WINSTON COUNTY - Most parents in the county and in Bear Creek will need to purchase their students' school supplies this year, perhaps while benefiting from the back-to-school sales tax holiday that starts today, Friday, July 18; they can also take advantage of local school supply giveaways.
In recent years, both Haleyville City and Winston County school systems have been able to provide basic supplies to students using federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, but those ran out on Sept. 30, 2024, according to Winston County Superintendent Jeff Scott.
"Those funds are no longer available to us (either)," said Haleyville City Interim Superintendent Candy Garner.
"The high school had some supplies left over which they will provide to students, but individual teachers may have additional requests for students to purchase as well," Garner noted.
The supplies Haleyville High will provide are three-ring binders, paper, notebooks and pencils.
"There are (supply) lists at Wal-Mart and Dollar General provided for HES students," Garner added. "HMS has supply lists sent out."
The lists are also available on the Haleyville Elementary and Haleyville Middle schools' Facebook pages.
Supply lists for Double Springs Elementary, Double Springs Middle, Lynn Elementary, Meek Elementary, Phillips Elementary and Phillips High are also on those school's Facebook pages.
PHS will be able to provide its students with some supplies, and the Alabamian will report which ones when that information becomes available.
PES will not be providing any supplies this year as they were able to do last year.
Principal Nancy Hallman said PES was provided some school supplies last year through funding but that the majority were purchased with donations made to the school.
Fortunately, there are a couple of opportunities for parents whose children will not be receiving supplies.
"We always have churches in each community that help with school supplies," Scott noted.
Churches with community giveaways may contact the Alabamian to be named in this space.
Sales tax holiday this weekend
First of all, there is the back-to-school state sales tax holiday this weekend, starting at 12:01 a.m. this Friday morning, July 18, and running through midnight on Sunday, July 20.
Eligible items include all clothing, shoes, computers, printers, printing supplies and computer software and storage devices as well as notebooks, pens and pencils, crayons, calculators and other traditional school supplies.
The state tax holiday is in effect for all shoppers.
Along with many counties and municipalities, Winston and Marion counties and the following local communities are also waiving county and city sales tax this weekend as well: Addison, Arley, Bear Creek, Double Springs, Haleyville and Natural Bridge.
Visit the Alabama Department of Revenue website, https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/sales-use/sales-tax-holidays/, for a complete list of covered items and a list of all municipalities and counties that are waiving local sales taxes for the weekend.
Capstone giveaway
Another opportunity is coming up later this month.
Capstone Health will hold its Back-to-School Backpack Giveaway on Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Double Springs Elementary School at 123 Old School Road.
This event is for children Pre-K age and above in the Winston County area.
Capstone will give away backpacks, school supplies, food and prizes. Children must be present at the event to receive backpacks and supplies.
The first 100 children under age six will receive a free book.
"This year’s featured book is Baby Unplugged: PLAY!, which celebrates classic childhood play and reminds us that the best learning often comes from simple moments of creativity and imagination where no screens or gadgets are required," said Jamie Sanford, Capstone's early childhood development manager.
The event will also include screen-free games and hands-on activities that encourage kids and families to play and connect.
In addition, there will be free well-child screenings education, body mass index (BMI) screenings, vision screenings, community resources and health information, and education on colorectal cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer and immunization health literacy.
To donate supplies or learn more about this event, contact the Capstone outreach team at outreach@capstoneclinic.org.
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