Just a little vent

[KAMommy]

Now in 3rd its down to 3.

Hey, DRM, my punkin is going to be in third grade next year, too. I don't know when she got that big! Isn't it just the best age, though! I love seeing her personality solidify - even if it is turning out to be stubborn and somewhat tempermental! The challenge is teaching her to channel all that energy for the good!

 

[soccerchick]

My DD's first grade requested 17 glue sticks (the big ones, not the little ones ~ also not sure where they got that odd number) per child. They ran out a while ago and sent home slips asking for more. Of course they weren't on sale then. It was hard to find the large ones, so I ended up buying a ton of the small ones to send in. Target usually has them for about a dime a piece for Elmers, so I know to stock up even more for next year.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Anybody need loose paper? I have reams of college & wide ruled. We were told last year that we need them and then they didn't use them this year, AT ALL. So I have like 20 of each. I also bought a bunch of the spiral bound when they were on sale at Walmart, so I have those if you need them too. I also have about a dozen marbled composition books. They didn't need those either after I bought them.

Pencils, let's talk about pencils. Mine had to send in 20 for himself and 10 for the class (so we knew they had to share) then around Christmas she asks for more pencils. So I get that jumbo pack of 100 and in March she is asking for more. What do they do with pencils??

And lets talk file folders. They need them to be PLASTIC and certain colors. Couldn't find any for this year, so he had to reuse the ones from the year before. Good thing he takes excellent care of his items.

We had to send in 10 glue sticks for THIRD grade. Huh? Aren't they a little old for glue sticks. Oh, and 3 bottles of liquid glue. In third grade?

So not only do we have have all the supplies, we also have "school fees". Each grade is different with Kindergarden being the MOST expensive. $42 this year for third grade. You can pay all at once, or monthly, but you don't get your report card until it's paid.

School via the computer is looking pretty good right about now.

 

[lewdyan1]

Anybody need loose paper? I have reams of college & wide ruled. We were told last year that we need them and then they didn't use them this year, AT ALL. So I have like 20 of each. I also bought a bunch of the spiral bound when they were on sale at Walmart, so I have those if you need them too. I also have about a dozen marbled composition books. They didn't need those either after I bought them.

We always donate the extras to our local foster care group homes. During shopping time, I can't resist the .10 specials and then I land up with mucho glue, paper and crayons, so in June we ship everything out, so they can use the supplies for summer activities!

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

THAT is an excellent suggestion. I will look into that after figuring out what we need for next year. I love the thought of them being used for a very good reason.

 

[fishnips]

As an 8th grade teacher, I am at a loss as to what happens to the glue sticks. The glue stick is passed around to maybe three people, and the next thing I hear is "We need more glue!" "Did you eat it?" , I reply. : I do not know what they do with it. We go through tons of Kleenex and glue sticks in the year. I could not even imagine what an elementary class uses, our projects do not require the use of glue that often.

 

[New England Eeyore]

I have to share this story with you since you're on this topic. I went to private (Catholic) school for 13 years - you paid for everything - books, uniforms, supplies, etc. My grandmother who helped raise me was fantastic about scoping out the sales on school supplies all throughout the year so we literally had a closet full of school supplies and I would just go to the closet and get what I needed. It got to the point where we had so much looseleaf paper I said, "Gram, this paper is going to last me through college!" Wouldn't you know it, it did and then some! I still have reams of looseleaf paper that I give to my girls now! And she never paid more than 33 cents for any of those reams! 3 for a dollar was the most she'd spend - the ultimate bargain shopper! I learned from the best!

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I had forgotten about the .10 glue.. I pulled a receipt from last year and that is what I paid...so I'll stock up on everything this year...

I should DD and DH the list last night..and DD asked... "do they eat the glue or use the glue?"

 

[kaddjr]

I HATE paying book rental!!!!

Okay, back on topic now. Ten glue sticks seems a little excessive to me. At least you can find them on sale before school starts for a decent price. Don't do what I did, however, and stock way up and keep them sitting around for a long period of time (2 years or more)- they do dry up.

 

[rlovew]

Pencils, let's talk about pencils. Mine had to send in 20 for himself and 10 for the class (so we knew they had to share) then around Christmas she asks for more pencils. So I get that jumbo pack of 100 and in March she is asking for more. What do they do with pencils??

