It’s just a matter of days until area schools open for the academic year.

That can be a stressful time, and that’s why area school districts, churches, nonprofits and businesses work to find ways to improve the overall experience for everyone involved.

A big help is the back-to-school rally. They’ve now become a rite of late summer, with just about all districts and several organizations across the region holding one. The formula is simple — each event is filled with activities for students and their families, ranging from food trucks and other vendors to face-painting and the chance to dunk a teacher or administrator, to free haircuts and performances by school bands and cheerleaders.

At the heart of each presentation, though, is the opportunity for students to receive some basic schoo

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