By Fritz Edelstein
September 11, 2006

Around the country, mayors are involved in numerous back to school activities. Mayors understand the importance of the opening of school and have expanded their involvement in opening school by participating in various activities that highlight the importance of attending school, emphasize the importance of learning, and engage parents in their child’s education.

Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell hosted his 7th annual “National First Day of School” festival August 13. It was attended by 21,000 children and family members. 10,000 free backpacks were distributed with a snack and school supplies, and hundreds of booths provided educational information and give-a-ways. Purcell expressed his feelings about the opening of school when he said, “We had our best start of the new school year in the seven years that I have been mayor. Education is the most important thing our city does, so the First Day of School is the most important day in Nashville’s civic calendar.”

Also, Purcell visited four different schools on the first day of school, August 14th. Following these visits, the mayor held his quarterly meeting with the school board at a newly constructed elementary school, which has made adequate yearly progress under No Child Left Behind with a student body comprised of over 50 percent English Language Learners.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg participated in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record as part of his new school year activities. He appeared on NBC’s Today Show reading to young children The Little Engine That Could. 300 young children attended and participated in the Read for the Record event, which was hosted by the mayor. Read for the Record was a national effort to set a world record for the most number of children read to at the same time from the same book. The program is supported by two Conference Business Council members, Pearson and Starbucks. Jumpstart’s mission is to expand the number of reading tutors for young children.

Also, participating in Read for the Record was Burnsville (MN) Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, who read The Little Engine That Could in a local downtown Starbucks and had the local fire department participate as well.

Louisville Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson kicked-off the new school year in early August with an event for incoming kindergartners designed to help the new students and parents make the transition to kindergarten. “Kindergarten is the start of something big,” Abramson said. “I wanted our kids to get excited about the first day of school and our parents to know how to prepare their children for this important milestone in their lives.”

The city hosted the first Kindergarten Countdown Fair during a Louisville Metro Bats ball game at Louisville Metro Slugger Field. It was attended by 700 kindergarteners with their parents and siblings. These students received a free “I’m going to Kindergarten” t-shirt and backpack. The mayor and some of the students threw out the first pitch. They were joined by another 700 students who had completed the summer reading program sponsored by the Louisville Metro Free Public Library. Parents who attended the ball game received information on immunizations, health screenings and skills children should have before the beginning of school. Also, the city published a booklist of 25 titles appropriate for these entering students, which is available at 17 libraries and online. Leading up to this day, the mayor launched a 10-day radio campaign sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that offered tips to kindergarten parents.

Charleston (SC) Mayor Joseph Riley Jr. hosted and participated in the 4th annual Charleston’s First Day of School Festival. It was held the Sunday before the opening of school. This year’s festival drew 10,000 people, almost double last year’s attendance. Riley led the opening parade and in his remarks during the festival stated, “The opening of school each year is one of the most important days. We need to pay more attention to our children and insure that they are prepared for school, and excited and read to learn.”

There were a variety of activities for all attendees including fishing lessons at the Harbor for students, free boat tours of the Harbor, games, and food. More than 80 vendors provided free items that students needed for their return to school. The mayor also read to children during the festival as part of the “Born To Read” program.

Providence (RI) Mayor David N. Cicilline visited five different elementary schools to help open the doors to more than 26,000 students and welcome back students, parents, teachers and administrators. “The first day of school is so exciting because it is filled with the promise of a new year, a new start, and with the hopes we have that every one of these youngsters will be given the chance to reach his or her potential,” Cicilline said.

The mayor joined Providence School Superintendent Donnie Evans in greeting the children as they hurried across school yards, some in school uniforms for the first time, and spoke to parents about restoring the aging school buildings into 21st Century learning environments. The mayor made a special effort to praise teachers for their ability to rise to the challenges they face in guiding children to their potential. Also, he told parents that he hoped they would stay engaged throughout the education of their children as they have today.

Birmingham (AL) Mayor Bernard Kincaid participated in a series of activities to celebrate this year’s opening of the city’s schools. He spoke at the convocation of the Birmingham Teacher Institute and attended the welcoming reception for Birmingham’s new superintendent of schools, Dr. Stan Mims. At the convocation, the mayor stated, “Family support and parental involvement are essential to a well-rounded education experience in Birmingham City Schools. In Birmingham, we promote strong parent-teacher relations that develop and foster enthusiasm for classroom learning, a proper learning environment for educational attainment, and the desire of all children to succeed.”

Also, Kincaid was one of the hosts at the Birmingham City Schools Family Expo. This year’s theme was “Putting First Things First.” Over 4,000 people attended this year’s Expo. Students were provided free school supplies and parents were given information on all school programs and activities. One of the major events held August 10, the first day of school, was Kincaid’s participation in the ribbon cutting for Glen Iris Elementary School, the newest school in the city, serving grades K-5.