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Event helps prepare Brooke students

SCHOOL SUPPLIES OFFERED — Toni Paesano Shute, at right, Brooke County superintendent of schools, gathered a stack of backpacks for a distribution table while students, from left, Nick Hooper, Adam Long and Aryana Talbott, sorted through some of the many provided to Brooke County students of all ages during the Brooke County Schools Back to School Fair held Wednesday in the Brooke High School gym. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — While it may be hard for Brooke County students to think about returning to school, the new school year is less than a month away, beginning for most students on Aug. 15.

And county school officials teamed Wednesday with local businesses, organizations and volunteers to help them prepare, providing hundreds of free backpacks and other school supplies to students of all ages at the second Brooke County Schools Back to School Fair.

Superintendent of Schools Toni Paesano Shute said last year the event drew 723, and at about noon Wednesday, this year’s was expected to draw at least 1,000.

“I think we are seeing more families since they have learned it truly is for everyone,” she said, noting the aim is to provide all Brooke County families with backpacks, notebooks, pencils and other school supplies as well as services that may be helpful.

Shute said among many area businesses supporting the event were Wal-Mart, which supplied school supplies at a discount, sent a staff member to provide free vision screenings and provided free bottles of water for the lunches served to youth during the fair. She added the store and McDonald’s also provided prizes, including a bicycle and gift cards, for free drawings held through the day.

Rhonda Combs, the district’s director of elementary curriculum and federal programs, said a School Readiness grant through the state Department of Education helped provide free books and other materials.

Combs said she was pleased by the participation of community agencies that came to share information about services they offer. Among them was the Brooke County Health Department, which took the opportunity to offer immunizations against meningitis, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis as well as the TDaP vaccine to incoming seventh- and 12th-graders.

Sandy Rogers, the department’s nurse director, said many parents aren’t aware of the new vaccinations, which have been required only in recent years for students entering those grades. She and Jane Rush, office assistant for the department, noted all immunizations required of students are offered there on a sliding fee scale, based on ability to pay, with no one turned away.

Appointments for the vaccinations should be made in the near future by calling (304) 737-3665.

The health department and Advocates for Substance Abuse Prevention, an affiliate of the Brooke-Hancock Family Resource Network, offered information about signs of drug abuse prevention.

Staff from the health department brought along Give Me a Reason drug prevention kits, which contain tips for talking to youth about drug abuse and litmus strips that enable parents to test their children for various drugs.

Among other agencies on hand were the Brooke County Salvation Army, which shared information about its food pantry and thrift store; Brooke County Public Library; C.H.A.N.G.E. Inc.’s Supportive Services for Veterans’ Families program; and the state Treasurer’s Office, which shared information about the SMART529 and Bright Babies programs.

Shute said in addition to helping local families, the event also is a means of thanking a community that has consistently supported operating levies and bond issues for the school system.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldstaronline.com.)

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