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‘Showing up’

‘Showing up’

Superintendent Brian Swatland saw the vision of the Dunkirk City School District come to life on Tuesday evening at Point Gratiot Park. The annual Back to School Bash was everything that he hoped it would be.

After raining out the day prior, the Back to School Bash was held on a picture perfect day at the Point. Community organizations came together to support the City of Dunkirk and Dunkirk City Schools in a back to school event aimed at supporting local families however they need it.

"We have to have a partnership. The town, the city, the parents, the students, the teachers, the schools, everybody together for the betterment of our students," Swatland said. "You see all of that come together here. ... When you talk about vision for the community, this is it."

At Tuesday's event, a DJ provided family-friendly music entertainment, along with bounce houses, haircuts and giveaways. Families were provided with school supplies, ice cream from Wells, food and refreshments, all at no cost.

"There are just so many smiling faces. Every kid you look at, they're smiling. They're happy, and they're ready to come back to school," Swatland said.

Perhaps the busiest of all the tables set up at the event was the Intermediate School table. Principal Kim Texter and Assistant Principal Stephanie Berghold interacted with students of all ages throughout the event, from the new third graders making the jump to the Intermediate School for the first time, to current students entering grades 4-6, as well as former students and their families.

"I love seeing our kids, even as adults. There are kids who are now adults that bring their kids and say, 'You can trust this person.' That means something," Berghold said.

"It's about seeing future students and past students, getting to see how excited they are to see us again," Texter said.

The event has become a tradition in Dunkirk each year as one of the final community events of the summer to signal the beginning of school around the corner.

"Everybody looks forward to it – the community, the families, the school," Texter said. "I love to see how many people are here to support the school. From Pre-K all the way through High School ... everybody is here to start the year."

Texter said the event alleviates the pressure on children to return to school, which results in better performance and behavior when class is in session. Interacting with teachers and administrators at a social event outside of school – like one of several throughout the summer – fosters personal connections for students with the school they attend.

"I think this is a great example of how everybody from every corner of the city has something in common. We all show up for the kids," Berghold said. "Everybody has a common interest, with our kids being the center of it."

Athletes from various programs at Dunkirk High School also volunteered their time to promote parent/guardian access to the district by educating families about the Parent Portal.

"Community runs deep within the schools. We want our parents and our entire community to be involved," Swatland said. "Our children are the future of this community, and we have to treat them like that."

Among the many organizations represented at the event was United Way of Chautauqua County. Eric Rinaldo, Community Impact Manager, and Leslie Wille, Director of Growth and Engagement, welcomed families into the tent to meet with all of the organizations available to support the many needs of the community throughout the year.

"The tent is where all these nonprofits are able to offer their services to the public in such a great way," said Rinaldo. "It's the perfect place for folks to come to get school supplies and find all the information and support they need for the upcoming year."

Wille said, "I think it's great seeing everyone coming together to support the community and support our kids."

The Back to School Bash is one of United Way's opportunities each year to meet with families in the community to offer its resources. United Way backs many of the organizations throughout Chautauqua County.

"We support a lot of agencies that do serve people. This is one of our chances to get in front of the public to educate them on what we do in the community and offer our resources," said Rinaldo.

One of the ways that United Way supports the community this year is through helping provide school supplies to families at the Back to School Bash. Rinaldo and Wille both cited the rising costs for school supplies, especially backpacks, in recent years.

"School supplies keep getting more and more expensive every year, and it's more and more that we have to supply every year," Wille said. "This is huge for these families to help them prepare for the upcoming year."

From a district perspective, Swatland is excited about Dunkirk's emphasis on literacy this upcoming year, including book vending machines in the school this year. The goal is to encourage children to bring books home to read with their families to "create those family memories" through reading. The Back to School Bash provided another way to create family memories through the school.

The event was hosted by the City of Dunkirk and the Dunkirk City School District, along with support from the United Way of Chautauqua County, Wells Enterprises, Refresco Beverages, CHRIC, Dunkirk Fredonia Lions Club and Universal Audiology. School 4 Principal Kisun Peters helped coordinate the event with the City of Dunkirk following the rainout on Monday.

"I'd like to thank all of our community partners, everybody who supports this year in and year out. Thank you for continuing to do that," Swatland said.

Berghold said, "Our kids are worth all the hustle and bustle that it takes to put this together."