Back to School

Parents Prepare Children to Get Back to School With Supplies, Vaccines

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The sale signs are out and so is the merchandise: notebooks, backpacks, pencils and more. It means the end of summer is near, and parents and kids are preparing for the return to school.

But these days, getting ready to go back to class isn’t just about buying books and supplies. It’s also about making sure the little ones are properly vaccinated.

In Montgomery County, the department of health has teamed up with the schools to make sure students have all their shots. 

“[My daughter is] actually going to be going into preschool now for the fall. I’m so relieved, I feel like I've been holding my breath for so long,” mother Angelic Adams said. “This is just in time for her to go play with other kids and bring home all the other fun sicknesses we’ll deal with, I’m sure.”

The COVID-19 vaccination clinics are being held at several county schools over the weekend to make it easier for parents to attend. They’re focusing on children from 6 months to 5 years old.

The hope is that they’ll bring some peace of mind as coronavirus case numbers climb again in Montgomery County. 

Elsewhere, it’s the prices that are climbing when it comes to getting what students need.

“Kids still need what they need and so you just make allowances when you can to make sure they have everything that they need,” another mother said. 

Maryland’s tax-free holiday is next weekend, and this weekend is Virginia’s. In the Commonwealth, the state is forgoing sales tax revenue on some school supplies, up to $20 per item and up to $100 on clothing and footwear.

But of course, you don’t have to be shopping for school supplies to benefit from the holiday – certain appliances and emergency preparedness equipment also qualify. 

And don't forget to shop around to snag those much needed discounts. Here's how the prices of some basic school supplies compare at different stores.

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