Families preparing for the new school year got a helping hand Tuesday as hundreds of backpacks and school supplies were distributed outside Landing Elementary School, giving students a chance to pick out a new backpack while easing some of the financial pressure that comes with heading back to class.
Nassau County Legislature Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton partnered with the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association and the Glen Cove City School District for the Aug. 18 giveaway, with local support from the Glen Cove PBA.
For Glen Cove parent Maria Campos, who attended with her children Daniella Bonilla and Ezekiel Bonilla, the supplies offered some relief as her family prepares several children for school.
“We are a big family,” Campos said. “It’s really helping us because now everything is expensive.”
Campos said Daniella and Ezekiel will both be attending pre-K, while she also has a son with special needs who requires school supplies.
The event was open to students throughout Nassau County, though its location at Landing made it particularly convenient for Glen Cove families.
“Back-to-school season is such an exciting time for families, but I know how it can be financially challenging for families in Glen Cove and communities across our County,” DeRiggi-Whitton said. “That is why I am so grateful that we are continuing our partnership with the Nassau PBA and Glen Cove City Schools to provide deserving local students with everything they need to excel in the new school year!”
The Nassau PBA furnished the backpacks and supplies distributed at the event.
Glen Cove Superintendent of Schools Alexa Doeschner said the giveaway also gives district officials an opportunity to reconnect with students and parents shortly before classes resume.
“It’s exciting,” Doeschner said. “They get to come and get a free backpack. They choose their color, so it’s a nice opportunity for me to check in with our families two weeks before the beginning of school and greet them with a smile and say, ‘Welcome back, almost.’”
Doeschner said the backpack program previously took place at Glen Cove High School when she was principal of Landing Elementary. Landing staff would promote the event and encourage families to visit the high school to pick up supplies.
“This is great because it’s all Nassau County, so it’s available for all students,” Doeschner said. “We’re just lucky that Delia DeRiggi-Whitton chooses our school district to do this, so it’s convenient for families in Glen Cove, but it’s available to the entire county.”
The giveaway comes as Glen Cove schools prepare for the 2026-27 academic year, which Doeschner said will include an increased emphasis on engaging parents and families.
“We are very excited for the school year,” she said. “We are focusing on parent engagement this year.”
The district plans to hold monthly community forums in addition to its regular Board of Education meetings. Each forum will include a roughly 15- to 20-minute presentation centered on a particular topic, followed by a discussion with families and an opportunity to ask questions.
The forums will rotate among the district’s school buildings throughout the year, giving families opportunities to participate at different locations.
Doeschner said the district is also planning “coffee and pizza with the superintendent” gatherings, which will provide a less formal setting for residents to speak with district administrators.
The gatherings, she said, will be “even more informal opportunities for community members to drop in and touch base with district office administrators about the school district and their experiences.”
For families like Campos’, Tuesday’s event addressed a more immediate concern: making sure children have what they need when they walk into their classrooms in September.
With the cost of everyday necessities weighing on families, Campos said receiving school supplies for her children makes the transition back to school a little easier.
“It’s really helping us,” she said.
