Mansfield ISD’s Back to School Bash provided a great opportunity for the community to reunite before the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. 

Although the morning started with a thunderstorm, the skies cleared out and thousands of visitors turned out at the Dr. Jim Vaszauskas Center for the Performing Arts and Ben Barber Innovation Academy. Volunteers handed out more than 2,000 pairs of brand-new shoes and nearly 5,500 backpacks stuffed with school supplies. 

“It’s an opportunity to pull all of our community partners together, wrap our arms around our community, give back and have a great time to kick off the new school year,” said MISD Superintendent Dr. Kimberley Cantu. 

Students got to visit with principals and teachers from their campuses and see friends they had missed over the summer. Community partners and campuses brought the fun with bounce houses, a dunk tank and games for the entire family. 

Local businesses, faith organizations, non-profit organizations and health professionals contributed to the event, allowing the district to purchase the supplies students need to start the school year. Students also received a wide a range of services including immunizations, eye exams, dental exams, sports physicals and haircuts.