It was a normally quiet Thursday morning at the Office Depot on 119 Cobb Parkway North, where Lockheed Elementary School teacher Lynette Jackson shopped for glue sticks and markers.

But the state's sixth annual tax-free holiday, which runs Thursday through Sunday, is expected to draw many more back-to-school shoppers into malls and big boxes this weekend.

Jackson, like teachers across the state, will today receive a $100 charge card from Gov. Sonny Purdue to be used on school supplies. She plans to return to the store this afternoon, card in hand. Using it during the tax-free holiday, she said, gives her "the most bang for your buck on school supplies."

She expects most other teachers in Marietta, Roswell and nearby cities to do the same.

"At about four o'clock, it's going to be a madhouse with teachers using their charge cards," she said.

"We stock up. Our students eat pencils, so we get extras," she joked.

During the tax holiday, the 4 percent state sales tax is waived on many clothes and school-related items. Counties also waive their local sales tax. The holiday applies to:

• Clothing and footwear $100 or less

• School supplies $20 or less

• Computers and accessories $1,500 or less

A second state tax-free holiday will be held Oct. 2-5 for energy- and water-efficient appliances.