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Your Back-To-School Guide for the Merrimack Valley

Kids are heading back to school soon! Here's everything you need to know.

By Cheryl Lachendro - Macaroni Kid North Shore & Merrimack Valley August 4, 2023

Get ready, families of the Merrimack Valley! The countdown has begun, and the first day of school for your little ones is just around the corner. 

We've got you covered with the ultimate guide to kickstart the school year. Looking for school calendars in the Merrimack Valley? Fun back-to-school events in the Merrimack Valley? Where to get your kid's back-to-school haircut or go back-to-school shopping in the Merrimack Valley? 

We have it all, plus advice and tips for dealing with that first-day anxiety, printables to make those first-day pics special, and even ideas on what to pack for lunch! Check it all out here:


lisegagne | Canva


School calendars for the Merrimack Valley

πŸ“šAndover Public Schools
First day for Andover: 

8/30/23 Grades 1-12 and 

9/5/23 PreK and Kindergarten



πŸ“šNorth Andover Public Schools
First day for North Andover:

8/30/23 Grades 1-12 

9/7/23 PreK- Kindergarten Start



πŸ“š Haverhill Public Schools
First day for Haverhill:

8/29/23 Grades 1-12 

9/5/23 PreK-Kindergarten



πŸ“š Lawrence Public Schools
First day for Lawrence Public Schools:

8/28/23 Grades K-12



πŸ“š Georgetown Public Schools
First day for Georgetown Schools:

8/30/23 Grades 1-12 

9/5/23 PreK and Kindergarten



πŸ“š Middleton Public Schools
First day for Middleton Schools

8/30/23 Grades 1-6 

9/5/23 Kindergarten



πŸ“š Boxford Public Schools

First day for Boxford Schools

8/30/23 Grades 1-6 

9/5/23 Kindergarten



πŸ“š Methuen Public Schools
First day for Methuen Schools:

8/30/23 Grades 1-12 

9/6/23 Kindergarten



πŸ“š Bagnell Elementary School- Groveland

First day for Pentucket Schools:

9/5/23 Grades 1-12

9/6/23 PreK- Kindergarten



 Shutter2U | Canva

Back to School Events

Know of a community back-to-school event in the Merrimack Valley we're missing? Add it to our Macaroni KID Merrimack Valley calendar now!


Pamela's Photo Poetry | Canva

Back-to-school haircuts in the Merrimack Valley

Looking for a great spot for a back-to-school haircut? Here are a few stylists in the Merrimack Valley offering back-to-school haircut specials!


Family Affair- Groveland
292 Main St. Groveland, MA 01834  

978.372.9011 


Upscale Cutz Barber Shop

98 River Street

Haverhill, MA 01832

(978) 361-0148



Salon Mii

13 Railroad Square

Haverhill, MA 01832

978-521-8011 (Phone)

978-527-8250 (Text)

INFO@SALONMII2.COM


Salon Mii Headquarters

369 Merrimack St.

Methuen, MA 01844

978-655-4364 (Phone)

978-652-3587 (Text)

SALONMII@YAHOO.COM

Know of a back-to-school haircut event or stylist special in the Merrimack Valley? Email cheryllachendro@macaronikid.com with the details and we'll get it added!


 DAPA Images via Canva 

Back to school shopping in the Merrimack Valley and Beyond

There are the big box stores, of course, but you can also support locally-owned businesses when doing your back-to-school shopping! Here are some of our favorite places for shopping for school supplies and clothes in the Merrimack Valley that are locally or nationally owned:

Merrimack Premium Outlets
80 Premium Outlets Blvd
Merrimack, NH 03054


My Kids Closet- Merrimack Valley YMCA

129 Haverhill Street
Methuen, MA 01844

Phone: 978-683-5266
Fax: 978-687-1089


North Shore Mall- Peabody

210 Andover St
Peabody, MA 01960


Pheasant Lane Mall- Nashua
310 Daniel Webster Hwy
Nashua, NH 03060


The Loop- Methuen

90 Pleasant Valley Street Methuen, MA 01844

(978) 946-9333


Have a favorite locally owned spot for back-to-school shopping you don't see listed here? Email cheryllachendro@macaronikid.com, and we'll get it added!

More tips to make this school year in the Merrimack Valley a great one:



Free Back-to-School Printables to Celebrate that First Day


5 Teacher-Approved Tips to Make Back-to-School Time Great

Bento Box School Lunch Ideas