Festival will provide needed information

With school doors around the county opening in less than a week, parents are invited to participate in a one-stop informational shopping spree at the Back to School festival on Saturday.

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The 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. event will be held at Evans High School on Cox Road. Nutrition tips, immunization requirements and information on before and after school child-care programs will be available. Bus schedules and school calendars also will be distributed.

"I always look forward to this annual event because it signals to the community it's time to start back to school," said Karen Ribble, the community relations/public information director for Columbia County schools.

Bus drivers will be on hand to demonstrate bus safety with Buster, an automated school bus, and let parents take a tour of the bus and visit with drivers, Ribble said.

Members from the county's transportation department also will be available to answer any questions about bus routes.

Sponsors of the Back to School festival, in its seventh year, include University Hospital, The Columbia County News-Times, Columbia County Government - Community Events and Columbia County schools.

"Our school system has tables for transportation, school nutrition info and free and reduced lunch applications, human resources for recruiting, a general CCBOE table with calendars and board information, guidance counselors and several PTOs represented," Ribble said.

Quick and easy meal preparation tips, registration for dance classes, sports and other recreational programs and health screenings are among other offerings at the festival.