Hey teachers

[ljcrochet]

My girls school (elementary) has grade wide supply lists. PTA Has a fundraiser to buy the supplies that comes home in the spring.
The PTA also put the list to the supply lists on their web site about 2 weeks ago. I'm pretty sure this is the first time they have done that v

 

[DawnM]

It isn't just your district, it is a CA state law. Public education is supposed to be FREE, and that includes supplies.

That is why it drove me nuts as a school counselor to get kids sent down to me for not having their school supplies (coming to class without pencil, pen, paper, etc...)

Teachers can have a suggested list, although my school never did. We had each teacher talk to their students about what he/she wanted them to have in class, but could not really enforce it.

Dawn

Wow. In my district (I'm a teacher) we technically aren't allowed AT ALL to ask for supplies. Crayons, folders, you name it- all purchased by the teacher. Some things can come out of our supply budget but most of us pay for the students' items ourselves. My principal said we as a team could send home a donation request sheet. Out of 30 students exactly 4 brought their own crayons. Guess who had to buy the rest? And this is in a middle class community of very nice homes.

So be glad that you don't have to pay for all the school supplies for an entire class! It's a tremendous cost and it sucks.

 

[Ceila]

The teacher emailed me yesterday afternoon. School starts on Monday. She is not a new teacher. I am fairly certain she knew yesterday what color folders she wanted my kid to have.

Maybe she felt that giving it to everyone at the same time is more appropriate, or perhaps there is a reason she wants to explain the rest of the list to the kids. Who knows?

It's unfortunate that the stores start putting everything out so early that it gets picked over before school even starts, but this isn't something I'd get too worked up about.

 

[Jeafl]

That might be part of it, but the explanation I've gotten from the teachers at my girls' school is that they've gone to electric pencil sharpeners and the foil/plastic outer layer on the fancy pencils is hard on the sharpener. That never occurred to me because we have old-fashioned metal Xacto sharpeners in our office and workshop, but it does make that specific requirement make sense.

YES! Those fancy pencils are brutal on electric pencil sharpeners! I went through two sharpeners last year alone. Also, the fancy pencils tend to be cheaply made. The lead comes out of them easily for some reason. Then the kids are out of their seats more often to sharpen them which is distracting. For that reason we request plain old number 2 yellow pencils.

 

[luv2sleep]

It isn't just your district, it is a CA state law. Public education is supposed to be FREE, and that includes supplies.

That is why it drove me nuts as a school counselor to get kids sent down to me for not having their school supplies (coming to class without pencil, pen, paper, etc...)

Teachers can have a suggested list, although my school never did. We had each teacher talk to their students about what he/she wanted them to have in class, but could not really enforce it.

Dawn

I'm in CA and we get these lists. I guess they are just wish lists? In LAUSD they aren't even allowed to give out wish lists.

If its supposed to be free then why don't the districts supply the supplies? If we didn't send I'm stuff the teacher would have to buy it. In LAUSD they have to.

 

[Fire14]

I've spoken with managers at two of our local stores (not as a direct complaint, but in passing because we're friendly anyway) and the explanation I got from both is that they don't have local control over those things. Corporate sets the timetables and promotions.

I will say that Meijer is still pretty well stocked down here in Ohio with schools having started in last 2 weeks.

 

[aaarcher86]

I will say that Meijer is still pretty well stocked down here in Ohio with schools having started in last 2 weeks.

Yeah agreed. Huge bins of stuff at our Meijer.

 

[castleview]

Oh please, teacher teaching the same grade as last year. School starts Monday. She knows exactly what size binder she wants the kids to have and what color folder for each subject. It's probably the exact same as last year.

I suspect when her daughter is in school she understand that running around looking for orange folders after school starts sucks.

Or you can read about the new Common Core requirements that have thrown every teachers' plans into a holding pattern.

Look, sometimes I get the list before school starts; sometimes the first week. The teacher may want to fully explain it to the kids first.

 

[Fire14]

Yeah agreed. Huge bins of stuff at our Meijer.

Meijer is only in 5 state area. I know Ohio Schools are all over board when they start, Michigan Schools start after labor day. Not sure on IN, IL or KY.

 

[castleview]

I never experience a supply list until my oldest was in middle. We had bought supplies for her in earlier grades but there no specific requirements (a certain type or color or binder, folder etc) and we were never asked to provide any classroom type supplies. We sent her off with a folder, some pencils and a box of crayons and called it a day. No direction needed. We used our common sense. When she reached middle school she was required to have a very specific list of items (2 2.5 inch binders in different colors, 6 folders one in blue, red, green, orange etc and green pens, red pens, blue pens etc.) By high school we were back to no lists again.

I was surprised when my youngest was entering K and we received an extensive supply list (folders, pens, pencils, dry erase markers, dry erasers, scissors, glue sticks, highlighters etc). These were items that had been previously covered by our schools' budgets. Time change so we bought what was asked of us.

Based on the required items from last year, I assumed my dd would be required to have a certain size binder and certain color folders at a minimum in addition to the clue sticks, markers, erasers, highlighter, scissors etc.

My point is that I don't need guidance in making these decisions about what I feel my child needs, teachers have become very specific about what they want my child to have. And it is my preference (since I have to provide these items) that I be told what is expected before school starts.




.

This is normal here. Getting organized and having your stuff together is a big focus in middle school. We started off with the color coding and they got lighter every year.

As for why teachers are specific, well…after doing this for years they probably have an idea of what brands work, break easily, cause damage, can get turned into a weapon (slightly exaggerating there), etc. I scoffed when my son had to buy an $8.00 binder for second grade. But that binder had a pocket and section for everything the teacher wanted and it held together the entire year.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

I'm in CA and we get these lists. I guess they are just wish lists? In LAUSD they aren't even allowed to give out wish lists.

If its supposed to be free then why don't the districts supply the supplies? If we didn't send I'm stuff the teacher would have to buy it. In LAUSD they have to.

Budget cuts. If the district isn't providing it (and many aren't, or very little) then the teacher has to buy it out of their own pocket. Very frustrating, and expensive as heck. I've shelled out over $250 just in school supplies for this school year and I won't even get a paycheck until September. I can't get parents to buy basic supplies like glue stick, crayons, scissors, pencils. Yet they drive better cars than I do.

So all of you DIS parents who are actually buying colored folders, composition books, binders for your kids- good job! Thanks for taking the time to look at the lists and take your child shopping. I don't understand why others won't.

 

[luv2sleep]

Budget cuts. If the district isn't providing it (and many aren't, or very little) then the teacher has to buy it out of their own pocket. Very frustrating, and expensive as heck. I've shelled out over $250 just in school supplies for this school year and I won't even get a paycheck until September. I can't get parents to buy basic supplies like glue stick, crayons, scissors, pencils. Yet they drive better cars than I do.

So all of you DIS parents who are actually buying colored folders, composition books, binders for your kids- good job! Thanks for taking the time to look at the lists and take your child shopping. I don't understand why others won't.

That's a shame.

I happily buy what's on the list and then some. I actually think shopping for supplies is fun! And yes, I go around until I find exactly what brands, etc. they asked for.