For many families, the start of a new school year brings excitement, but it can also bring real financial pressure. Backpacks, notebooks, school supplies, clothing, and other necessities add up quickly. Through the annual Back to School Bash, the Rockdale Education Foundation joins with community partners to help make sure students can begin the year feeling prepared, confident, and ready to learn.
Held on July 25 at Wheeler Park, this year’s Bash was powered by community generosity—and by the hands-on support of organizations committed to Rockdale students. As a Silver Sponsor, the Rockdale Education Foundation not only helped fund the event but also provided volunteers who spent the day greeting families, distributing supplies, and ensuring every child left with what they needed for a strong start. New Superintendent Dr. Stephanie Johnson was also on hand, welcoming families and celebrating the community’s commitment to students.
In 2026 alone, the event served approximately 2,000 Rockdale students, turning community generosity into something children could carry with them straight into the classroom.
But the impact goes far beyond school supplies. For a child, walking into school with a new backpack and the materials everyone else has can mean feeling included instead of singled out. For a parent stretching a household budget, it can mean one less difficult choice. And for the community, the Bash is a powerful reminder that supporting public education begins with making sure every child has the basic tools—and the sense of belonging—they need to succeed.
The Back to School Bash represents the Foundation at its best: bringing schools, families, businesses, volunteers, and community partners together around students. A backpack may seem like a small gift, but to the child carrying it through the school doors on the first day, it can carry something much bigger…the message that their community is behind them and wants them to succeed.