School Supplies

[Sandy61]

I was really ticked off a few years ago when we had a huge list that included us buying those wipe off markers for the teachers' white boards. We also had to bring 3 boxes of tissues and lots of hand sanitizer for the classroom. That particular teacher did not want the kids to wash their hands, just use hand sanitizer until there were complaints. This year is not bad at all.

Here are some other Menards deals today after rebate...

.09 book covers, folders (ugh paper ones, didn't get), notebooks, 100 index cards, 3 pack glue sticks

.39 markers, highlighters, scissors (small), filler paper, nice pens roller? with grips

.69 1 in binders, big scissors, big postit notepads

.99 dry erase board for locker, 3 subject notebook, planner schedule book

9.99 wireless mouse and keyboard

 

[Jedana]

Publix (if you have one nearby) has Crayola crayon 24 packs 3/$1. Same with pencils and glue. 3 packs of glue sticks are 3/$2. Shapies (large colored pack) are BOGO @$6.99. They have pens packs 2/$1.

I bought the colored pencils and markers at Target, Roseart brand @.69 each.

I still have to get DS a backpack (this weekend) and a couple of folders and tissues. Hand sanitizers I have a ton of, we get them free from my DH's medical clinic, same with hand soaps.

 

[TLuvsD]

Bought a Jansport backpack at Kohls today, they are on sale, and I had one of those $10 off peelies from the front of the newspaper, so you might check Kohls if you have one nearby.

 

[cathyce2]

I just wish I had a list for my middle schooler. Each teacher will give her a list on the first day of school when lots of things are sold out. Maybe this year she will be able to use some of the supplies I gambled on this time last year that weren't right for some reason (ex: I bought spiral notebooks on sale, but most teachers wanted binders....)

 

[Disneyliscious]

Can I ask what it is thats on the list for $200? I've never in my life heard of such an enormous amount for school supplies. I know the scientific calculators can be expensive, but we got a generic one at wal-greens for $10 and it worked just fine. They usually don't use all the functions on the calc anyway so as long as it has the algebraic forumlas on it they are generally ok. I would ask my sons teacher before I spent $80-$100 on a calculator. Also, check eBay or CL for deals.

Even IF you paid $80 for a calc, what is the other $120 coming from? Paper, pens, pencils, index cards, all that stuff is super cheap. I just don't understand.

I'd tell my sons school where they could shove it if they sent me home a list of stuff for $200.

 

[MrsPete]

Best deal? Re-use as much as you can from last year.

Absolutely! Even with heavy use, a good backpack should get 3-4 years of use. A scientific calculator should see a kid though high school -- possibly college. Oh, and locks. They should last year to year. Other things have a shorter lifespan, but it's likely that your kids have something left over from last year.

I *LOVE* school supply shopping (seriously- it could be an illness...

My kids share this same illness! They take back-to-school shopping very seriously, and they try so hard to pick out the best deals each week. Through back-to-school shopping they've learned about price matching, coupons, and 1-cent-if-you-spend-$5 deals.

We always buy enough to last all year long so the kids can "go shopping in the file cabinet drawer" later on, and we usually spend about $30 total.

Our need the scientific calculator in school to but the schools have to provide them- there was some kind of lawsuit brought on the schools and they ruled that if they wanted them to use an item that is that expensive they had to provide it for the students. If they lose it you must pay for it but they have to provide them.

Yes and no. The school has to provide calculators to use IN THE CLASSROOM, but kids don't get to take them home . . . which doesn't help them with their homework. So that doesn't do any good for homework. High schoolers taking college-prep math do need a graphing calculator. It's better just to bite the bullet and go ahead and get one.

 

[MrsPete]

Bought a Jansport backpack at Kohls today, they are on sale, and I had one of those $10 off peelies from the front of the newspaper, so you might check Kohls if you have one nearby.

Like most name-brand backpacks, JanSport has a lifetime guarantee on your seams and zippers. Save your receipt and tags.

I just wish I had a list for my middle schooler. Each teacher will give her a list on the first day of school when lots of things are sold out. Maybe this year she will be able to use some of the supplies I gambled on this time last year that weren't right for some reason (ex: I bought spiral notebooks on sale, but most teachers wanted binders....)

