Back to school *vent*

[torinsmom]

In the past, my kids were asked to supply several rolls of film, but in the past couple of years we were asked to donate for developing costs for digital photos.

I thought that was bad, then I found out about field trips. When my younger son was in 1st grade they went to the zoo. The trip cost me $45! They wanted $25 for zoo entrance fees/bus fees and the rest for color-coded t-shirts. The zoo was located about 20 miles from the school...and regular entry fee was about $5 for kids. Talk about getting fleeced!

Yeah, $45 is a little much for a field trip. Now, I CAN tell you that the bus fees are just CRAZY! I was the field trip coordinator last year, and we had to pay like $20/hour for each driver plus I believe $1.75 per mile per bus. We had to use 4 buses for field trips(we could have fit in 3, but there were not enough harnesses in three for our 4 year olds), and the trips were usually 15 miles and lasted 4 hours. So, just for drivers, it was $320, then we had to pay mileage of $52.50(round trip) for 4 drivers. That is another $210. So, $530 for just the buses. We had 80 kids total, so that's over $6.30 just for the buses. Most field trip are around $8 per child, so you are talking almost $15/ child for only the trip. We could never go to the zoo, which is 40 miles away.

We did do field trip t-shirts last year, but the local printer did them for $10 each and they were good for the whole year. This year we are getting them in white, and tie dying them, so it will probably cost $12.

On another note I am not a teacher, but for those who have to buy construction paper please do not buy the ones in the book. When my children were in K the teacher gave me the job of sorting the paper by color. The paper that came in books were not used as the paper ripped majority of the times trying to get it out of the books. No child wants the ripped paper so they went unused.

The books are also more expensive than the loose packages. We used to get the books too, and I never understood why?

Marsha

 

[kristinw3girls]

My 3 girls have list's very like the OP. My biggest complaint is after spending $250 on everyone's lists, they come home after the first 2-3 days with an additional list of more things they "need". SIGH.......

 

[richmond282]

For all of you who say the schools should provide everything, what kind of la-la land do you live in? Schools don't even have enough money to pay their staff much less buy supplies for students. That may make you mad, but it's true.

In TN, we are not allowed to "require" money be paid for anything that is needed for a graded class or any activity that occurs during instruction hours. So no supply fees or field trip fees. Teachers can suggest or request money for these things, but can not require it. So if parents don't send in money for these things, the kids just do without.

I'm a band director and this has been a HUGE issue for the band. We have a lot of expenses that a band fee helped cover. Students who were not on free or reduced lunch used to be required to pay this fee, now they aren't b/c they get a grade for the class. Who is going to pay for the buses to games and competitions? Who is going to pay for the uniforms to be cleaned or the music and drill for our show? Fortunately, we have awesome boosters that work their tails off to try to curtail some of the cost, but only so much can be done.

 

[kamik86]

For all of you who say the schools should provide everything, what kind of la-la land do you live in? Schools don't even have enough money to pay their staff much less buy supplies for students. That may make you mad, but it's true.

See at one point when I was in middle and early high school I would ahve agreed with you. Then I heard about the $20,000 being wasted on the unused books I posted about earlier, That is $40 per student in our school I'm sure they could have done something with that. Or heck since during my senior year they were still buying these books and spent a ton of money on paint and supplies for a "spirit day" for us all to skip classes and decorate all the windows of the school in window paint stuff (becuase the school was upset that no one had school spirit) yet they couldn't afford to hire another history teacher after one retired so half the school was being taught history by english majors with history minors who had never taught history and most had no interest in doing so...

Its the stupid things like this that bother me. I felt the same way in college when we found out our school paid a few 100 thousand for a dumb statue but were raising tution becasue they couldn't afford a bunch of other stuff.

