Anyone else get annoyed.. (School Supplies)

[pigletto]

I have no great issue with sending extra school supplies for community use. In fact I like to do it. The only thing I get a little perturbed with is the specific brands we are required to send. And even then... I think it is great idea to have a specific brand so that every child has the same. However I find the most expensive brand of everything is required.
That irks me. I don't need to have Kleenex brand tissue in my own home .. I am perfectly content with a store brand.
Or even if I am going to be required to buy multiples of all the most expensive brands.. give me the supply list prior to the end of August so I have a little time to comparison shop or find a sale. It seems the school supply contribution could stretch a lot further in our school if they'd ease up a little on the name brand everything.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

I have 4 children, one in preschool. Our school supply list, even shopping at Staples and Office Depot's one cent sales, came in over $500 including their required Trapper Keeper type binders, but not including backpacks and lunch boxes. It was even more expensive last year because I had to buy a scientific calculator.

I had a big problem last year with the community supply thing for my daughter in public kindergarten, because we are very budget minded, paycheck to paycheck, scrimp and save sort of people and it's expensive to have 4 kids in school. To know that I'm having to supply things for other people's kids does make me a little upset, because I'm required to buy those supplies, but other people know that if they don't buy things, other people will take care of them. I sent in extras because I had bought things on sale, yet we all still got a letter in February saying the classroom was running low on crayons and bar erasers and they needed donations to make it through the end of the year

be thankful that you dont have to buy $125 graphing calculators!!!!!


this is why i'm thankful that i went to a private hs and this is why i'm sending my kids to private school, it's just always a lot less complicated

 

[cheerforchelsea]

Several years ago (when my daughter was in middle school) on the "Girl's supply list" was Sanitary Napkins and a particular brand......she did not have a need for them and when the time did come that she needed them she provided her own......

 

[bigbabyblues]

My DS will be in 2nd grade this year, he goes to a small private school. They keep their own supplies in their desk, except the bottles of glue; the teacher had it in a cabinet, presumably because 1st graders like to play with glue. They got their own bottles when they used it. I buy all of the supplies on his list, but (so far, expecting the same this year) it hasn't been very long or bizzare. Last year he needed crayons (any kind, any #), Fiskars scissors (this has been the same for K and 1st gr, which is ok with me), #2 pencils, 2 glue sticks, 1 bottle of glue, pencil box, and 2 folders.

This year, I know they will need looseleaf paper too.

We're asked for 2 boxes of tissues and 2 rolls of paper towels. Those are for the class to use, and I sent more in every couple of months when I remembered.

Edited, I had forgotten that when he was in Kindergarten, their crayons were in boxes and they shared them at the art table. However, the teacher supplied those. Around Christmas, we were asked to send in crayons, and they kept those in their desks.

 

[kcromley]

cheer up. at least your children will actually be using those supplies you bought. Think of all your friends/neighbors who are spending thousands of tax dollars to support your children's education, when they may not even have children. It doesn't seem unreasonable to expect non-impoverished parents of enrolled public school students to spend a little extra when the benefit accrues directly to their child.

 

[Juliet25]

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

THANK YOU!!! I bought my DD's kindergarten supplies recently and was giddy to find Elmer's glue sticks for $0.22. After paying close to $30,000 these past few years for daycare, I'm doing a happy dance at the thought of my child care being less than $50 for the year (well, minus the property taxes I pay ).

Seriously, are these comments for real??? I have 5 pages to wade through...

 

[mommytobug]

I am confused as to why public school lists are so much longer and more than private school. I started noticing every year that the public school lists were longer than the same grade in private. DD attends a small private school. Our teachers make less and we provide any supplies our kids need. Our teachers do have a wish list but that is not made known really. Last year I sent a basket full of things for the teacher because I know our teachers dont make a lot and I wanted to help with the beginning of school out of pocket expenses. My tax dollars go to schools I dont use, why not give teachers an amount to help with supplies kids cant afford? Also, our JA takes up van loads of supplies to donate and I always buy for that. I still though dont understand why the lists are so much longer?! Does anyone have a clue? I realy dont mind things being pooled but we have never had to. Paper towels, etc yes but not pencil, etc. If we did, I would buy dd some of her own to use also.