I don't know about at your schools but most of my students go through a pencil in 2 days. If it is not perfectly pointed they have to sharpen in and they keep sharpening them. I hate the sound of the pencil sharpener and even with only allowing them to sharpen them once a day they still go through them like crazy. I don't have community pencils (most everything other than scissors, glue, and pencils is community though) but I know my students generally needed at least 3 pencils a week and some of them went through 1 or more a day. I don't even have them writing very much but it would be- we have an assignment sharpoen our pencils an inch.

Rebecca

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Ugh! I never thought about the endless pencil sharpening!!! That explains alot...
I sharpen our pencils at home every day before the kids get home..because I despise the sound of a pencil sharpener with someone else operating it.. The kids just grind it...I don't believe they even push the pencil all the way in! UGH!

 

[Macca1111]

I can't believe each child would need 10 glue sticks - I don't think I ever went through a whole one while in school! I guess I would suck it up and buy the glue sticks, but I do agree that it seems really excessive.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

When the list asked for that many of anything I buy it but then I don't send it all in at once. Why does my daughter need 20 pencils in her desk? Plus the set of colored pencils, the markers, the glue and all the other stuff? I'll send in 10 pencils and then resupply later in the year.

Now, as for the color coordinated notebooks and folders -- for a few years a friend and I co-chaired the school supply sale. Towards the end of the school year we would send a list and letter to the teachers -- based on what was used in the past. We would ask them what they would like for the following year (and amounts). One year they come to us with these notebooks from Scholastic. They are color coordinated for different subject. So the math one is one color and has math info inside of it. It has a color match folder, note card holder etc. They came in 4 colors -- for math, reading, science, and social studies. The 3rd and 4th grade teacher wanted them but they were expensive! They wanted the notebooks in all 4 colors, the folders in all 4 colors and a card holder in 1 color.

We didn't know if the parents would want to shell out the money for them. So we sent out a letter to all parents of kids going into 3 and 4 letting them know and asking them to preorder (but pay on pickup.) then we bought what was requested plus an overage for walk ins to the school store who decided to buy. Of course we had leftovers! and the following year the teachers no longer requested the special notebooks. They do still asked for colors but parents can buy any brand they like. Much easier and cheaper that way.

 

[mrs.beast]

i teach and do a pencil jar where all the pencils go. i do not let kids sharpen pencils during the day (sound drives me nuts and the kids kept breaking my sharpener-at $60 each it was getting expensive.) they take the dull and trade it from a sharp. i also do not allow "special" pencils in my class. everyone brings in 12 #2 pencils at the beginning of the year and put them in a big bin. at the beginning of every month, i collect everyone's pencil and give them a new one. all of the old ones go in the pencil bin. i also add 20 new pencils to the bin. if any pencils is smaller than my pinkie it goes in the trash. if a student looses/breaks a pencil he/she can get one out of the bin. so i easily used all the pencils brought in. also every child brought in the supplies, not just some to provide for all. i have never had a student who did not contribute in some way.

 

[GBShorts]

We have book rental fees here too. You'd be surprised what textbooks cost...

the French 1 book I teach out of is the first half of the actual textbook and it's 53 bucks!! For just one book!! That doesn't include the workbook that's 12 bucks and non-reusable. We use the texts for ten years and then get new sets. That money is used each year for whatever program is adoping a new book series. I think the 300 per year is a bit nutso though, to whoever said the local HS fees are that much. Whew!

With regard to pencils, the principal I work for issues all teachers 2 boxes of golf pencils at the beginning of the year, with erasers. They are for students who do not have a writing utensil. It's nice, but it seeme to encourage the kids not to bring a pencil...so I only ever put five out. That way it's easy to count how many I have and make sure they all come back. In addition, you can't sharpen them many times before they have to be tossed.

I can completely understand the desire for color-coded folders or notebooks. Some teachers (myself included) classify their classes by color. For example, my 7th graders have red folders. My two sixth grade classes are blue and purple. I'll have to come up with something for my new 8th grade class next year. That way, I always know if I have the right stack of folders and nobody's gets "lost" in another pile. Our entire school does color-coding, but the core teachers do it by subject, not by grade (all green are social studies, yellow is science, or whatever).

As for the gluesticks...they aren't kidding. I swear the students eat them. Each year I get those little zipper pouches from target and fill them with 1 set of crayola markers, a pair of scissors, and a gluestick. Each student has a number and they get their pouch with their number on it. None of the other stuff ever needs replacing, only the gluesticks...go figure.

Wow. I'm long-winded. Happy school supply shopping! I joke with people that I got into teaching for the school supplies!