Montclair Teachers Union Holding Back To School Giveaway

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Education Association (MEA) will hold a Back to School Supplies Give-Away event on Sunday, Aug. 30.

According to a news release from the union, the event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. at Nishuane School, 32 Cedar Avenue in Montclair. The event is free and open to Montclair Public School students only. No pre-registration is necessary.

The first 400 students at the event will receive a free bag of school supplies, including pens, highlighters, pencil sharpeners and pouches, index cards, paper, glue sticks, sticky notes and folders. Each student also will receive a mask, organizers said.

A drive-thru pickup line will be set up behind Nishuane School for those driving to the event. No one may leave their cars and everyone in the cars must be wearing masks. Volunteers will hand the bags of supplies through the cars’ windows.

Walkers will be asked to join a socially distanced line in the front of Nishuane School, also wearing masks. Volunteers will hand the bags of supplies to the walkers, organizers said.

The Back to School Supplies Give-Away is made possible through a PRIDE in Public Education grant that the MEA received from the New Jersey Education Association. For additional information or questions, contact MEA Social Chair Karen Tripucka at ktripucka@gmail.com.

“During this challenging time, it is wonderful to be able to support our Montclair public school students and their families with this free school supplies event,” MEA President Petal Robertson said.

The MEA is the union comprised of more than 1,000 employees of the Montclair Board of Education, including teachers and other certified staff, paraprofessionals, nurses, secretaries, custodians, building and grounds personnel and security guards.

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