 

[melancholywings]

I remember reading a lawsuit where a family was sueing the school because the community supplies hadn't been marked community and all the things they bought had been given out to other children upsetting their kid. And I can understand being mad about that. Luckily our school's list is small and clearly defined. And I often buy extras to throw in, which I can afford to do because the list isn't crazy.
The $300 book rental fee is outragous. You could buy a simple lap top with that money and the kids could read it online, and conserve paper.

 

[Narnia]

My kids lists were really normal. Backpacks,lunch bags, ruler,glue stick,crayons etc..

 

[PenguinWaiters]

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!

¢ = ALT 0162 on your friendly keyboard

It's funny I read the other thread when it started and it went in a WHOLE other direction (probably because of the tone and wording of the original post - interesting from a sociological perspective - that it is all about how you say what you say, I think).

Anyway, when I read that one I shared it with DH figuring he would be on the same wavelength as I was about this issue and was FLOORED to find that he felt the exact opposite. We had quite the heated debate - hard to believe that paying for community crayons led to our first major argument in quite some time! Gotta love the DIS - at least it makes you think about things from other perspectives.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I am confused as to why public school lists are so much longer and more than private school. I started noticing every year that the public school lists were longer than the same grade in private. DD attends a small private school. Our teachers make less and we provide any supplies our kids need. Our teachers do have a wish list but that is not made known really. Last year I sent a basket full of things for the teacher because I know our teachers dont make a lot and I wanted to help with the beginning of school out of pocket expenses. My tax dollars go to schools I dont use, why not give teachers an amount to help with supplies kids cant afford? Also, our JA takes up van loads of supplies to donate and I always buy for that. I still though dont understand why the lists are so much longer?! Does anyone have a clue? I realy dont mind things being pooled but we have never had to. Paper towels, etc yes but not pencil, etc. If we did, I would buy dd some of her own to use also.

I don't know either. As I posted above, my DS goes to a small private school. My friend's DS goes to public school, and their list last year was insane (40 glue sticks? Come ON. etc). She spent about $200 on stuff. I know there are a lot of kids in our area that have parents who don't care, and they just don't buy the supplies. My heart breaks for those kids. On one hand, I don't think the parents who do care should have to pick up the slack for their parents, but on the other hand, it's not the kid's fault they don't have what they need. I also don't think the teachers should have to buy it out of their own pockets, but I guess those are the only options left. I know the teachers at DS' school buy some things out of their own pocket, and I don't think that's right either. There are only 10 children in DS' class, but still. They get paid less than the teachers at the public schools (average teacher salary at his school is $23,000; average tenure is 20+ years. That's not much pay).

 

[sndfan]

My DS goes to a Catholic school...we have always purchased supplies just for his use. The list is very reasonable. They have never done the community supply bit...if the kid on his left or right doesn't have crayons, they share. No biggie. He has shared pencils, no biggie.

I personally am thrilled to send in purell, clorox wipes and tissues...whatever it takes to keep my DS healthy! He also gets a personal sized purell for his desk to use throughout the day. I'm tired of STREP!

I would be truly upset to have a $200 school supply list though...our most expensive item was a Spanish Dictionary for $6.50...which he'll be able to use for many years to come.

My DS brings his pencil case home daily, I peek in it and remind him to sharpen pencils or grab a new one if necessary...check his glue sticks etc. I've got 12 boxes of the .22 cent Crayolas ready to go!

 

[MouseLover]

I teach first grade. The other first grade teachers at my school also do this. We specify on the supply list to purchase 20-30 plain yellow pencils. I give each child 2-3 to keep in their supply box and the rest go in storage. I keep a cup of sharpened pencils in the classroom for quick exchanges. That way the pencil sharpener isn't disrupting the class all the time. I have also tried individual pencil sharpeners in their boxes, but these end up making a mess on the desk/floor and many of the kids want to play with them. Other community supplies in my room are glue & glue sticks. Students keep their own folders and crayons. Extra crayons are labeled with names and distributed as that child needs them. Scissors are labeled and passed out only when needed. I do prefer Crayola crayons as the quality is better, and Fiskars or Crayola scissors (the cheap ones usually don't cut well). I also request the higher quality thick folders (.50 at Dollar General or ~.75 at Walmart). This is because the cheaper/thinner ones: 1. tear easier and 2. are too small for some workbook pages. I don't care what brand of tissues and zipper bags are brought. We also request 4 black dry-erase markers, as we use individual whiteboards daily, and red/green don't erase cleanly. My school provides 2-3 black ones for the year (what a joke! I use many more than that!). I purchase a dozen blue ones for my own use with my classroom budget. When a child gets a special birthday or reward pencil, they don't have to put it in the cup, but they have to wait for permission to sharpen it.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

