Anyone else get annoyed.. (School Supplies)

[dvcnewgirl]

That the schools TELL you that you can not label school supplies that YOU buy so they can pass them out to other kids.. I will be the first to donate to others but do not tell me what to do with the things that I pay for.

 

[Benducci]

Actually I don't think the school has the authority to tell you that. In New Jersey the school can suggest school supplies but not require that you send i anything so if I am sending in things, they are going to be labeled.

 

[christa112]

I send my kids in with a pencil box filled with stuff for their desk.

 

[mommyof2princesses]

I never took my student's supplies when I taught. I asked for donations of extras, but that was about it. I also required very little supplies for my classroom, folders, paper, pencils, crayons and a few notebooks. All the cheap ones!

 

[powellrj]

I don't think they pass them out to other kids, I know ours use them as a group. When the kids were really young, they would put all the red crayons in a single container, all the blue markers in a single container ... Once they got older, they would just put a basket of supplies out on different tables to use at group time. Once they get older and have lockers to keep supplies in, thats when kids keep their own supplies.

While I know it upsets parents, most kids that are younger just want to be like all the other kids and don't want to stand out. I would just go with the flow on this one and pick another battle to fight. Trust me, over the years there will be lots of more important things to fight with the school about.

 

[wdwmaw]

Yes, this rubs me wrong !! I work in a school and know that they do this because most don't bring things in, so it becomes community. I usuall send in the minimun plain things and when my DD comes home we replace with things she really wanted and label accordingly. In our school about 3/4 of the students of each class do not bring in anything at all. Most have money and most of the kids have all they need to go throughout the year. They are doing what we do, they just don't send it in at open house or first day. We also have the same # that do not pay there class fee of $25 per student. I love this free education we have in our country Don't get me started on this.....

 

[nessz79]

Both. We buy school supplies and our list is worded in a way that we understand that these supplies will be distributed across the classroom. I'm annoyed in that I don't want my child to be short-changed. However, we are also trying to teach our children to give unselfishly to others, etc, etc.

So to be honest I'm conflicted. I know I shouldn't be annoyed, but I do feel concerned about what my child will have.

 

[mrstbalt]

I don't like that. I buy the crayola colors, special lefty scissors and they choose their own folders...I want those back at the end of the school year. I don't want the someone elses cheap crayons and broken ruler. Whatever school supplies my kids don't use, I want them back.

 

[noodleknitter]

I've never had a great need to be greedy over crayons.

 

[Manda]

I've never had a great need to be greedy over crayons.

I went to buy DS's school supplies and was shocked that crayons were only $.22 a box! So I bought a few more to send along with him in case other kids needed them, too.

 

[noodleknitter]

They are just school supplies. They are not (or at least shouldn't be) status symbols. That is NOT what education is all about.

 

[stsomewhere]

I went to buy DS's school supplies and was shocked that crayons were only $.22 a box! So I bought a few more to send along with him in case other kids needed them, too.

I bought 50 boxes.
DD will be bring crayons in for Valentines!

 

[Grendalynn]

Actually I don't think the school has the authority to tell you that. In New Jersey the school can suggest school supplies but not require that you send i anything so if I am sending in things, they are going to be labeled.

I agree with this. I belive that schools/teachers can "suggest" but (by law?) they cannot "demand" or "Expect" the supplies. There are some families, many in some cases, that just cannot afford them. If that is the case, they see the teacher and they are given one. Teachers and schools have budgets for his sort of thing.

I've never had a great need to be greedy over crayons.

So true! ITA!! There are mor important things in life to worry about...

Usually I will get my sons supplies of what he would like and wht is needed, and we put them in a penicl box with his name on them. We will also pick out a few extra thing for him to bring into his class room for the class or for the teacher to distribute...

They are just school supplies. They are not (or at least shouldn't be) status symbols. That is NOT what education is all about.