Middle schools and high schools don't usually send home lists, but safe bets include small binders (my girls like the little flimsy ones that're .99 when they're not even on sale), plenty of looseleaf paper, plenty of pens and pencils. Maybe 2 of those small black-and-white composition books and some graph paper. Add a package of poster board, some markers, erasers.

That's what we get, and we rarely have to buy something mid-year.

 

[mjantz]

Can I ask what it is thats on the list for $200? I've never in my life heard of such an enormous amount for school supplies. I know the scientific calculators can be expensive, but we got a generic one at wal-greens for $10 and it worked just fine. They usually don't use all the functions on the calc anyway so as long as it has the algebraic forumlas on it they are generally ok. I would ask my sons teacher before I spent $80-$100 on a calculator. Also, check eBay or CL for deals.

Even IF you paid $80 for a calc, what is the other $120 coming from? Paper, pens, pencils, index cards, all that stuff is super cheap. I just don't understand.

I'd tell my sons school where they could shove it if they sent me home a list of stuff for $200.

I'm not going to list amounts unless it's more than 1-2. Here ya go:

Paper towels, Kleenex, clorox wipes, 8 dry erase markers, pocket folders with brads (2 each):red, blue, green, white & brown, 3 ring binder (2-inch) 12 glue sticks, 5 composition notebooks, 70 wood pencils, 2 clear rulers, 5pkgs notebook paper, 2 protractors, pkg red pens, 2 plastic pocket folders, compass, card stock, crayons, highlighters, 4 pink erasers, erasable black pens, 2 disposable cameras, water bottle, washable markers, scissors, more card stock (different size), flash drive, 3 ring binder (1inch), hand sanitizer, index cards, colored pencils, 3 ring binder (3 inch), pencil bag, 4 spiral notebooks, latex gloves, masking tape, 2pkgs of dividers with tabs.

That's all of it

 

[Jennifer823]

If your school only wants a graphing calculator to use at home, there are some free online graphing calculators. We homeschool and found one at coolmath dot com slash graphit

It worked fine for the few times my son had to use it for Algebra I. Google "online graphing calculator" and you'll find some

 

[snowy76]

I definitely start with Staples weekly ad - they usually have a page of $1 deals. It's limit of 2 of each item, but if I know I'm going to be out and about I'll stop at a couple of different ones or have DH stop at the one by his job.

This week I'm finding BIC Click Sticks, retractable highlighters, mechanical pencils, dry erase markers and erasers (I'm a teacher so I grab those up when I can find a deal), glue sticks, and washable markers among other things.

Get a rewards card there too, and look for the Easy Rebate offers. You enter your receipt info online and they send you a check or GC.

We start shopping early and always find deals. But we always get slammed by the cost of binders, anything 1" and under is pretty useless in high school unless you're super organized - DS and DD have always reused binders from the previous year when possible.

Also, if your district is like ours with a pretty standard supply list that doesn't change much, I always go back to the stores in September and grab items on clearance that I know the kids will need next year. Pencils don't go out of style LOL.

 

[TLuvsD]

If you don't get the supply list until the start of school, buy basics...and ask for next year's list when school starts. In elementary the lists were printed by grade on the same page, I just saved the list and used it the following summer. I don't think it ever changed. I told my cousin to ask for the next grade's list when school started, it saved them a lot of money the following year.

If your kids are tough on binders, the Staples ones with the rubber "hinge" area are worth every penny. D is in high school, they will even bend back for her to fit more on the desk and not break. Love them!

 

[MrsPete]

anything 1" and under is pretty useless in high school unless you're super organized - DS and DD have always reused binders from the previous year when possible.

My high school daugther has taken this from a different side: She's always preferred the thin, flimsy 1" binders that cost .25 on sale/.99 at full price. They're plenty big for a one-semester class, and they weigh nothing in a backpack. She likes to have one per class. She's such a geek: She likes to save her notes, so we haven't been re-using these.

