Making shopping for back-to-school supplies easier for Phoenix-area parents

SCOTTSDALE – If your child doesn’t have all the supplies they’ll need for the school year yet, you can take advantage of resources that make your shopping trip easier.

Some Arizona schools are back in session, with other districts starting in the near future.

Local stores like Walmart are providing digital resources to make the shopping trip easier, like QR codes that teacher can scan to compile a necessary supply list.

Parents can then scan the QR code without having to download an app, enter their child’s school, and pull up the supply list online while in the store by searching their child’s class by grade and teacher. The list includes basic supplies as well as specific items for each individual course, such as a certain calculator for a math class.

Verrinia Kennedy is a store manager at Walmart. She said the store is working to make back-to-school shopping easier for both parents and teachers.

“That’s something we started a couple years ago, and it’s underutilized in my opinion. It’s a really neat way for teachers to get the information out there without relying on personal emails. … It gives you the ability to plan and then follow up without having to worry about where did I leave my list?” she said.

If you’re looking for other opportunities to pick up school supplies at less of a cost, local companies like TruWest Credit Union are also holding back-to-school giveaway events where community members can get free backpacks and school supplies. The giveaway event is a partnership with Community Bridges and will be held at Mesa High School on July 25 from 8:30am-noon.

Ayvah is a fifth-grade student at Kyrene de la Mirada. She said going back-to-school shopping helps make her more excited for the school year to begin.

“You get you can get more creativity by [having] like cool pencils and basically it makes me just happy,” she said.

Kyrene, Higley Unified, Tempe Elementary and Queen Creek school districts begin school this week.

Other districts, including Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix Union, Phoenix Elementary, Peoria and Deer Valley, are set to begin in the first week of August.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

Subscribe to the KTAR Eyes on Education newsletter to get our top education stories, exclusive guest interviews and more to your email inbox.

Related

Kimberly Yee wins GOP primary for Arizona schools chief over Tom HorneArizona voters to choose Republican and Democratic nominees for top education positionFormer Mesa High School official claims that an inaccurate police report destroyed his careerFormer ASU President, who elevated university’s status, dies at 89Peoria Unified names new principal for school at center of teacher sex scandalASU students collaborate with Disney on secret project for Mickey Mouse’s 100th birthday