Classes are starting, and thanks to NBC Bay Area viewers, thousands of Bay Area kids are sporting new backpacks and critical school supplies. Chris Chmura provides an update on our Supporting Our Schools backpack drive.

One of the hottest back to school accessories this year may surprise parents — bulletproof backpacks. The bags highlight the harsh reality and dangers faced by children today.

Chris Chmura provides the latest on the Supporting Our Schools donation drive.

Former educator in book documents experience as a teacher in Oakland and shows a “literally unbelievable” lack of school supplies for students and faculty. Chris Chmura reports.

The Bay Area is home to some of the wealthiest communities in America, but there are still hundreds of thousands of local families who can’t afford to give their kids even the most basic essentials for back-to-school. Consumer Investigator Chris Chmura tells you how you can help.

July 26, 11am-7pm

Thousands of Bay Area kids are returning to class with the supplies they need thanks to you. Generous NBC Bay Area viewers made our recent Supporting Our Schools initiative a huge success. Chris Chmura features a project that we have been working on for months.

Hate Mondays? Maybe you should consider moving to Colorado. A school district in the Centennial State has cancelled school on Mondays in favor of a four-day school week. But Garfield-like attitudes is not why school district 27J, located outside Denver, made the decision. The district, which serves 18,000 students in Brighton, Commerce City, Hender...

When San Benito, Texas, school leaders learned of an influx of children to a migrant shelter in their small town near the U.S.-Mexico border, they felt obliged to help. The superintendent reached out and agreed to send 19 bilingual teachers, mobile classrooms and hundreds of computers to make the learning environment resemble one of his schools. Wh...

Given the number of high-profile school shootings last year, both children and adults may be feeling anxiety about school safety. As many kids head back to school, knowing how to speak with them is key in helping to alleviate fear and worry about their personal safety. Here’s where to start. Create a sense of normalcy and return to a routine.......

With the school year starting again, it’s time to start to think about the routine of packing school lunches. For many time-pressed parents, this is a formidable task. But it doesn’t need to be. I’m a registered dietitian and a clinical instructor at Georgia State University, and I have a few easy suggestions. The first has to do with the...

The summer weather may still be in full force, but fall is definitely in the air, at least when you consider one of the year’s biggest retail events: Back-to-school shopping. Here’s a list of expert tips on how to get the best savings — and navigate the chaos with as little stress as possible. Before heading out, be sure to......

The microwave ate my homework? Reusable notebooks where writing disappears with heat are among the basic school supplies raising their game against gadgets like iPads. Also hot in the paper aisle this year: Decorative tape, creative journals and scented pencils in smells like bacon and pickle. “There’s an explosion of innovation and fun...