Safety, health concerns disperse Rock Hill school supply distribution

A recent uptick in the number of families showing up at Rock Hill School District Three’s Flexible Learning Center for a school supply distribution has led district officials to decentralize their efforts.

Last year, more than 3,000 students in need showed up for an all-day giveaway of school supplies, but supplies on hand could only serve 800 students, Rock Hill School District Three Coordinator of Community Services Serena Williams said.

“It was just too hot to have people gathered in one place where you don’t have enough to support the need for a long period of time….We had a number of safety and health concerns.”

As a result, district officials and the Rock Hill Police Department, which staffs officers to provide security for the event, made the decision to cancel the centralized effort and send the school supplies directly to the schools.

Guidance counselors will have a stockpile of supplies at their schools when they return for the fall August 13. When students return, they will be able to request those supplies directly.

“Unfortunately we won’t have as much contact with parents if their students are going to come to school without them, Williams said. “But we will serve everyone to capacity.”

Under the centralized distribution method, parents and their children attended the event together.

Students in Rock Hill schools return to the classroom August 20.