By Emily Popek

Community Editor

The National Retail Foundation’s 2007 Consumer Intentions and Actions Back-to-School survey reports that the average American family will spend more than $500 on back-to-school merchandise this year, for a total of about $18 billion nationwide.

That’s a lot of No. 2 pencils and Nikes _ and a lot of legwork. So how do local parents get it all done in time for Labor Day? Here’s some tips for facing back to school without losing your cool.

On a Sunday afternoon in early August, Southside Mall was the site of many back-to-school shopping trips, from the looks of it. At Shoe Dept., a mother steered her daughters to the sale section, perhaps hoping to find a good bargain; at JC Penney, a boy nearly broke away from his mother’s grasp as he exclaimed, "Mommy, that’s my teacher over there!"

Tina Willert of Franklin, who was looking through some bargains outside Fashion Bug with her daughter, Angela, said they were just getting started with their school shopping for the fall. "This is our first stop," she said. "We’ve got some coupons for a couple of things, jeans and shoes, so that’s what we’re looking for today."

Facing back-to-school shopping can be daunting, especially without a solid battle plan.

The first step is essential: figure out what is really needed, and try to stick to that list.

This goes for clothes as well as school supplies. It’s easy to get caught up in promises of incredible deals and huge savings, but buying something you don’t really need doesn’t make it that much of a deal or a savings.

For Willert and her daughter, clothes were top priority on that particular day, maybe in part because they didn’t yet have a school supply list to work with. Angela, who will start eighth grade in the fall, said they had picked up some of the usual suspects _ "notebooks, pens, book covers" _ but were holding off on the rest. "We’re sort of winging it," Willert said.

It’s usually safe to assume that pens, pencils and paper are going to come in handy, but getting too many supplies without an official list from the school can be a risky move.

Every new year of school can bring a new way of doing things, so it’s best to be prepared.

It’s always a good idea to ask the school ahead of time when supplies lists will be provided so as to plan back-to-school shopping accordingly.

At Riverside Elementary School in Oneonta, Principal Melissa Murdock said she leaves it up to the teachers to decide how they get the information out to parents.

"Some teachers put notes in the report card, some send out notes over the summer; the general rule of thumb is to make sure parents are given ample time to get their supplies ready, but beyond that, it’s up to them," Murdock said.

"We really just want to make sure that, the first day, children are ready to get started," Murdock said.

Many school districts provide their school supply lists to retailers such as Wal-Mart so shoppers can pick them up on the go.

A lot of factors will determine the best way to tackle back-to-school shopping, including travel time to shopping destinations, number and age of children, and available time and money.

Willert said she usually starts shopping for clothes locally, before heading up to Albany to finish it off. "That way you can find something a little different," she said.

Breaking up shopping into multiple trips can help ease stress for parents as well as children. For parents, knowing another shopping trip is on the horizon means there’s no pressure to get everything on the list in one day. That makes it a lot easier to head for the parking lot even if the right pair of jeans still hasn’t materialized. Children who might get tired or cranky during a marathon day of shopping might find shorter trips easier to swallow.

Willert’s advice to any moms who are embarking on their first year of back-to-school shopping is simple: "Watch for sales and bargains, because it can get very expensive. It adds up."

This is another good argument in favor of multiple shopping trips. Visiting numerous stores over a period of weeks gives the savvy shopper the opportunity to compare prices, with a better chance of getting the best deal.

On the other hand, there are plenty of parents who would just as soon approach back-to-school shopping like pulling off a Band-Aid _ the quicker, the better. Taking this tactic may mean missing a few deals, but for parents of children who are less than angelic during shopping trips, it may be well worth the cost.

For low-income families or families coping with emergency situations, back-to-school shopping carries other stresses besides just getting children to behave properly. Fortunately, there’s help for families in need: the Family Service Association will again offer its annual school supplies giveaway for area families Monday through Thursday and Aug. 27 through 30. Those who wish to take advantage of this service are asked to call FSA at 432-2870 for an appointment. Donations of school supplies are also being accepted at FSA; call for more information.

Whatever the family’s situation, some planning and forethought can help keep back-to-school from being a time of stress.