Principal Erin Anderson (left) and Assistant Principal Ashley Dupont of Sunset Heights Elementary School during last year's Nashua Goes Back To School event. File photo

NASHUA – Before returning to the classroom, students and school administrators will gather at Library Plaza for the 22nd annual Nashua Goes Back to School celebration.

During the event, which will be held on Aug. 21 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., students will have the opportunity to meet their principal and receive a bag of school supplies.

There will also be musical performances by the Nashua Community Music School and free vision screenings from the Nashua Lions Club for children who are six months and older.

Keith Richard, principal of Nashua High School South, said the event is “a great way to kick off the school year with energy and support.”

“Students receive essential school supplies, helping them start the year prepared and confident. It’s also a chance for families to connect with valuable community resources,” he said. “This event brings everyone together, creating a strong and supportive start for students, families, and the entire school community.”

More than 40 organizations will be in attendance this year with information about their various programs. They include the Nashua Police Athletic League, the Boys Scouts, the Girls Scouts and the Nashua Center for Life Long Learning.

Nashua Community College will also be returning this year.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet members of the Nashua community and give back,” said Admissions Coordinator Mackenzie Murphy. “Just as the kids are going back to school, it’s a great opportunity for the parents to also learn about educational opportunities available for them to start college or go back to school. We love sharing information with families about all that NCC has to offer. As we are a community college, we know that coming together as a community is truly what it is all about.”

Michael Mahoney, principal of Bicentennial Elementary School, said the event is a good way to ease into the new school year.

“Year after year we are not necessarily ready to return to school so quickly when the summers fly by, but the Nashua Goes Back to School event never fails to remind us of what is great about Nashua and the many small communities that exist at each of our schools,” he said. “The relationships that families and schools foster and build are often kindled at this very event.”

Nashua Goes Back to School got its start in August 2004, the first year that the district had two high schools. The city has hosted the event in concert with the United Way of Greater Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph.