EASTON, Pa. — The return to school is quickly approaching, and for families in need of a little extra help preparing for the new year, Easton City Councilman-elect Frank Pintabone will hold a back-to-school rally in the city on Sunday.
Running from noon to 4 p.m. in Scott Park, the event will include opportunities for incoming students to meet Easton Area School District Superintendent Tracy Piazza, along with teachers, principals, and even mascots. School district registration and other resources will also be available.
- Easton councilman-elect Frank Pintabone will host a back to school rally this Sunday in Scott Park
- Families and students can learn about school registration, get supplies and haircuts and have fun at the bounce house
- Athletes O.J. Anderson, Andre Williams, and Easton’s own Larry Holmes are scheduled to attend to inspire the kids
Precision Cuts Barbershop is offering free haircuts at the rally, and book bags and school supplies will be available while supplies last.
Big Papa’s Big Smoking Food Truck will be on the scene offering up free burgers and hot dogs.
Appalachian Entertainment will provide a live DJ, and the kids can also enjoy a bounce house.
“My goal is to send the kids back on a positive note, with support and encouragement, and hopefully start them off on a good note, so they’re positive about going back, so they’re not looking at it as ‘Oh no, I have to go back to school, summer is over,’ but looking at it as another opportunity to succeed and do well."Easton City Councilman-elect Frank Pintabone
“My goal is to send the kids back on a positive note, with support and encouragement, and hopefully start them off on a good note, so they’re positive about going back, so they’re not looking at it as ‘Oh no, I have to go back to school, summer is over,’ but looking at it as another opportunity to succeed and do well,” Pintabone said.
School registration will be a key feature of the rally, as both Pintabone and Superintendent Piazza noted some families aren’t aware of how it works. In fact, Piazza said Pintabone was at least partly inspired to launch Sunday’s event due to registration issues.
“For the school district and students, it’s critically important for us to get the word out any way we can about being registered for school by the first day of school. And then it’s just a fun way to kick off the school season,” Piazza said.
“Often, people assume children and families look forward to summer, which most do, but the reality is we have a good number of families and kids who rely on the routine of school and the stability of school, and so for those kids we want to make sure that the know we’re ready and eager for them to come back, and that the staff is excited.”
A few famous athletes will also be on the scene to inspire the kids, Pintabone said, including football players O.J. Anderson, Andre Williams, and Easton’s own Larry Holmes.
“Larry has been a good friend of mine, I fought for him as an amateur boxer many years ago and he’s always been a good friend to the community. I called Larry first, and him and Diane, his wife, were immediately like, ‘Yup, we’ll be there,’” said Pintabone, a city planning commission member and former school board president.
For teachers and administrators, the rally is also designed to provide an opportunity to connect with the students before the start of the year, building a stronger bond which could help facilitate learning and growth.
“For us, it’s an opportunity to talk to kids and parents in the community about the good things happening in Easton, and getting to know them as they come back into school,” Piazza said.
The incoming councilmember said the rally could not have come together without the community, including assistance from IBEW Local 102, Teamsters 773, UPS, Crayola, Alloy5 Architecture, and even individuals like Pintabone’s neighbor, who donated 150 notebooks to the cause.
Looking forward to the future, Pintabone said he hopes subsequent years will be even bigger and better, providing all the necessities for Easton students to smoothly transition back into the school year.
“It’s not just about giving away things, it’s about rallying and building up their confidence and energy, getting these kids psyched for a good school year,” PIntabone said.
