Waugh Chapel Fair Offers Back-to-School Preview

There was no mistaking that the start of classes was right around the corner, as local schools and area business hosted a back-to-school fair Saturday at the Village at Waugh Chapel.

The West Anne Arundel County’s annual back-to-school fair at the  featured school principals mingling with anxious students and local businesses looking to take advantage of the school season.

Arundel Middle School Principal Shawn Ashworth manned a table and sold kits with essential supplies for the school year, while sharing a few jokes with students who stopped by.

“You get to see a lot of the kids come with their families, you get to talk to them, and kind of ease their stress before the first day of school,” she said.

At an adjacent table, Arundel High School Principal Sharon Stratton also caught up with students while touting the school's progress in Advanced Placement exams and the second full year of the school’s Community Development and Global Citizenship signature program.

“We see our counterparts, and it gives us some additional time to do some planning while we’re sitting here, and we get to see the kids,” she said. “They haven’t come back to school yet, so there’s a lot of high school kids that drop by, and it’s a great opportunity to celebrate.”

For Piney Orchard Elementary School Principal Karen Bailey, it was a chance to put kids at ease before the start of classes. She manned a booth featuring piles of essential pamphlets ranging from bus schedules to class assignments.

"If we can calm and make them feel more relaxed on that first day, I think that’s great," Bailey said.

Businesses represented at the fair included the Family Bike Shop in Crofton, the local office of Edward Jones Financial and the Kiddie Korner Day Care in Odenton.

Kiddie Korner owners Jaime and Mark Mench were touting their new pre-school program, as well as 15 new before care and after care spots with students at Waugh Chapel Elementary.

The West County chamber also had a booth touting developments in the Odenton Town Center, while Smoothie King gave out free samples.

"It’s about showing we are like a family, a community,” said Odenton Elementary School Principal Tracey Ahern. “Being here is a way to show we believe in this community, and those connections are important for student learning.”