2018-069 Back to School FairDate: June 8, 2018 Report No. 2018-069
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT: Provide an update on the Denton Back to School Fair planned for Saturday, August 11, 2018.
BACKGROUND:
A collaboration of community organizations have joined together to provide a city-wide Denton Back to School Fair event to provide students and families with the resources and supplies they
need to have a confident and healthy start to the school year. Last year, there were 3 separate back-
to-school events held in the City that provided school supplies and resources. In 2017, there was:
1. The Appleyard Tree Project Back to School fair organized by Interfaith Ministries and held
at Calhoun Middle School. 2. The Good Start Back to School event organized by Health Services of North Texas and
held at Immaculate Conception.
3. The City of Denton Back to School fair organized by the Denton Police Department and
held at the Civic Center.
The above organizations met in March 2018 to discuss consolidation of the events with the goal
to maximize resources available to students and families and reduce the duplication of efforts. There was consensus to proceed with one event realizing the benefit it could serve to the
community. The United Way of Denton County has taken the lead to coordinate amongst the
participating organizations. The group recently learned of and reached out to additional organizers
that were involved in planning the Civic Center event last year, which was held at the MLK
Recreation Center in years prior, to request their assistance in planning and outreach. The participation and assistance of all community partners are important to make this event a success.
DISCUSSION:
The group has met over the last few weeks to determine logistics, location, registration, marketing,
donations, supplies, health and social service vendors on-site, volunteers, and so forth. The group reviewed and discussed a few facility options that could hold over 3,000 students and their families
in one day. The location of Denton Bible Church (2300 E. University Drive) was selected by the
group due to it being able to hold the anticipated large attendance of the event entirely indoors (to
avoid wait lines outside in the August heat), very minimal costs required to use the facility, ability
for the site to handle anticipated traffic volume, and having some public transportation options available nearby.
The event will help equip families in need for the start of a new school year by providing free
backpacks and school supplies, providing access to resources through a community and health
services fair with various vendors present that provide service to children and families, and offer haircuts and vision screenings. It is estimated, based upon past attendance at the back to school
events, that 3,000 students could attend the event this year.
Date: June 8, 2018 Report No. 2018-069
Families can register students online at the Denton Back to School Fair website by visiting
https://dentonbacktoschool.org/. A registration form must be submitted for each child.
Information on the fair has been distributed by Denton ISD to students and families and additional
communications, marketing, and outreach will take place over the next few weeks. The group is working together to collect donations for backpacks and school supplies. Individuals,
non-profits, and businesses can give to the event by visiting https://dentonbacktoschool.org/ and
clicking on “Help a Student”. The United Way of Denton County is acting as fiscal agent for the
event.
CONCLUSION:
Additional marketing and communications for the event will be distributed throughout the months
of June and July from the City, United Way of Denton County, and participating organizations.
ATTACHMENT(S): Denton Back to School Flyer
STAFF CONTACT:
Sarah Kuechler Director of Public Affairs
(940) 349-8356
sarah.kuechler@cityofdenton.com