'Usually it’s really crazy': Back-to-school shoppers getting ready

Parents, students and staff are heading to local stores looking for school supplies and bargains with school starting next week.

Most students in Windsor-Essex head back to the classroom on Tuesday, Sept. 5. That means there aren’t many shopping days left.

“Usually it’s really crazy and so that’s why I’m doing it at the beginning of the week because I don't want to be in the big long line,” says Windsor parent Laura Leistico.

Leistico has five kids, so she’s always looking for ways to save, but adds certain items are worth spending the extra money.

“Sometimes I just go for what the kids want because they're going to be using it all year and it's nice to splurge a little,” says Leistico.

There’s still a good stock of school supplies left in most local stores.

Vincent Massey secondary teacher Jim Beland says he feels like he’s ahead of the game this year.

“For me, this is actually better than last minute. Usually I'm waiting till like the Friday,” says Beland.

Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board spokeperson Stephen Fields says parents and students don’t need to worry if they weren’t able to get all of the items for the first day.

“Usually teachers try to keep those supply lists very minimal so that they don't put a whole lot of pressure on parents to go out there or have to spend a whole lot of money in order to bring things to school. And what they'll do is they'll make sure that every child basically is accommodated for,”says Fields.

There’s one item some parents won’t have to worry about.

“All students entering Grade 9 this year will get a Chromebook assigned to them for their use during the full four years of their second year school education,” says Renaud.

All Grade 8 classrooms will have a Chromebook assigned to the classroom for use.

The board is funding the 3,000 Chrome books. The board already has about 12,000 Chromebooks.

“Students will be able to have a classroom assigned or device assigned to them and then they'll be issued a Chromebook the first week of school. For Grade 8 students, the technology will just be in the classroom when they arrive,” says Renaud.

Students should have instructions in their Mytools2go emails.