 

[threecrazykids]

Our school district also has a $25.00 annual fee. This DOES pay for any field trips the kids take throughout the year, photo processing etc. For the older kids I believe it covers a lock for the lockers, and ummm...after that I don't know. I don't have a problem paying this fee because then I know they are covered for the year for field trips (for the younger kids), but for the older kids I guess I don't know what it covers after the cost of locker fee. Plus, I know they use the same locks over and over. And the high school kids only take like 1 field trip a year.

 

[kamik86]

And the high school kids only take like 1 field trip a year.

It may actually be that field trip. I know in my schools we took less field trips in high school but where we may have gone to the clark art institute (art mueseum with some famouos art that is 15 min from the school) in elementry school in high school we would spend the day in Boston (3 hours away) doing activities that cost ALOT more money.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

See at one point when I was in middle and early high school I would ahve agreed with you. Then I heard about the $20,000 being wasted on the unused books I posted about earlier, That is $40 per student in our school I'm sure they could have done something with that. Or heck since during my senior year they were still buying these books and spent a ton of money on paint and supplies for a "spirit day" for us all to skip classes and decorate all the windows of the school in window paint stuff (becuase the school was upset that no one had school spirit) yet they couldn't afford to hire another history teacher after one retired so half the school was being taught history by english majors with history minors who had never taught history and most had no interest in doing so...

Its the stupid things like this that bother me. I felt the same way in college when we found out our school paid a few 100 thousand for a dumb statue but were raising tution becasue they couldn't afford a bunch of other stuff.

The book thing bothers me, too. Each year my elementary school kids keep bringing home various subject workbooks that haven't even been written in because "the teachers don't like them" (that's what the kids tell me). So why does the school keep buying these books that aren't being used??

My kids also bring home the composition books that only have a couple pages used (and usually used for doodling, not schoolwork). I too have started tearing the used pages out and sending them again the following year. Some of the classes do use them and my DD says she prefers them to the spiral notebooks because the paper doesn't rip out as easily and I have no problem buying them in that instance, but if they aren't even using them?

As far as the OP's list, this is pretty much the same amount of stuff on my kids' lists. I am fortunate that my middle schoolers aren't required to have a calculator, the school provides them (they have to stay at school). They just ask for batteries on the supply lists.

 

[torinsmom]

The book thing bothers me, too. Each year my elementary school kids keep bringing home various subject workbooks that haven't even been written in because "the teachers don't like them" (that's what the kids tell me). So why does the school keep buying these books that aren't being used??

If you find out, can you tell me(a teacher)? The district makes all these decisions and the people making them haven't been in the classroom for years. They ask out opinion and then disregard it. My school is a Montessori magnet school, so many of us use Montessori materials to teach the concepts. We don't need no stinkin' workbooks If they would let teachers make the decisions for each school or grade level, we would save everyone some money and get things that we would use, and I bet they would see scores go up as well.

Marsha

 

[mom3sonstt]

It's interesting to hear how different states and different school districts have different requirements on what they can and can't request. I know at my kids' school when you register (which is next week for us) you pay a set fee for elementary and a higher fee for high school, then also in high school certain classes are an additional fee. I think "basic high school" is $65.....I don't remember which classes have additional fees - I know art does, because they use a lot of supplies, and drivers ed - but some of that goes to the secretary of state. They are required to purchase gym uniforms...they had to when I was in school, then they didn't for awhile, and apparently teen-agers have different opinions on what is appropriate for gym clothes so they went back to uniforms. A few years ago they added a sports fee - $15 per sport - but they have a family cap of $45 I think. So if you have several kids that are in multiple sports you don't wind up paying a fortune in fees.

My kids have needed jump drives for certain classes - especially their Jr year when they are doing their term papers.

I know I grumble when I have to buy all this stuff and pay their fees - but really - $65 for a year - that's less than $8 a month (for the 9 months they are in school) As for their supplies - the basics I buy a ton of this time of year when the stores are practically giving them away - I still have a bag of notebooks and looseleaf paper from last year - but I have to go to town today anyway so I'm sure I will pick some more up. We'll use it for something sometime.

