NASHUA – For 15 years, the Nashua Goes Back to School event has helped Gate City students with much-needed school supplies, and more importantly, one-on-one interaction with school principals and administrators.

Despite much uncertainty surrounding the 2020-2021 school year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 16th edition of the much-loved event is scheduled for 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Instead of its usual site at the Nashua Public Library, this year’s festivities are set at three separate schools to ease the burden of families in traveling to the library, and to promote proper social distancing.

The three sites include:

• Elm Street Middle School will serve students from Nashua High School North, Nashua High School South, Elm Street Middle School, Birch Hill Elementary School, Broad Street Elementary School, Main Dunstable Elementary School and Ledge Street Elementary School. Parents and students are asked to enter Otterson Street to Elm Street to Lake Street.

• Fairgrounds Elementary School will serve students from Nashua High School South, Fairgrounds Middle School, Bicentennial Elementary School, Fairgrounds Elementary School, Ledge Street Elementary School, New Searles Elementary School and Sunset Heights Elementary School. Parents and students are asked to enter from Blanchard Street.

• Amherst Street Elementary School will serve students from Nashua High School North, Pennichuck Middle School, Amherst Street Elementary School, Charlotte Avenue Elementary School, Dr. Norman W. Crisp Elementary School and Mount Pleasant Elementary School. Parents and students are asked to enter from Sargent Avenue to Artillery Lane.

Parents either may drive in a “reverse parade,” or walk to meet principals and get their welcome bag of school supplies.

As in recent years, event organizers said 1,500 bags of school supplies will be given out.

“All 19 principals come out for the event, and administrators, too,” said event co-founder George Katis. “It really shows how dedicated they are, coming out to meet the kids, when it’s during their summer vacation.”

“They all (teachers and administrators) do a great job, and we get a lot of help from the teachers and the city,” Katis added. “Also, the Fisher Cats have been a huge help with the event, as has the Ted Williams Foundation, which has been a part of this from Day 1. It’s truly the best event in Nashua.”

Event co-organizer and founding member Mary Ann Melizzi-Golja agreed, noting that the event really gives the kids an opportunity for social interaction with principals, teachers and administrators outside the traditional school setting.

“It’s the social connection,” Melizzi-Golja said. “This year, that will mean even more because of the pandemic.”

“Those coming will have to wear a mask, and we will have hand sanitizer on hand,” Melizzi-Golja added. “I just can’t really say enough about the help we get from the city, police and fire departments and a great many others.”

On Monday, June Caron – an event co-founder and organizer – and a group of dedicated volunteers will be preparing the 1,500 bags, and although this year is a bit different, she is thankful for not only the support for the event, but that it does make such a difference in the community.

“Even though some of the people we usually have involved, like some of our elderly volunteers, are not able to take part this year, we are glad to be able to do this again for the kids,” Caron said. “We also are very grateful to George (Katis) for going out and getting funding. He has always been great and is always helping.”

Sponsors for the event are the city of Nashua, the Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce, The Telegraph, Able Moving, Deans Carpet One Floor & Home of Manchester, the Nashua Teachers’ Union, Gate City Electric, Oracle, Staples, Nashua Wallpaper Co./ACE Hardware, the Ted Williams Museum, Law Logistics, AmeriHealth-Caritas New Hampshire, The Katis Family Foundation, Stellos Electrical Contractors, Sunnyside Acura, The Nash Foundation, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Southern New Hampshire Health, Comcast-NBC Universal, Queen City ACE Paint & Hardware and United Way of Greater Nashua. Event support also is provided by Bausch Articulating Papers, Eaton & Berube Insurance, Hamblett & Kerrigan PA, Health Haven Pharmacy, Hirsch & Co., jajaBelle’s, Jeannotte’s, Lannan Co. and McNulty & Foley Express Caterers.

“It’s a collaborative effort,” said Richard Lannan. “This is just such a great event for the community.”

Newsletter