Parents, students gear up for school.

Byline: Tim Christie The Register-Guard

Once Labor Day weekend rolls around, there's no ignoring - as hard as some students might try - the fact that summer is almost over and school is just around the corner.

That means parents and kids trying to squeeze every last bit of fun out of summer are forced to head to the stores to stock up on pencils, paper, shoes, clothes and other essentials for starting a new school year.

And while back-to-school is no Christmas, retailers still cash in.

Families with school-age children will spend an average of $444 this year on back-to-school items, or $13.4 billion nationally, according to a survey conducted on behalf of the National Retail Federation.

Clothing will be the biggest piece of the spending pie, as parents plan to spend an average of $205 on apparel, plus $88.54 on shoes and $81.83 on school supplies, the federation said.

Many local stores were busy Saturday. Customers were drawn by holiday sales and the need to buy supplies before they're completely picked over.

At the Gateway Target in Springfield, for instance, many of the school supply bins were empty as parents and children looked for essentials.

Diane Pancake of Springfield said she bought school supplies on layaway long ago for her daughter Rajeana. On Saturday, they were looking mostly for school clothes, a task that Rajeana, an incoming sophomore at Springfield High School, was not relishing. She said she was not interested in the season's hot styles or looks.

"I really don't try to fit in," she said.

Not that Rajeana was too excited about back-to-school shopping in general.

"It reminds you - you have to go back to school for another nine months," she said.

Billie Rathbun was buying school supplies - pencils, paper, a calculator - for her son, Thomas, an eighth-grader at Springfield Middle School.

As for shopping for back-to-school clothes, that would be done on a strictly need-to-wear basis.

"He hates it, so we get stuff when we need it," she said.

Over at the Oakway Center in Eugene, Judy Hanlin and her 11-year-old daughter, Molly, were clutching shopping bags from a successful trip to the busy Old Navy store. They braved long lines at the register and the dressing rooms to get what they needed.

Judy Hanlin said they drove up from Roseburg because of better shopping in Eugene and Springfield. They planned to hit Valley River Center as well, getting some pants, shoes and shirts.

Molly got a "shrug" - a cropped top - and some pants. They budgeted about $200 for clothes, but looked for deals all the while.

"We hit the sales," Molly said.

SHOPPING TIPS

Filling a back-to-school list doesn't mean emptying your pocketbook. Here are some tips from shopping experts:

Sales: Take advantage of the hype. Most retail stores, as well as pharmacy chains, offer back-to-school sales.

Discount stores: Discount dollar stores often carry many items that children need for school.

Closeouts: Good place to look for pens, stationary and bookbags.

Hand-me-downs: Siblings are a good place to start for filling a younger child's wardrobe.

Garage sales: Check for good deals in neighborhoods around town.

Bargains: Don't forget stores such as Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army and consignment shops.