑ Recognize and thank volunteers and supporters. ❑ Create a list of students who have not received backpacks. ❑ Determine an alternative time when parents can pick up backpacks. ❑ © Positive Promotions, Inc. KLT-78 4 ❑