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NCLUSD welcomes families with back-to-school bash at Yolo Middle School
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A young student plays a basketball arcade game during the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District’s back-to-school event at Yolo Middle School. The annual celebration featured games, school booths, cafeteria food samples, and community resources to help families prepare for the new school year. - photo by Sabra Stafford

NEWMAN — With swag bags in hand and smiles on their faces, hundreds of students and families packed the campus of Yolo Middle School on Saturday for the Newman-Crows Landing Unified School District’s annual back-to-school event.

The celebration, now in its 10th year, drew an estimated 2,000 attendees and featured booths from each school in the district, interactive games, cafeteria food samples, and a chance for students to meet teachers and staff before the first day of class.

Superintendent Justin Pruitt said the event serves a dual purpose: “It builds excitement for the new school year and lets the students and parents meet with the staff from the schools. Secondary, if people have questions, the right people are here to answer them.”

Students were able to sample from-scratch cafeteria offerings like quiche and muffins, and first-time bus riders got a hands-on experience aboard a school bus parked at the event. Community organizations including the Newman Family Resource Center, the public library, and the city’s parks and recreation department were also on hand to connect with families.

Alysson Cassidy, director of the district’s Beyond the Bell program, said the event helps ease the transition back to school. “It goes a long way towards decreasing the first week chaos and takes away some of the first day nerves,” she said.

Parents were invited to participate in a new district-wide mission and vision survey, aimed at shaping future goals and priorities for NCLUSD.

For second-grader Samuel Martinez, who will be attending Von Renner Elementary, the highlight was seeing the school mascots. “I’m having a fun time,” he said.

Tiffani Oliveira, a fifth-grade teacher at Hunt Elementary, said the event helps foster a sense of unity. “It creates a sense of community and gets everyone involved and eager to come back to school,” she said. “I love seeing the excitement and energy of the kids as they get ready to come back to school. This event is great to hype them up for it.”

The first day of school for NCLUSD students is scheduled for August 11.