Education notes: Back-to-school drives, elections, calendar survey

Back-to-school events are planned across Tucson through the end of July. Tucson Unified School District’s annual IMPACT drive will take place Saturday at four family resource centers instead of its usual location at Palo Verde High School. Families can receive free backpacks and school supplies, along with information about local resources.

The sites are the Catalina Family Resource Center, 3645 E. Pima St.; Palo Verde Family Resource Center, 1302 S. Avenida Vega; Menlo Family Resource Center, 1100 W. Fresno St.; and Southwest Family Resource Center, 6855 S. Mark Road. Other events include a supply giveaway at Zion City’s Santa Cruz Campus on July 25, free haircuts and school supplies at Ascension Dynasty, and a supply event hosted by Monarch Luxury Hair and partner organizations.

Kidz Expo will hold its 15th annual event at the Tucson Convention Center, with school supplies, children’s activities, health resources and giveaways. Tucson Parks and Recreation will also host a backpack drive at the Marty Birdman Center, offering backpacks, supplies, food and haircuts.

In Arizona’s superintendent of public instruction race, Republican Kimberly Yee defeated incumbent Tom Horne in the primary, based on the vote count reported Wednesday. Yee will face Democrat Teresa Ruiz, who won her party’s primary, in November.

Tucson Unified is asking families to weigh in on four possible calendars for the 2027 to 2028 school year. Options include a slightly longer Thanksgiving break and a four-day school week. The district hopes to receive 20,000 responses before presenting the survey results to the governing board in August.