Our spring Bedford Falls Book Fair begins Monday, May 8th and continues through Friday, May 12th. It’s been a minute since we have had one, and we know the kids are excited. The timing was intentional so students can choose books they can read over the summer and log for our Cobb Summer Reading Challenge. I will follow up with that information in May.

A few things have changed this year for book fairs. 

We now have to charge sales tax. There will be 6% tax applied to each purchase. The state has realized that the school, who is a tax exempt entity, is not the purchaser of the books and has closed the loophole we have been operating under. 

Secondly, there is no online book fair option this spring. I was told it will resume in the fall. 

Finally, the ability for parents to preauthorize payment on a credit card and send their child in with a barcode to purchase has been enhanced. When they initiated this option, students could not reuse a barcode over a series of days, it was once and done. Now parents can preauthorize an amount and the child can shop during the entire book fair until they reach the preauthorized amount using the same barcode. Any amount not used will not be charged to the credit card. 

I suggest, if at all possible, that families use the barcode option. With the sales tax issue, cash transactions will require a lot of change being issued and potentially getting lost along the way. We will of course accept cash or checks made out to KSE, but you will need to calculate the sales tax to include on the check. Please do not send a blank check. People have done that before and it makes me very uncomfortable having to fill the check in, but more so for the fact it is cart blanche for anyone who may find one a child has misplaced. 

You can go to https://kidCredit.bedfordfallsusa.com or use the QR code below and select KSE to place money on an account for your child. You will be prompted to print the barcode for the child to bring to school. I  will be emailed a report every morning at 7:00 am with the grade level, teacher name, child's first name & last initial, and the amount authorized. When you enter the teacher’s name, please just use the last name as the reports are organized alphabetically by teacher.

We will allow people to meet their children in the Learning Commons to shop as we have done before, but we do ask that you reach out to your child’s teacher first if you are coming mid-day to ensure they will not miss valuable instructional time or fun year end activities.