Question of the Week: How Much Have You Spent on 'Back-to-School?'

With school districts across the metro area now officially back-to-school, we begin a series of weekly questions, which, today, is focused on the subject of spending.

With the school year now officially underway, many parents have spent countless hours at local stores helping their students find the right pencils, perfect "first day" outfits and fill school supply lists. The National Retail Federation projects that parents of children in grades K-12 will spend nearly $689 on their children's back-to-school needs, almost $85 more than last year. Georgia shoppers didn't pay sales tax on any back-to-school items within a certain dollar amount this past Friday and Saturday. But some criticized the tax holiday as being too little, too late. Bringing us to our questions of the week:

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How to Use Johns Creek Patch this School Year

Five things principals, educators, PTA members, parents and students need to know.

The school year is approaching, and Patch will be there to cover the big news for all of Johns Creek's schools. But we can’t do it without your help. To make sure you get the most out of Patch this school year, we invite you to get active in the news-gathering process. There are five things you can do to make sure your school and its students get all the coverage they deserve from Patch: To find out more about using Patch this school year, just email ann.quill@patch.com. See also: Back to School Guide on Johns Creek Patch

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Schools Encouraged to Address Air Quality

Clean Air Campaign works with school communities to address air quality.

Summer break has come to a close for many students throughout the state and will end for others in the coming weeks. As students and parents settle into a new routine, there are many things that they can do to help improve air quality and traffic congestion such as taking the bus, carpooling and not idling in school carpool lanes. Through its Clean Air Schools programs, The Clean Air Campaign works with school communities across Georgia to take action for cleaner air through transportation.   Last year, more than 300 schools in 38 districts implemented Pool to School, Ride the Bus! For Clean Air and No-Idling programs to educate students, parents, teachers and staff about the things they can do to improve air quality on school grounds and …

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Back-to-College Safety Tips for Students

StreetSafe offers these tips and an app to help stay safe this semester.

Thousands of local college students will soon be heading back to campus. The start of the fall semester is an exciting time of year for incoming freshman and returning students alike, but it can be easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of campus life and not be as vigilant about personal safety as one should be. Stay safe this semester by remembering these tips from Marcia Peot, police officer and Chief Safety Officer at StreetSafe:

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Georgia Tax Free Weekend Makes Comeback

Georgia residents can shop back-to-school items tax free, Aug. 10-11.

After a two year hiatus, Georgia's sales tax holiday is set for Aug. 10-11. The tax free weekend is only two days this year, but that's two days more than it was during 2010 and 2011, when it was canceled altogether. Fulton County School students start back Aug. 13, so Johns Creek parents will have time to stock up on needed supplies and big ticket items their students require. Back-to-school items includes clothing and footwear with a sales price of $100 or less, computers and computer accessories with a sales price of $1,000 or less and general school supplies to be used in the classroom with a sales price of $20 or less per item.  Some items on the list for tax exemption: Some items not on the list for tax exemption: For a full list of …

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Back-To-School Guide

Your guide for all things back-to-school in Johns Creek

North Fulton Charities Needs School Supplies

The charitable organization will hold its Back to School Health and Wellness Fair on Aug. 11.

North Fulton Community Charities is collecting school supplies for its Back to School Health and Wellness Fair, which will be held Saturday, Aug. 11, from 9 a.m.-noon. The local charitable organization offers health screenings and fun activities for children during the health fair, including information and resources to help families have a healthy and safe school year. Each year NFCC looks to hand out more than 1,000 backpacks, plus basic school supplies to go in them, to children whose families need the assistance. The organization needs financial assistance, donations of school supplies, health and safety exhibitors and volunteers to set up and help run the fair. The NFCC needs donations by Aug. 3. A full list of school supplies needed …

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Charter School Group Offers Petition Workshop

This intensive, one-afternoon workshop helps groups develop quality charter petitions and how to set up governing boards.

So you want to launch a charter school but just aren't sure how to do it. Not to worry, the Georgia Charter Schools Association will present Charter Development 101, a workshop for individuals or groups interested in starting a charter school. The workshop will be held on Friday, July 27, from 1-5 p.m. at 600 West Peachtree Street, Suite 1555, Atlanta, in the 12th floor training room.  The session will be taught by Elisa Falco, GCSA’s Director of Education & Training, and a former charter school principal. "We certainly will discuss what some of the challenges are in some of the communities and even in Georgia right now," Falco said. She wants to reach groups starting out who don't know how to do outreach or the researched needed for the …

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