Believe it or not - it's already time for school to start for Putnam County students
but some parents say it's costing them money to send their children back to school this early.

Parents say before their children enter these doors they have a long list of school supplies they need to buy.

But
in Putnam County, parents say they are not able to take advantage of
the money saving tax free holidays like other counties and they say that
means more money out of their pockets

The Putnam County School busses are ready to roll on Monday morning which means parents are rolling carts into places like Wal--Mart to get back to school supplies.

Parent
Marlette Stephens says, “Lots of back to school shopping, I've got to
in Putnam county schools so we have done a lot of shopping over the last
few days.”

But it's something many parents wait to conquer during the tax free holiday- to save money.

Parent
Joseph Wilson says, “Everybody waits for the tax free holiday - it's
less money on you because it's a lot to put a kid through school but I
mean forcing people to get it before tax free kind of hurts everybody's
pockets a little more.”

Putnam County School board member Eric
Brown says the schools choice to go to a balanced calendar to have
cushion for bad weather days, civic day for voting and the state testing
schedule.
This is the second year for the calendar and Brown admits starting school before the tax free holiday is a challenge.

Eric
Brown School Board Chairman says, “In many of the classrooms teachers
do make allowances for that - so that it doesn't become as much of an
issue and parents can still take advantage of that holiday instead of
missing out on that holiday completely for their school supplies.”

The tax free holiday this year will be August 3rd through the 5th
Some parents say they will wait until then to get the rest of their students supplies.

Parent Stephen Miller says, “I've got some stuff I've got to get or him-paper pencils - crayons whatever first graders need.”

But
whether they wait to buy supplies or not- one thing is for sure-
mentally students need to be prepared to hit the books when the bell
rings on Monday morning.
Back To School For Putnam County- Erica Shaffer