 

[wdwmaw]

I also teach we should give to others. We actually just went to wall mart on Saturday. We bought everything on her list and the total came to $86, this did not include anything else, no backpack or lunchbox. We did buy enough for one other complete child and that was in addition to my DD things. I am not being pickey over a crayon but this is getting I too have a classroom and I am allways out a couple hundred dollars to just get started (highlighters, post it notes, pens, pencils). I think every school system is different and this is becoming a real problem in some areas. In order for my daughter to start school we will be out and we havent bought clothes, shoes or any neccessity in these amounts
~$ 86 school supplies (only what is on the list, can not change brands)
~$40 PTA dues $10 for each person in our family
~$25 room fee, fee will get mandatory agenda that she will get credit for when I sign every day
~$20 shirt fee (2 shirts that the whole school wears on Fri.)
~$10 per week for school provided music lessons, required to be in band, we do not know how much her instrument rental for this year will be, we are being told due to gas the company we rent from is raising there amounts.
~$12.25 lunch for week (2.45 per day for 5 days so we pack lunch alot)
opt $1200 for me and her for a 3 day 5th grade field trip (we did not do, we are doing Disney instead. They did offer 2 fundraisers but all money raised went into a community pot for scholorships for kids that could not pay and we did not qualify for this so we would have been out for the whole amount.

I am not being greedy, just broke

 

[jenrein]

I never thought of being annoyed by something like that. Our school asks for tissues, sanitizer, wipes, baggies, and also some community supplies. For 3 kids we spent almost $200. But when you look at the big picture...teachers losing jobs to funding, schools failing without teachers...I mean whats a few extra dollars in supplies? Your children are learning to be a part of a group and how to pull their own weight and you are pulling your weight in making sure your child can get their rightful education and not have to worry about where he will blow his nose and will he have an orange crayon if Susie has one too.

 

[Grendalynn]

I also teach we should give to others. We actually just went to wall mart on Saturday. We bought everything on her list and the total came to $86, this did not include anything else, no backpack or lunchbox. We did buy enough for one other complete child and that was in addition to my DD things. I am not being pickey over a crayon but this is getting I too have a classroom and I am allways out a couple hundred dollars to just get started (highlighters, post it notes, pens, pencils). I think every school system is different and this is becoming a real problem in some areas. In order for my daughter to start school we will be out and we havent bought clothes, shoes or any neccessity in these amounts
~$ 86 school supplies (only what is on the list, can not change brands)
~$40 PTA dues $10 for each person in our family
~$25 room fee, fee will get mandatory agenda that she will get credit for when I sign every day
~$20 shirt fee (2 shirts that the whole school wears on Fri.)
~$10 per week for school provided music lessons, required to be in band, we do not know how much her instrument rental for this year will be, we are being told due to gas the company we rent from is raising there amounts.
~$12.25 lunch for week (2.45 per day for 5 days so we pack lunch alot)
opt $1200 for me and her for a 3 day 5th grade field trip (we did not do, we are doing Disney instead. They did offer 2 fundraisers but all money raised went into a community pot for scholorships for kids that could not pay and we did not qualify for this so we would have been out for the whole amount.

I am not being greedy, just broke

I know where you are coming from. My mother just retired after 25+ years of teaching and my sister is still currently a teacher in the middle school. My Dad and sister went to school to be teachers, my aunt was a teacher for 30+ years, my grandfather was a principal his entire life and my granmother was a Home Economics teacher her entire life (They have since passed ) I am not a teacher, But I am the asst program director for the Afterschool Program in our District (3 elementary schools). As you can see I come from an educational kind of family!

Its crazy how much the Education System has changed so much over the years. It used to be that you would get a few new outfits, a new pair of sneakers, a new backpack and a lunchbox and youwere good to go. Now the lists are getting longer and longer; cloths are getting more and more costly.... and Unfortunatly the economy is helping either! Our towns school budget didnt pass this year - the voters were just so leary of the current economy and what the future holds. Educaton IS important but you cant squeeze blood from a rock. We had to go with our default budget and things are being cut out all over the place - this means that the parents have to come in and pick up some of the slack. Thats fine for some, we will make do. But there are some that just cannot do it.

My point being that I knwo what you are talking about!! Every time you turn around there is someting to buy, pay for, donate to or fundraise for. I digress.... I could go on about this all day!! Thanks for reading my ramble!!