in my experiences private school lists are longer


from my experiences


public school: 4 notebooks, 1 binder, pens, pencils, highlighters, book covers


private school:3 notebooks, 4 binders, graphing calculator, scientific calculator,pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, book covers, daily planner, ruler, protractor, goggles, pencil case

 

[Aristomommy]

Our school has a reasonable list for the grade levels. I spent less than $30 by picking up penny and nickle specials. But then each teacher (or team) will have their OWN list, that will be available first week of school that's additional. Good luck finding deals then!!! So I am picking up random stuff just in case our teacher might ask for it. Not sure why different teachers would need such different supplies that they couldn't just keep to a master list?

 

[livndisney]

in my experiences private school lists are longer


from my experiences


public school: 4 notebooks, 1 binder, pens, pencils, highlighters, book covers


private school:3 notebooks, 4 binders, graphing calculator, scientific calculator,pens, pencils, highlighters, markers, book covers, daily planner, ruler, protractor, goggles, pencil case

My experience is completely the opposite.

Private school K: I think was maybe $20.
Public school 1st: $100.
Private school 2nd: $10. (and most of that is a Bible)

 

[3"Mouse"keteers]

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.

Think about how selfish that sounds......Do you have any idea how much money your child's teacher spends out of her own pocket on your child? As a teacher myself, I'm sure it's quite a bit. That would be like sending snacks for a party and asking that any leftovers be returned to you. I take up all supplies at the beginning of the year and then distribute them for community use like in baskets on their tables. I ask that parents only buy plain supplies like plain folders, crayola crayons, fiskar scissors, so that all of the children have the same supplies to use. If they want to bring in other supplies like special folders they can keep those in their desks as long as they bring in the basic supplies that I ask for. I feel that a couple boxes of crayons, packs of pencils, and glue sticks is not very much at all to ask for considering how much I spend out of my own pocket on each student.

 

[tavettava]

In our district they do not have a list for the kids. I always buy my kids tons of supplies though. I teach at a school that is in a poor part of the city and not 1 students brought in school supplies last year. My budget for the year was $150, that is for all year. I spent so much of my own money for school supplies its crazy.

 

[3"Mouse"keteers]

If you shop the sales, school supplies shouldn't cost you an arm and leg. Here's my list:

2 Boxes of Crayons (22 cents each @Walmart)
2 Boxes plain yellow pencils (1 cent each @ Staples penny sale)
5 plain two pocket folders (1 cent each @ Staples penny sale)
1 pair of fiskars scissors ($1)
1 snap closure school box ($1)

$5 supply fee to cover the cost of paper, glue, and incentives

Total: Less than $10

Not too bad for free child care!

 

[wdwmaw]

If you shop the sales, school supplies shouldn't cost you an arm and leg. Here's my list:

2 Boxes of Crayons (22 cents each @Walmart)
2 Boxes plain yellow pencils (1 cent each @ Staples penny sale)
5 plain two pocket folders (1 cent each @ Staples penny sale)
1 pair of fiskars scissors ($1)
1 snap closure school box ($1)

$5 supply fee to cover the cost of paper, glue, and incentives

Total: Less than $10

Not too bad for free child care!

I wish that was all I had to spend. Read back a few pages and you are in for a real shocker. Our room fee for DD is $25 and for DS it will be $35. I bought everything on the list (at sale price and even had friends pick up at wall greens, staples and so on so forth) and her supplies were $86. This does not count the recomended things she should keep at home for homework or projects. I was a stay at home mom so I could have kept my kids for free. Not all districts are the same and some of us are really feeling the pinch here.