 

[ENSOCK]

My 6th grader list is this:

Pencil pouch with following:
pack of red ink pens
pack of highlighters
pair of scissors
park of pink lg. erasers
12pk pencils
glue
pack of markers or color pencils
assignment pad
pack of loose leaf paper
2 containers of clorox or lysol wipes
box of tissue
2 12oz germx
$5.00 for plastic folders given to teacher.
1 1/2 inch binder with 10 tab dividers
2 - 1 in binder with clear view portfolio and 4 tab dividers
pack of sheet protectors
pack of note cards
journal
dictionary
thesaurus
2 single subject notebooks
ruler
graph paper
3 plastic folders
protractor
additional index cards


I am still trying to figure out why they are requesting $5 for folders then in the same list adding folders in certain colors.

Last year we purchased him the binders that were requested but after a month the teachers called into a meeting and requested that we get him notebooks because he just could not get his stuff together with the binders. He would have his binder opened then put his book on the floor because it took up too much room on his desk. I am going to request that he have just notebooks this year also since it help him get organized better. I will purchase 5 subjects instead of binders and tabs. I hate back to school shopping!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Disneyliscious]

Thanks for posting your list. I itemized each item out with a price I have either paid myself or simply googled each item and found a price (and I didnt choose the lowest price). It just boils me that a school would want to charge $200 for putting together a batch of otherwise cheap school supplies and make a PROFIT off of it. And whats with the odd stuff? Cameras? Latex Gloves? A whole box of gloves, no less. All the different types of markers/pens. Sounds to me like the teacher wants to just stock her room with stuff "in case" she uses it. Clorox wipes? Really? They didn't even have Clorox Wipes when I went to school. It was called soap and water. OP, PLEASE don't think Im picking on you. Im not. Im just livid that a school would do this. Here is your list:

Paper towels - $1.00
Kleenex - $1.00
clorox wipes - $2.00
8 dry erase markers - $5.00
pocket folders with brads (2 each):red, blue, green, white & brown - $2.50
3 ring binder (2-inch) - $4.00
12 glue sticks - $3.00
5 composition notebooks - $.75 (just bought them @ $.15/ea at Walmart last night)
70 wood pencils - $1.50
2 clear rulers $.50
5pkgs notebook paper - $.75
2 protractors - $2.00
pkg red pens - $1.00
2 plastic pocket folders - $1.00
compass - $4.00
card stock - $3.00
crayons - $.25
highlighters - $4.00
4 pink erasers - $.50
erasable black pens - $2.00
2 disposable cameras - $10.00
water bottle, $2.00
washable markers - $5.00
scissors - $.50
more card stock (different size) - $3.00
flash drive - $8.00
3 ring binder (1inch) - $1.00
hand sanitizer - $2.00
index cards - $.50
colored pencils - $1.00
3 ring binder (3 inch) - $3.00
pencil bag - $.50
4 spiral notebooks - $.60
latex gloves - $4.00
masking tape - $1.00
2pkgs of dividers with tabs - $6.00

TOTAL - $87.85
So the school charges $112.15 for each student to put this all together? What a load of crap. I would write the mayor, the newspaper, the news, and my congressmen about this.

You pay taxes which are to support the schools. Schools also receive state and federal funds/grants. They also generally have fundraisers throughout the year. Asking a parent to supply the NECESSARY items for a child to learn is one thing, making a profit off of the students LEARNING SUPPLIES is another.

Un-freakin-believable! I surely hope none of the parents take this "package deal".

 

[robinb]

Where is everyone finding the best deals?.....My son is in middle school this year and I am so afraid Im going to have to pay 60 plus dollars for supplies, his list is LOOOOOOONNNNNG!

I just dropped more than $60 for my DD who is going into 7th grade. I didn't pay a whole lot anything individually, but it all added up!

I did find a VERY good deal today for Expo Whiteboard Markers at Office Max. 4-packs are currently on sale for 2/$5 and Office Max has a coupon for $5 off 3 Expo/Sharpie items. I got 4 4-packs for $5! We keep a whiteboard on our fridge for our grocery list and I pick up markers at back to school time .

 

[andymattmom]

We stock up and read the ads weekly. We usually end up as others have suggested at Staples and Walgreens. I just went to Staples and got the FAR items and the notecards. I took my teenage son and got double everything and used my inlaws for the second rebate amount...figure they can use the money and I got deals on my supplies.