 

[livndisney]

Yes, I get annoyed. And I don't think it is over "crayons" as suggested by another poster. For example, I spent over $100.00 for school supplies for 1st grade. I was told each student NEEDED everything on the list, so I bought exactly (brand, size etc) what was on the list. Took all the supplies to school and never saw them again. I still had to buy more pencils for my child (homework each day to sharpen xx number of pencils, and even though I bought HUNDREDS of pencils and gave them to the school, they were never sent home for sharpening). Every week a new request for "more" was sent home. Each student NEEDED 10 boxes of a specific box of tissue. And I watched the staff fill a storeroom with the supplies brought in.

 

[carj]

Yes, I get annoyed. And I don't think it is over "crayons" as suggested by another poster. For example, I spent over $100.00 for school supplies for 1st grade. I was told each student NEEDED everything on the list, so I bought exactly (brand, size etc) what was on the list. Took all the supplies to school and never saw them again. I still had to buy more pencils for my child (homework each day to sharpen xx number of pencils, and even though I bought HUNDREDS of pencils and gave them to the school, they were never sent home for sharpening). Every week a new request for "more" was sent home. Each student NEEDED 10 boxes of a specific box of tissue. And I watched the staff fill a storeroom with the supplies brought in.

That is ridiculous! I spend about $25-$40 on my children's supplies each. (I'm also a teacher.) I am not against pooling the supplies for everyone to use because it is more convenient.

What on earth was on that supply list that was $100?? When we submit our list, the principal makes sure that it is not "over-the-top".

I guess with 10 boxes of tissues per kid, then they would need to store them somewhere other than the classroom huh? Wow!

 

[wdwmaw]

I really hope I am not sounding greedy just upset. I am in not way not supporting teachers, 8 staff members in our school will not be returning next year. I am glad that the high school football team got a new practice fild and new field house and that those football players have all new equipment and my son in all AP classes will not have a book to bring home. OK, I am being a smartie. Really, the problem is all the parents that do not bring in or support there childs education.We all here do and have no problem with that.With the economy, our personal budget is becoming so . The problem here is the majority of the parents (I am talking middle class $80,000 and up). These are the parents that are not bringing things in for there child anymore. The last day of school I bought 5 lunches for kids in my K class. Our school policy is that you are not allowed to charge over a certain amount so no lunch for these kids. Yes, they are offered a plain cheeze sandwich but only after they have gotten a tray, filled with wonderful food , only to have it taken away and given a baggie with water. The brunt of the expences are brought upon the few that care. Yes, we all should learn to be equal and share responsibility, but I am getting to where I can not do it anymore. If a child does not have money in there account they by law do not have to offer breakfast. You stand and watch a hungry child be refused breakfast infront of a couple hundred kids. I hate doing breakfast duty and have just about lost my job over this issue. I have to have cash on me and can no longer take the amount out of my account.The economy is tight and the supplies are being passed onto families that do not have it either. And to compensate teachers are asking for more to cover the expected supplies that do not come in. You know I love clorax wipes but I can make a years supply with a gallon of clorax and school supplied brown paper towells, but I am not allowed to do this. I must require clorax wipes for each student. I can make 3x PB&J sandwiches for the cost of a pre packaged PB&J sandwich. But since we have a contract that we must order through this distributor we can not save the money and make them alot cheeper. I am on the PTA and if the school buys a computer it is over $1000 for one computer but the PTA could go bye the same computer for less than $400. The district will not put these computers on there system rendering them useless to staff and students. Thats policy !!!!!!!! Parents need to stop paying the fees and buying and demand money be spent smart. We all need to give and create a wonderful learning experience for every child but the brunt of that is falling on the backs of a few and those backs are breaking.

I am sorry but this is a button of mine

 

[mdsouth]

I bought 50 boxes.
DD will be bring crayons in for Valentines!

Great idea! You can write something catchy like "Wishing you a colorful Valentine's Day!" or "Color the world with love, Happy Valentine's Day".

I think I just might have to go out and buy more of the 22 cent boxes for Valentine's Day myself!

Side note: I just realized that the keyboard does not have the old cent symbol anymore like typewriters used to do! Amazing! I haven't typed on a typewrite in fifteen to twenty years, and I just now noticed that the cent symbol was missing on the computer keyboard!

Once again, the DISboard helps keep me on top of things and informed!