CANYON, TEXAS -- School starts in just a few short weeks. As families prepare for that start, the expense of back to school shopping is piling up. But one local school's PTA is helping alleviate some of that stress.
The PTA at Reeves-Hinger Elementary in Canyon has spent about $10,000 of fundraising money to buy back to school supplies for their students, K through fourth grade. Pronews 7 is featuring their efforts in this week's Region 16 Spotlight Education report.
"All the fundraiser money we've raised, they wanted to find a way to make it valuable to the parents of the students of the school, so they came up with the idea to buy the school supplies," said Cari Thompson, PTA President.
Thompson says the association recognizes that families are pinching pennies just to get by, and with the expense of not only buying back to school supplies, but clothes, shoes, and backpacks, they wanted to bring some relieve to cash strapped parents.
"We've bought smart boards for the classroom and we pay for field trips for the kids to go on, but it never has actually impacted the parents pocketbook like it did this year," said Thompson.
Being a parent herself, Thompson says she can personally sympathize with parents on the expense of back to school shopping.
"It's huge for me, I have two other children at two other schools so to not have that extra expense of that school supplies for one school makes a huge difference".
The PTA has gotten all but three items on the school supplies list. For those remaining items, they cost $10 or less. So, from highlighters, glue, crayons, folders, all will be on the students desk waiting for their new owner on the first day of school.
Thompson says the feedback from parents has been so positive, the association is already planning to buy school supplies next year.
