Teachers and children will begin filing back into school in the next week or so, a mix of optimism and trepidation likely greeting them as a resurgent virus impacts a third straight school year.

The big fears center on the balance safety and learning – and hopes that the former won’t force significant disruptions in the latter once again.

With a lot of unknowns about this school year – again – we have a roundup of things you should know.

Here are our picks of the week. 

 

Doordash continues to move beyond food with back-to-school marketing push 

AdAge 

The company is giving away 5,000 stocked backpacks

 

Worried About Back-To-School Safety? Dr. Renee Crichlow Has You Covered

WGBH

While she acknowledged the discomfort of face masks, Crichlow told hosts Margery Eagan and Jared Bowen that the United States has, unfortunately, returned to a stage of the pandemic where everyone ought to be wearing them in indoor public spaces.

 

Amid back-to-school uncertainty, marketers pin hopes on digital precision and renewed demand

MarketingDive 

Seasonal efforts from brands like OshKosh B’gosh focus on building confidence and deploying robust digital investments as concerns mount over the COVID-19 delta variant.

 

What to know about Boston schools’ COVID safety reopening plan

Boston.com

“We are trying to do everything in our power to keep your children safe.”

 

Back to school in 2021: Three families share their stories

Boston Children’s Hospital 

We talked to three families about the past 18 months and how they’re preparing for school this fall.

 

Help Kids Cope with the ‘New Normal,’ Back-to-School Stress

Newsweek

The pandemic has put an enormous amount of stress on families—and so will the return to in-person classes this year.

 

As Parents Shop for Back-to-School Gear, Many Are Also in the Market for Back-to-Work Necessities

AdWeek 

Search data from Profitero shows a surge in interest for makeup, blazers, on-the-go snacks and pet cameras.

 

#BamaRush, Explained

New York Times 

Freshmen at the University of Alabama offered a real time look at rush season. Their TikToks became must-see TV.