 

[taylor3297]

The book thing bothers me, too. Each year my elementary school kids keep bringing home various subject workbooks that haven't even been written in because "the teachers don't like them" (that's what the kids tell me). So why does the school keep buying these books that aren't being used??

Many times when a district chooses a textbook, the textbook company will throw in workbooks as part of the deal. The textbook company will provide workbooks for all students for X amount of years.

In this case sometimes the textbooks are great and workbook aren't.


The OP list isn't too bad. My dd who is going into 2nd grade had a fairly long list. The only thing that bothered me was the list for folders. She is to have:
1-red folder with prongs
1- blue folder without prongs
1-green folder without prongs
1-yellow folder without prongs

I had the hardest one to find was the yellow folder. Of course we found many yellow folders that had prongs.

Now I used to teach middle grade math and you would think by middle school that kids could keep up with their things. Nope, it is an on going issue. For my class all I required was paper and a regular pencil. (No mechanical because I don't keep extra lead and the kids don't seem to either). I would list the calculator used in class in case a student would want one at home. Otherwise, the students would use the ones I provided in class.

Now even with that short list, even with the first day of school, I would have students who would not have paper or pencil. Now that was frustrating.

I never received a budget for my classroom for me to purchase items. The school would let us know what supplies were available for us to use. Anything else we needed we were to buy.

The last year I taught, I spent $3000 out of my own pocket in order to supply all materials needed to make my classroom instruction successful.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

For all of you who say the schools should provide everything, what kind of la-la land do you live in? Schools don't even have enough money to pay their staff much less buy supplies for students. That may make you mad, but it's true.

Well, since my taxes have gone up and up and up and the schools provide less and less and less then yeah, I do get annoyed that I have to provide things like baby wipes and tissues. Some districts here provide everything for their students- even laptops- while others barely provide toilet paper. Sorry but that is a mismanagement of funds. I am not in la la land. I simply want to know what exactly are they doing wrong in my district that they can't provide what I consider basics and yet other districts can.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Well, since my taxes have gone up and up and up and the schools provide less and less and less then yeah, I do get annoyed that I have to provide things like baby wipes and tissues. Some districts here provide everything for their students- even laptops- while others barely provide toilet paper. Sorry but that is a mismanagement of funds. I am not in la la land. I simply want to know what exactly are they doing wrong in my district that they can't provide what I consider basics and yet other districts can.

Our district is trying to recover from like a $60 million budget shortfall. It's ridiculous.

 

[jacksmomma]

Just chiming in here...as far as the workbooks go, sometimes the workbooks come with the textbook, there is no option or price difference for not getting it. (Luckily when I taught I was in a middle school and did not have to deal with workbooks.)

Everyone is complaining about workbooks, and wasting money there...what about these schools that have multi-million dollar sports stadiums that only service 2-3% of the kids. Talk about crazy! If our society as a whole had our priorities in order that would not happen!

 

[torinsmom]

Well, since my taxes have gone up and up and up and the schools provide less and less and less then yeah, I do get annoyed that I have to provide things like baby wipes and tissues. Some districts here provide everything for their students- even laptops- while others barely provide toilet paper. Sorry but that is a mismanagement of funds. I am not in la la land. I simply want to know what exactly are they doing wrong in my district that they can't provide what I consider basics and yet other districts can.

You definitely need to take that up with your local school board. Are all schools funded equally, or does it depend on the tax base of the district? It is not the individual school or teacher's fault. I know that this year, I cannot afford to buy extra for my classroom. Whatever the school/parents do not provide, the kids will have to do without. I already had to get a second and third job to make it financially myself. Last year we ran out of markers and glue sticks in early May. I sent out two wish lists, but we didn't get any, so we had to put out crayons only. I had already spent over $400 of my own money on top of the $200 we got from our PTA.

