Deprecated: Creation of dynamic property ET_Builder_Module_Comments::$et_pb_unique_comments_module_class is deprecated in /home/csmediatexas/murphymonitor/wp-content/themes/Divi/includes/builder/class-et-builder-element.php on line 1425
Photos online

A fair time to go back to school

by | Aug 6, 2026 | Area News, Education, Latest

With two weeks before the start of classes, the Plano ISD held a crowded back-to-school fair in the Plano Center on Wednesday, July 29. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor

Thousands of Plano ISD students and their families swarmed the Plano Center for the district’s annual Back to School Fair.

Working in triple-digit heat, Plano police officers controlled access to the Wednesday, July 29, event — funneling cars to park on the grass. Overflow crowds parked across Jupiter Road at the Oak Point Recreation Center.

PISD students could pre-register for a free Trailsport backpack and there were a variety of other services available including Toni&Guy haircuts, Constant Eye Care vision screening and dental screening by Family Smiles.

Lovepacs and Minnie’s Food Pantry had food boxes and Passport Health/Staying Healthy Medical Services operated a vaccination clinic with immunizations for chicken pox, diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (whooping cough), mumps/measles/rubella, polio, pneumonia, meningitis and hepatitis.

District resources on site provided school enrollment and registration, food and nutrition services support, language services, transportation information about bus routes and eligibility, and help with school details or programs like the Head Start Early Childhood Campus. There was also a PISD recruiting booth for jobseekers.

Titan Robotics club students set up displays in the courtyard so visitors could operate robots that threw balls and Toyota had an inflatable soccer goal for students to practice free kicks. 

Community vendors manned tables offering information about health, wellness, social services, sports and after-school programs and enrichment opportunities. 

There was a long line for Cane’s chicken fingers; Bed Start, a local ministry of sharing, asked, “Do you need a hand up?” and a playful squirrel puppet enticed young readers to sign up for a Plano Public Library card.

Plano ISD campuses serving Murphy students include Boggess, Hickey, Hunt and Miller Elementary Schools, Murphy Middle School, McMillen High School and Plano East Senior High School.

Most campuses have “Meet the Teacher” events on Monday, Aug. 10, prior PISD’s first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 11.

Stay informed, and support your local community newspaper, subscribe to  Murphy Monitor.

Subscribe Love

0 Comments

Public Notice - Subscribe

Related News

Congressman told of teenager’s threat, arrest

Congressman told of teenager’s threat, arrest

U.S. Rep. Keith Self says Capitol Police told him the FBI had arrested a McKinney teenager in connection with an alleged threat against the 3rd District congressman.“The Capitol Police contacted me twice with alerts that included the fact that FBI had made an arrest,”...

read more
Little Free Library brings new stories to Murphy

Little Free Library brings new stories to Murphy

A Little Free Library is dedicated outside the Murphy Community Center by Historian Rhonda Lucich and Regent Amanda Mahler of the Mary Shirley McGuire Chapter, NSDAR. Photo Bob Wieland / Murphy Monitor A bright red cabinet filled with children’s books has become...

read more
Annual family campout returns to Murphy

Annual family campout returns to Murphy

Register by Oct. 15 for the family campout set for Nov. 13 to 14. Bob Wieland/Murphy Monitor Murphy’s annual family campout is returning to Central Park Pond next month, offering families a chance to spend a night under the stars without venturing far from home. Now...

read more
Early voting begins next week 

Early voting begins next week 

There’s a lot for voters to consider on the ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, general election. In the 3rd Congressional District, Rep. Keith Self, a Republican, is seeking his third term in the U.S. House. He is opposed by Evan Hunt, the Democratic nominee.  Four...

read more
City asks Flock to remove cameras

City asks Flock to remove cameras

The Murphy City Council has decided there are too many questions about Flock Safety automated license plate readers (ALPRs) to continue using the cameras. In a presentation to council’s Oct. 6 meeting, Police Chief Jeff Gibson dispelled myths about the cameras, saying...

read more
Area community events fill October calendar

Area community events fill October calendar

Boo on Ballard will return to Wylie Oct. 29. File Art Cooler weather — or at least the promise of it — is bringing a full slate of festivals, Halloween celebrations and family activities to Wylie, Sachse and surrounding communities throughout October. From costume...

read more
Public Notice - Subscribe