Pep Rally Prepares Students, Families For First Day Of School

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- On Saturday, July 22, the Fulton County School System will host its first-ever Back to School Pep Rally in an effort to ensure families are ready to embark on the 2017-18 school year.

The event, also known as First Day Fulton, will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at two locations: Banneker High School in South Fulton and North Springs Charter High School in North Fulton.

Saturday's event is designed to help families get ready for the new school year by providing assistance with registering students, getting required immunizations and picking up school supplies. All activities are free for the whole family.

Fulton County Schools estimates that each academic year, roughly 2,000 students are not in school the first day of school. Of these, about 1,500 students have not arrived by the 10th day of school, and nearly 500 show up between the 10th and 20th days of school – nearly a month after the school year began. This translates to lost instructional time as well as difficulties for schools that have to adjust classes to accommodate new students.

About 25 healthcare and community vendors will be on site to provide health screenings to children and adults, giving parents a one-stop-shop to getting required immunizations. Drawings for special prizes, such as bicycles, Kindles, gift cards, and tickets to Atlanta venues, also will be held for those who visit the vendor/health fair, with Q100 host Adam Hapeman of The Adam Bomb Show announcing door prizes and giveaways at North Springs Charter High School. Radio station V103 will broadcast live from Banneker High School from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

At each pep rally site, on-site registration staffed by school data clerks and other registration officials will help new families transitioning to Fulton County Schools or those moving from one Fulton school attendance zone to another. Documents needed for registration are posted online at www.fultonschools.org.

In addition, World Changers Church International and the Atlanta Community Food Bank is hosting a food distribution drive to combat hunger often felt by impoverished and homeless families. Free school supplies also will distributed while they last.

Banneker High School is located 6015 Feldwood Road in College Park and North Springs Charter High School is located at 7447 Roswell Road in Sandy Springs.

Image via Patch