I said it before and I'll say it again. I wouldn't get everything on the list just yet. I buy the necessities(paper, a few composition books, pencils and pens) and then wait until after the first few days to see what is really needed. DS15 will not use a binder for each class. He does better with a larger one with dividers. The teachers don't expect everyone to have everything the first few days anyway. I actually HOPE my parents wait, because the list they have up is a generic one for the district. It has things on it I don't need, and doesn't have things on it I do need.

Marsha

 

[taylor3297]

Just chiming in here...as far as the workbooks go, sometimes the workbooks come with the textbook, there is no option or price difference for not getting it. (Luckily when I taught I was in a middle school and did not have to deal with workbooks.)

Everyone is complaining about workbooks, and wasting money there...what about these schools that have multi-million dollar sports stadiums that only service 2-3% of the kids. Talk about crazy! If our society as a whole had our priorities in order that would not happen!

I taught middle school math and we had workbooks that went along with the math book. Luckily, our workbooks actually had good practice pages.

 

[GJM]

Each year my elementary school kids keep bringing home various subject workbooks that haven't even been written in

So true - last year my DS come home with a Science, Social Studies, and 2 Math workbooks, 1 math workbook was used. The others not even touched, and they went right in the garbage. One year he come with a cursive handwriting book, never used at all.

 

[EMom]

On DD's 5th grade list, the one that I thought was strange was a 50 page package of 12" x 18" WHITE construction paper. Let me just say that only one store in town had it....Office Depot. It was a PITA to find. They go to school for something like 183 days. Divide that by 50 pages and you get 1 huge page of white construction paper used just over every 3rd day. WTH are they doing? Making the world's biggest collection of cut out snowflakes?!?!?!?!?!

 

[herdtoDisney]

I said it before and I'll say it again. I wouldn't get everything on the list just yet. I buy the necessities(paper, a few composition books, pencils and pens) and then wait until after the first few days to see what is really needed. DS15 will not use a binder for each class. He does better with a larger one with dividers. The teachers don't expect everyone to have everything the first few days anyway. I actually HOPE my parents wait, because the list they have up is a generic one for the district. It has things on it I don't need, and doesn't have things on it I do need.

Marsha

This is how it is at my kids' schools. The city sends a generic list to the local stores (which give out copies) and sometimes the teacher will send a 'welcome' postcard with maybe a few items on it, like folders...but otherwise, they say to just get the basics to start with, like pencils, paper and backpack-then if they need anything else later, the teacher will let them know.

I've never bought all the stuff on the list. I did have to buy the expensive calculator for my oldest (who graduated this year) and will have to buy another one for my next one who's starting hs this year. I think I've bought flash drives, too.

I am kind of shocked at the fact that some posters here have to buy communal supplies I pay over $6000 a year in property taxes (for a modest home) and have 5 kids to buy for-that is already a lot and my list is not nearly so exhaustive as some folks' here. I actually often buy some extras to send in with my kids-good prices this time of year-but I would have a serious problem with it being 'required'.

 

[hanutedmansionmomma]

My list includes $500 fees for my HS senior to even attend school. My kids are older now, so we do most school supply shopping from our house from junk drawers and old folders never used.

As a teacher, I will spend waaaaay more per child than any parent in my room. I love what I do, it's just a reality of teaching.

For a comparison...how much do people spend on one computer or video game? One night at the movies or one call to order pizza?

 

[traviesojmt]

At our school (private school), the elementary students pay a $100 supply fee at the beginning of the year and then we buy nothing. That even includes a tote bag (no backpacks allowed for space issues) with her name on it to keep. I do know that by the end of the year, the teacher still has spent quite a bit of their own money for supplies. I personally love paying the one-time fee and then not having to go buy supplies.

For our secondary students (7th -12th), we pay a $50 supply fee. We then have to purchase basic supplies (paper, notebooks, binders, pens) for our children. There are very few special purchases on top of the basic stuff.

I know that many people could probably shop sales and end up spending less than the $100 fee, but the absolute ease of it makes it worth it for me. The teacher buys what she know she needs and there is much less waste.