Free School Supplies For All Mercer County Students
Mercer County Readifest And Family Fun Day On July 23
Ramzy Kalaf (blue) held the fire hose with Fireman Dominic Raimondi’s help while brother Khaled Kalaf waited his turn between Firemen Bryce Flach and Josh Stringfellow at last year’s event.
Jennifer Marsh
Herald Staff
jmarsh@harrodsburgherald.com
Mercer County Schools is preparing for the upcoming school year with new initiatives aimed at helping families save money. All students enrolled in Mercer County Schools will receive free school supplies.
“We are taking an overall approach of how can we help our community and our families,” said Dennis Davis, superintendent of Mercer County Schools. “Parents spend on average about $100 per student on school supplies. Therefore, the beginning of the school year can be very expensive.”
All Mercer County students also receive free school breakfast and lunch.
In addition to free supplies and food for all students, Mercer County schools lowered the school fee for every student including high school, to $15.
The assistance doesn’t stop there. The Mercer County Readifest is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23 from 2:30-5:30 p.m. and will include free backpacks for students for people in attendance from local churches.
“In addition to the checkups, free food and services we always have at Readifest we are partnering with first responders to host a Family Fun day,” said Jennifer Hatton, Family Resource and Youth Service Center District Contact for Mercer County Schools. “We will also be providing all cleaning supplies to classrooms like we did last year. We want to keep classrooms clean and our kids healthy.”
The Family Fun day event was first seen last August when first responders came together to allow children to get to know them.
“This year we thought we could collaborate with Readifest and reach more people,” said Captain Scott Elder, of the Mercer County Sheriff Department. “We plan to have bounce houses, “Touch-a-truck, Little Rosie, face painting and lots of positive interactions with first responders.”
Elder said Bee’z Freeze will also be at the event, with all proceeds donated to the sheriff office’s K-9 unit.
“Child Finger Printing will also be available at this year’s Readifest,” said Georgiana Bray, family resource coordinator for Mercer County elementary School. “Five registered technicians will be taking appointments every 15 minutes.”
“They technicians will be taking the fingerprints and giving the card directly to the parents,” said Bray. “The prints can be useful in case of an emergency.”
Bray said parents should call ahead for appointments. For more information, call 733-7046.
Burgin Independent Open House. Thursday, July 30, 6–8 p.m. for grades K-8. High school schedules will also be available. For more, call 748-4005.
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I volunteer with Shepherds Hands Ministry in Rock WV and we are trying to get schooled supplies for the children. I was wondering if there was any supplies you may be able to help us with? Thank you for your time.