Leominster to provide free school supplies for all students through high school
LEOMINSTER - The city of Leominster will be providing free school supplies for all its students this coming school year.
The decision applies to all students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The mayor said the cost for school supplies can really add for families and they want to give residents some relief.
"They say this year, it's an average of $842 per child to get them back to school," said Mayor Dean Mazzarella. "Our goal is to get every student into class without breaking the family's budget."
There's about 6,000 students in the Leominster School District. School Committee Member Melissa Bible has four children in the district and said this is a huge savings for parents struggling to make ends meet.
"We want kids to be able to have their new backpacks and have the ability to choose but also parents don't have to worry about having one kid and buying all the materials for schools."
The money paying for the supplies will come out of the city's annual budget.
"We see it. We see it everyday how tough it's been on families. Last year, with home heating oil and electricity, the cost of food has gone up and we look at what it's going to take to get a student back," said Mazzarella.
It doesn't just stop at school supplies. Busing, school breakfasts and lunches, sports fees and fees for AP classes, theater programs and plays will also be waived for the upcoming school year.
