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Philly is kicking off its back-to-school tour offering kids free backpacks and vaccines

Families can get backpacks, vaccines, physicals for student athletes, and more at a series of back-to-school events happening before school starts Aug. 25.

Adam Northam (left) with the Philadelphia School District talks with a school bus chauffeur on Thursday, outside the bus (reflected in mirror) she will be driving over the next few weeks as the district is about to kick off its back-to-school bus tour. Buses will visit schools throughout the city in the coming weeks distributing free backpacks, immunizations, snacks and frozen treats, along with games and educational activities with raffles and prizes.
Adam Northam (left) with the Philadelphia School District talks with a school bus chauffeur on Thursday, outside the bus (reflected in mirror) she will be driving over the next few weeks as the district is about to kick off its back-to-school bus tour. Buses will visit schools throughout the city in the coming weeks distributing free backpacks, immunizations, snacks and frozen treats, along with games and educational activities with raffles and prizes.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

A big yellow bus was parked in front of the Philadelphia School District’s headquarters Thursday, a sign of what’s to come in just a month — a new school year for 118,000 city students.

To mark the coming first day of school — Aug. 18 for staff, Aug. 25 for students — the district will soon kick off its annual back-to-school bus tour.

It’s aimed at being a one-stop shop for parents and students, a place to get free backpacks, the vaccines kids need for school, and sports physicals for student athletes. Adults can sign up for parent portal accounts, and kids can eat ice cream and water ice and collect prizes.

The bus will make stops in neighborhoods around the city, with seven back-to-school parties planned between Monday and Aug. 15.

“We want to meet families where they are,” said Adam Northam, the district’s deputy chief of internal communications.

Each event has attracted thousands of people over the last five years, Northam said. Families can expect backpacks stuffed with notebooks, folders, pens, pencils, and more.

“Life out there, it’s expensive,” Northam said. “We want to ease the burden as much as possible.”

The Ring the Bell PHL bus tour is scheduled to make the following stops:

  1. Monday, July 28, School of the Future, 4021 Parkside Ave. (vaccines and physicals available)

  2. Friday, Aug. 1, Fashion District Philadelphia, 901 Market Street

  3. Monday, Aug. 4, Martin Luther King High School, 6100 Stenton Ave. (vaccines and physicals available)

  4. Wednesday, Aug. 6, George Washington High School football field, 10175 Bustleton Ave. (vaccines and physicals available)

  5. Saturday, Aug. 9, Citizens Bank Park, 1 Citizens Bank Way

  6. Tuesday, Aug. 12, Marcus Foster Memorial Stadium/Gratz Supersite, 1627 W. Hunting Park Ave.

  7. Friday, Aug. 15, Roosevelt Mall, 2329 Cottman Ave.

Families are encouraged to preregister for vaccines and physicals here.