It’s time to get ready for school
It’s that time of year again for families to prepare for the new school year. It is time to get the list of school supplies and everything else needed to prepare your child for school.
The classes will begin at Holly Springs schools, Marshall County schools, and Marshall Academy on Monday, Aug. 7.
Many things have changed since I started school. I will not reveal how many years ago that has been but I don’t remember my mother having to buy paper towels, copy paper, and of course, we didn’t have hand sanitizer to buy back in my day. But she had seven to get ready for school and it was not easy. My Dad was always working, so my mother had to get all seven of us ready for the school year.
Getting kids ready for school is not hard but it is not an easy either. I thought the supplies list got longer every year. But beside buying supplies I had to budget, plan, schedule doctor checkups all before school started. Some parents may have already started this ritual.
I thought I would list some helpful tips that I came across online.
• Check with the school or the school’s website to see the information needed to start the school year.
• Marshall County, School District website, is www.marshall countysd.org
• Holly Springs School District website: HSUD.k12.ms.us and
• Marshall Academy website: marshall academy.com.
When my daughter was in elementary school, the school needed an immunization sheet. In Alabama, they called it a Blue Card. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, the following immunizations are required from pre-k to 12th grade:
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis(DTaP)
• Polio (IPV)
• Hepatitis B
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)
• Chickenpox (Varicella)
If your child is entering seventh grade, a pertussis (Tdap) booster is now required if the student has not received a Tdap vaccination since the age of seven.
Recommended vaccines for adolescents include the Meningococcal and Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
Also, it is good to get the flu vaccine too.
Below is a list of immunization providers in Marshall County listed on the Mississippi State Department of Health website:
• Marshall County Health Department, 662-252-4621
• Potts Camp Familly Medical, 662-333-4333
• Byhalia Family Health Center, 662-838-2163
• Marshall Urgent Care, 662-274-3218
• Williams Medical Clinic, 662-252-1599
• Mt. Pleasant Family Health Care, 662-851-7939
Emergency contacts at the school is one I would always forget. Don’t forget to check with the school to make sure they have all your emergency contact information and the list of people that can pick up your child. If your child has any health needs, or needs medications or has allergies, check with the school to see what forms you may need to fill out before the school year begins.
Recently, the Marshall County Library hosted a free bike safety course for kids which is great for the kids riding bikes to school. But if your child will be walking or
riding the bus, please review safety guidelines and remind them never to walk behind a bus.
Some kids get a little anxious before school starts, To help ease my daughters anxiety I let her be a big part of getting ready for the school year by letting her select some of the school supplies and clothes. Also, when she was first starting to school we would memorize important phone numbers and addresses. The best place for her to memorize this was while we were going somewhere in the car.
I’ve told many how “I loved school.” It was not just a time to learn, it was a time that I made some long-lasting friends. I still talked to them today and we reminsce of the ‘Good Ole Days.’ I had some great teachers and some that were not so great.
Getting ready for school is a task and every year I started getting my daughter ready for school I always remembered what my mother use to say, “I’m glad when school is out for the summer, but I’m also glad when the school year begins.”