Organizer asks Fargo board to promote Back to School Connect at Jefferson Elementary on Aug. 6

A community organizer described the Back to School Connect event returning to Jefferson Elementary on Aug. 6 and asked the Fargo Board of Education to support outreach to families in the neighborhood.

In public comment, Victoria identified herself and thanked the board, noting last year’s turnout despite bad weather. She said partners for the upcoming event include the Boys & Girls Club, Lumina, the North Dakota Federation, Mental Health America and the Red Cross, among others. Victoria said the Red Cross installed 120 smoke alarms during the prior event and that pediatric partners conducted assessments that led some children to receive follow-up therapy.

Victoria said the program is intended to be more than a one-time distribution of backpacks: “We want to connect you with the resources. We want to build that relationship and teamwork,” she told trustees. She said the event collects data to evaluate reach and noted a goal to increase outreach to Native American families after lower participation in the event’s first year.

When a board member asked for the date and location, Victoria said the event will be held Aug. 6 at Jefferson Elementary and explained organizers kept the location to serve the neighborhood and families with limited transportation. She invited the board liaison for Jefferson to attend and see the community-school partnerships in action.

The remarks were part of the board’s public comment period; no board action resulted from the presentation.