It’s that time of year again. The time that parents love and kids absolutely dread…back to school!
This year is a big year in my household. My daughter is a senior and my son is a first grader, throw in a move, and let the fun begin. My husband and I have the wonderful task of registering our children into a new school district. It seems as though you will need almost every form of paperwork you have collected for your children since their birth and then some. For those of you registering your child for the first time or registering in a new district, here are some necessary forms that I found that may be helpful in speeding up the registration process. Always check with the school district before registration to clarify what all is needed the day of registration.
- Immunization Records
- 2 Proofs of Residency – i.e. rental agreement, sales contract on a home, current utility bill, occupancy permit, etc.
- Child’s Birth Certificate
- If applicable, any court documents showing proof of custodial parent/guardian
- If your child receives an IEP or any other paperwork pertaining to any and all learning disabilities or any gifted programs that pertain to your child.
After registration has been accomplished, it’s time to shop! This year neither of my children will be required to wear uniforms. Make sure to check with the school when registering to clarify their uniform policies. As most people who know me know, I do not particularly like shopping, unless I can find a deal. This weekend may just be the weekend to do that. It is the annual Back to School Sales Tax Holiday. In the participating municipalities you will not have to pay sales tax on school supplies and select clothing. Visit the Missouri Department of Revenue to see if your municipality will be participating. It is a great time to get all of those lengthy school supply lists completed and save some money while doing it! Old Navy, Macy’s, JCPenney, and Target are all having great back to school sales on apparel.
Most importantly, if you do decide to venture out with the kiddos, make sure to have a great time. Try not to get frustrated. Remember, this is an exciting time for them so make it about them. Take them to lunch and shopping and make a day out of it. They are our future and if we are excited about it, they will be too.
Lastly, there are children out there in need of school supplies. In fact, 90,000 St. Louis children will go to school with no school supplies at all. This year, as you are gathering items from the list of supplies, why not buy a couple extra items from that list and donate to a local organization like KidSmart Push for Pencils. This weekend all participating St. Louis Wal-mart stores will have donation drop-offs for Push for Pencils as well as Sam’s, Crown Vision and Waterways. Involve your children in that process so they understand the importance of paying it forward.
Have fun and if anyone has any other good deals they have seen out there, please share!