On the pocket folders I have found the 5-10cent each ones are so flimsy. I just went to Target and got Mead pocket folders for 50 cents each. They might be more but in the end if I have to replace the cheapies a couple times a year it evens out (kinda). I have a stockpile of pens, pencils, index cards, glue, spiral notebooks and loose paper.

Remember places price match too...so that can save a trip. While it is easy to complain about the cost of school supplies and say the school shouldn't be requesting kleenex, dry erase markers, hand sanitizers, etc. as parents we need to remember that school budgets are being hit hard. They are having budgets cuts and layoffs. Teachers pay out of pockets for lots of things. PTO isn't able to give as much to teachers and teachers shouldn't have to pay out of pocket for the hand sanitizer, kleenex, etc. that the kids use. As parents we need to step up and supply the things the teachers request. It is a small price to pay for education to send in the kleenex boxes, etc. It is not fair to the teachers to supply for entire class for the year and the schools can't afford. With dry erase boards in most classes the markers get used by everyone...including kids. Also, in our school districts kids are given dry erase boards to do work on during math time, etc. and need the markers to use on these. The teacher should have to buy 30+ for his/her class to use.

It is a tough time of year to buy stuff! I always buy doubles so we have extra in January if needed or if there is stuff needed for a special project (Walgreens at some point has poster board on sale and I have white and colors to use that I never paid full price for). I always buy extra colored pencils (even in high school you need or can use at home for projects).

Happy School shopping!

 

[mjantz]

FYI that my kids are at a charter school so sometimes more is asked. Also, I asked for whiteboard markers from my parents because the kids used them for writing center during center time. I had my own for teaching time. The parent ones were for the centers.

 

[MrsPete]

TOTAL - $87.85
So the school charges $112.15 for each student to put this all together? What a load of crap. I would write the mayor, the newspaper, the news, and my congressmen about this.

I wonder if they had to pay someone to do the shopping /assembling of the packages. I wouldn't do all of that for free (especially because your prices are clearly sale prices, so it'd be necessary to watch and shop multiple times at multiple places). That would legitimately add to the price.

 

[MrsPete]

While it is easy to complain about the cost of school supplies and say the school shouldn't be requesting kleenex, dry erase markers, hand sanitizers, etc. as parents we need to remember that school budgets are being hit hard. They are having budgets cuts and layoffs. Teachers pay out of pockets for lots of things.

Thanks! It's absolutely true that we can say, "We shouldn't have to pay this or that", but when parents don't provide supplies, the teacher ends up doing it. The single thing I need most is KLEENEX. About 110 students rotate through my classroom each day, and they use more than a box a week.

 

[clori]

My daughter in 2nd grade needs - homework folder, pencils, erasers, highlighter, and coloring preference of crayons, colored pencils or markers

Here is the list for my 6th grader but it includes 5th and 6th grades since they share the same core teachers and just gave out one list.

English language Arts grades 5 & 6

1 blue or black stick pen
1 red or green stick pen
1 spiral 1 subject notebook
post its
1 yellow highlighter
2 (2) pocket folders
1 hardcover marble composition notebook

Reading Grade 5

1 1 subject spiral notebook
1 black or blue stick pen
1 red or green stick pen
2 (2) pocket folders
1 marble composition book

Reading Grade 6

2 marble composition notebooks
post its
black/blue/red pens

SS/Geograph grades 5 & 6

3 inch hard binder
1 package of binder paper
hole puncher
5 tab dividers
pens 3 blue/black 3 red
pencil and sharpener
index cards
highlighters (may share for all classes)
colored pencils (may share with math)

math

2 dozen pencils
mini sharpener
expo markers
rulers with inches/centimeters and protractor
scissors
glue colored pencils
highlighters
post its
graph paper notebook

Science Grade 5

tab dividers
index cards
3 1 subject notebooks

Science Grade 6

2 marble notebooks
index cards
highlighters
post its
pens - blue, black, red

For things like tissues and clorox wipes teachers don't require but send home wish lists for parents who want to contribute