Back to School Jam gears up for Day One

Palm Coast Observer
Neighbors

More than 300 people lined up Saturday, Aug. 4, waiting for the doors of the Back to School Jam to open. A downpour of rain allowed those early birds to start shopping 15 minutes before the planned start time.

The event, hosted by Flagler Schools, was slightly different this year than in years past. There were no free backpacks or school supplies, but backpacks were on sale by the schools for $5, and several vendors were selling discounted backpacks and uniform shirts.

Uniforms are new to the district for the 2012-2013 school year, and Sabrina Crosby, special projects coordinator for the district, said she was “tickled” with the turnout.

“It looks like everyone is here and ready to put that uniform on, because we’re packed,” she said at the Saturday event.

In addition to the vendors, each school was asked to be present at the event to hand out school-specific information.

“We have 13,000-plus students, and we want to be sure that they can come before school starts and see some school staff, and get some information and be excited,” Crosby said.

Also new this year was a technology center set up in the Flagler Palm Coast High School cafeteria. Included in the center was the Evolve Lab from Belle Terre Elementary School, the iCollaborate Lab from Rymfire Elementary, a student response center, and an iPad playground, in addition to a cart of MacBooks.

“We tried to incorporate everything we have and use in the classroom in hopes of helping people to understand what technology funding covers,” said Maria McGovern, Flagler School technology specialist.

But children weren’t the only people who got techy Saturday morning. Parents were also invited to get hands-on experience to discover what their children learn in the classroom.

“We’re just real proud that we have the technology that we do in the schools, and we wanted to be sure that the parents see the technology that’s used every day in the classroom,” Crosby said.