Back to school reminders as the first day nearly a month away

     While students enjoy a few final weeks of summer fun, back to school reminders have begun.                 
     Jackson County Health Department has joined with countless other health entities to encourage COVID-19 vaccines for students 12 years of age and older prior to the start of school. In order to be fully vaccinated prior to the first day of school on August 23rd, the first dose should be completed by July 19th.
     For more information on COVID-19 as well as other vaccinations required for Missouri students, visit www.jacohd.org/events.
     Registration has opened for returning students at Grain Valley Schools, with August 3rd as the deadline for families to complete the online registration process. Parents of incoming kindergarten students do not need to complete the process unless their address has changed since enrollment. In-person assistance will be available at South Middle School on August 4th from 11:00am—7:00pm for families who need additional assistance.
     Back to school shoppers may want to mark August 6-8th on their calendars, as the state’s sales tax holiday begins on the first Friday in August and continues through the following Sunday. 
     Certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute, are exempt from sales tax for this time period only.
     In 2021, the Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01am on Friday, August 6, and runs through Sunday, August 8.