Griffin, GA---Dr. John Barge, State School Superintendent, has told Norcom, Partner in Education with the Griffin-Spalding County School System that he does plan to attend the Education Celebration back-to-school bash for 800 teachers on Wednesday morning, August 8, in the Griffin Auditorium on Taylor Street.

Dr. Curtis Jones, Griffin-Spalding Superintendent, said, "When our partnership with local school supply manufacturer, Norcom, brings over $250,000 worth of supplies for our 10,500 students distributed through their teachers, it's an experience unique to a community."

Begun six years ago, the Education Celebration for Griffin-Spalding teachers is the largest back-to-school event of its kind in the nation.

"While organizations in other communities and even Spalding County distribute free school supplies, the volume is greatest and most cost effective at the Education Celebration," said

school system Director of School and Community Services Anna Burns. "Donations to Griffin-Spalding Partners in Education for Education Celebration school supplies can purchase so much more because Norcom purchases supplies it doesn't manufacture in bulk.

"Teachers have told us the classroom needs of students from elementary to high school, and we coordinate this with Norcom to match the product.

Almost 20 sponsors plan to attend the Celebration. Among those is Wells Fargo Insurance Services' and DeKalb Senator Fran Millar, also the co-chair of the school finance task force.

Norcom project coordinator Dee Andrews said, "Spalding County is unique because our local community joins together with Norcom and its elite vendors to supply our teachers and needy students by providing every certified teacher in this school system with hundreds of dollars in free school supplies. We show appreciation by providing free notebooks, free notebook paper, pens, pencils, crayons, glue, folders and much more to support students whose families otherwise couldn't afford the tools necessary to succeed in school."