How do you find out what school supplies your kids need for next year?

[Mskanga]

Our school in that aspect is a mess, we do not get a letter until the week before we start telling us the teacher, homeroom, and any supplies they may need.
Last year the kids going into 6th grade were asked to get certain specific things that could not deviate ( sp? ) and it was a real problem trying to find folders of a specific kind and color , when 5000 other people were trying to do the same thing. Needless to say that caused such problem that the teachers said this year , kids going into 6th grade next year would be given a note along with their report card. Nothing was given out, and my dd is going into 6th grade.
I just went to Staples and found that one of the second grade teachers has a supply request list there for her students. There's one small problem.....nobody knows what teacher they are going to get until a week before!!!
I am using her as a reference of what will my youngest need for second grade, but I think this is totally screwed up. Why can't they tell us what we need in advance?

 

[mom2boys]

Our school has a website - it can be accessed through our school district website. There is a link on that site for school supplies by grade level. Other than one or two items, supplies are grade specific here. Staples/Office Max... often have lists.
If your school doesn't have that - call or visit the school office. Make a pest of yourself if you have to.

 

[FTWFAN]

Oddball is going into the 9th grade, so she will not know who her homeroom teacher is until two days before school starts. Then she will find out on the first day of school what supplies she needs. I usually go ahead and buy some of the basic stuff that her friends had last year. Then we struggle to find the rest, along with hundreds of other kids and parents.

Fortunately, in elementary school, they usually put a list for the next year in the report cards on the last day of school. This has helped so much this year. I always wait until the last minute to get everything, but this year I already have all of DS/3rd grade and DD/1st grade things already. I just need to verify about backpacks and they are set.

The schools also generally fax a list to the Walmart store here a few weeks before school starts. But, after word gets out that the lists are there, they disappear immediately!

Oh well, another joy of parenthood!!!!!!

 

[Lewski709]

My sons school gave us a list.

 

[mum4jenn]

Our local systems provide Walmart with the lists as well as post on the school website. The younger grades they let you pay a $20 fee and it covers everything they need for the year. WE usually do that just so we dont get caught up in the crowds of people.

 

[buzzlady]

This has been a pet peeve of mine since my kids have gone to school. Last year was the 1st year that our school sent a list in the mail about 2 weeks prior to school starting. In the past years they found out what they needed when they went back to school. Needless to say that the good sales and good items were gone by then. Still haven't gotten anything for this year.

 

[nkjzmom]

Usually all the schools wait until a few weeks before school starts and then they place lists at all major stores...Wal-mart, Office Depot, Staples, etc.

Our school actually sent supply lists home in the last report card. I was so excited!!

 

[Mskanga]

Our schools do not send anything to any stores or the parents. I think I am going to speak to the principal next week, if one teacher can do it , I don't see why the others can't.

 

[luvmydogs]

When final report cards get sent out at the end of the year, our school sends along a list of what each child will need for the following year. I've already gotten everything--I learned my lesson a few years ago after hitting WalMart's school supply aisle a week before school started!

 

[SeaSpray]

Am I the only one who has children who have NEVER had to buy school supplies from a school list?!?!?!?! My sons have NEVER been given a list and told they had to buy anything. We buy the usual pens and pencils and notebooks, but that's all, and there's never been a list given. What kinds of things do you all have to buy for your kids for school?? Our schools have always supplied almost everything. And this includes when we lived in Toms River, NJ and now here in Massachusetts. (Both towns are fairly affluent, but somehow I don't think that matters....???? Or does it???)

P.S. DSs are going in to 11th and 8th grades, so they've been in school for many years now, and again, have never been given a list of things they *had* to buy.

 

[CamColt]

We get a letter sent home on the last day of school of what they need for next year. They also find out their teacher then, its written on their report card.

 

[crz4mm2]

All the local stores have lists from the schools around here. You get a list when you sign up for classes and pay your fees. DD will be a senior this year. There is always something to buy for each and every class (over and above the 'usual' supplies!).

 

[meeshi]

Originally posted by SeaSpray
Am I the only one who has children who have NEVER had to buy school supplies from a school list?!?!?!?! My sons have NEVER been given a list and told they had to buy anything. We buy the usual pens and pencils and notebooks, but that's all, and there's never been a list given. What kinds of things do you all have to buy for your kids for school?? Our schools have always supplied almost everything. And this includes when we lived in Toms River, NJ and now here in Massachusetts. (Both towns are fairly affluent, but somehow I don't think that matters....???? Or does it???)

P.S. DSs are going in to 11th and 8th grades, so they've been in school for many years now, and again, have never been given a list of things they *had* to buy.

I have 3 children, they're going into 11th, 8th and 7th grades. We never receive school lists either except for one year when ds was in 5th grade and came home the first day of school with a list from his teacher. That was the only time. I usually just get the typical supply of pens, pencils, paper, folders, notebooks. Then we get construction paper, markers, glue, poster board stuff like that to keep home for projects.

They don't find out who their teacher is until the week before school starts. It's listed in the local paper.

 

[AZKathy]

Our school started this really cool thing this year for next year. There is a company that the school contracts with and you pay a fee ($23) per kid and on the first day of school, all the supplies that is required for that grade will be on the child's desk in a nice box. It is done for you! Now, did I remember to sign the kids up by the deadline? Stupid me! I forgot so now I have to do the buying myself again...but next year, I WILL NOT FORGET!!!!<a href='http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb008' target='_blank'><img src='http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/23/23_4_52.gif' border=0></a>

 

[Madi100]

I think that the school providing them is a GREAT idea. The $23 to have it all done, is wonderful. I hate the specifics like one red, blue, yellow, etc. Last year I bought all of DD's supplies. Then we went to orientation and they decided to put her in 1st grade. I had to go and buy all new supplies. THey could have fun folders instead of basic colors. They had to have more crayons. Notebooks, etc. One of the things on her list for this year is 4 BOXES of No. 2 YELLOW pencils. I have a box of No. 2 pencils, but they are green, purple, etc. FOUR boxes. Holy Cow!

I think it's funny. I don't believe I"ve ever been anyplace where Trapper Keepers have been allowed. Why do they even make those things anymore?

BTW, to answer OP's question, we get a list home with us at the end of the year, and we also have a website.

For those of you who don't get your list until registration, why not save it for next year. I don't believe that they ever change much for what they need.

 

[disneyjunkie]

We don't find out what's needed until school starts. Of course by then all of the sales are over.

Most of the time it's the typical stuff, pens, pencils, highlighter, sticky notes...

The only special thing I know he'll need this year is a jump drive.

 

[Madi100]

I was just looking at our school supply list. Do any of you have to supply the SCHOOL with things? We have to take band-aids. I noticed that before, but I thought it was just something for second grade. I looked again and every single student has to take one box of band-aids. Do you suppose they will use all of those???? We also have to supply two boxes of kleenex.

 

[dizneenut]

Our schools post class, supplies, and bus lists about a week before school starts. They post it on the windows of the school. Its such a pain.

 

[Megan's Mom]

I know in our area they print the list in the local paper. They have general list like all 2nd graders need this it isn't by teacher. Also our schools have copies of the list in the school office that can be picked up during the summer. I know that a supply list is one of the things that we have to come up with on our teacher workday the last day of school. Most of it is general stuff except what they need for science lab.

Unfortuantaly a lot of the elementary schools especially do have on there office medical supplies like thermometer covers and band aids. Money just isn't stretching that far and personally I would rather they use that money to buy my T.P.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

In HS I only had to get basics early on,but there was always a mile long list after the first day.I also remember cute bags being gone quick