Post your crazy school supply item here.

[jillbur]

This makes me SO thankful that my district actually pays for our supplies. The kids are provided with everything they need for actual school work and we can send in some extra art supplies, crayons markers, etc for them to have in their desk for seat time if we want. We also get a list of items we can send for the classroom, but that is optional. Amazing how much more fun it is to shop for the stuff when you know you have the option! I always send in tissues, wipes, glues, sticks and crayons that I get during the back to school sales. I'm happy to do it, but if I HAD to do it, I'd totally be annoyed!

We don't get a supply list either. Maybe it's a PA thing? Our teachers usually ask for donations of hand sanitizer, wipes, kleenex, etc. I know our teachers spend a lot of their own money throughout the year on supllies.

I am a middle/high school teacher in a private alternative education program. 100% of my students get free breakfast and lunch. I buy all my own supplies because I can't get the kids to even bring a pencil. It gets annoying, but what am I going to do? IMy school reimburses for what we buy up to a certain point. I'll have an average of 150 kids this year. I just hit the Walmart sales and spent $75 on supplies. That's proabably half or even a third of what I really need. Most of my money is spent on pencils, erasers, pens, folders, index cards, lined paper, and I do but art supplies for projects throughout the year.

I do have to agree that name brands last longer. I buy Ticonderoga pencils since the sharpeners just eat up the others.

Good luck to everyone and keep looking for the sales.

Jill

 

[torinsmom]

Out of curiosity, why do teachers request different size boxes of crayons? You may be referring to the actual crayon size instead of count, but I thought you might have some insight

Yeah, I was talking about the crayon size. Ours kids are 4-6 and the big ones hold up better. The list used to have 16 pk of crayons on there, but I convinced the other teachers to make it a 24 pk. since they are cheaper. We tend to use the primary colors most for projects, but we put out the other colors for free draw.

 

[wgeo]

So, after my poly-envelope thread, and a little venting about my kids' school wanting them to have Ticonderoga pencils, I figured some of you might like to vent a little about the crazy items on your child's school supply list. And it will make me feel better if I'm not the only parent having to shell out for Ticonderoga pencils for their kindergartner . So, vent away!! I'm eager to hear what other nutso things are on school supply lists this year. BTW-- Apparently, we don't have it as bad off as the other elementary school in our district-- my second grader needed 36 Ticonderoga pencils (costing me about $6)-- the other elementary school is asking for 96 Ticonderoga pencils for second grade-- and they want them sharpened!! That's like $15-$20 in pencils ALONE! --Katie

OMG I just double checked my sons list and they want 6 DOZEN Ticonderoga pencils! Not gonna happen - sorry. There is no way he is going to go through 2 pencils a week

 

[princessmorgan]

Honestly I'm happy to buy my 3rd grader the 72 pencils on her list. Amazon has a 96 pack of Ticonderoga pencils for $15. Two of my other daughters are going to a private school for Kindergarten and Pre-K. The school just charges a set supply fee for the year. $250 for the Kindergartner and $150 for the one in Pre-K! So sign me up for 10 boxes of .25 crayola crayons any day.

 

[torinsmom]

How the heck can any child use 72 pencils in a year? And where are the teachers going to store all those pencils? If there are 25 kids in the class, that is 1800 pencils!

 

[pineappletreat]

Our crazy school item is both my kids need a pair of earbuds.

Now I actually am in favor of these as I always got grossed out about the headphones all the kids share because they NEVER got cleaned!

I'm a lurker here, but couldn't resist responding to this. DS and DD's classes both want ear buds too and they're in PRESCHOOL!!! Do you know how hard it is to find earbuds for 3 & 4 year olds? (Thank you, Amazon). DS & DD don't even want the things in their ears anyway. Why couldn't the kids just have regular headphones?

 

[pineappletreat]

I never knew the combining supplies was for the kids that don't bring anything. I had heard of that before, but always assumed it was because many schools don't use lockers or desks with personal storage space and the teacher doesn't have the time or space to keep 30 kids' stuff separate. But then again, our district doesn't let elementary school kids bring outside supplies so I don't know.

I remember in middle school we didn't have lockers so we were required to have 8 different folders in 8 different colors. First period red, second period dark blue, etc. I used that system from 6th grade all the way through college. It really helped me to become organized.

I do remember having a teacher that required us to have 5 different colors of ink, and she wanted different things written in different ink colors. Ex: If we were doing vocabulary homework, she wanted the word in blue and the definition in purple. If we had something the wrong color we got a 0. THAT was ridiculous.

Heh, I remember in 7th grade one teacher would assign us to do the "pink" sheet for the 25th the "peach" sheet for the 27th, the "rose" sheet for the 29th, the "blue" sheet for the 10, the marine sheet for the 11th, etc....
I transferred in mid-year and could never tell the difference between pink, peach, coral and rose so would just do them all when I received them so they'd always be ready.

 

[torinsmom]

I'm a lurker here, but couldn't resist responding to this. DS and DD's classes both want ear buds too and they're in PRESCHOOL!!! Do you know how hard it is to find earbuds for 3 & 4 year olds? (Thank you, Amazon). DS & DD don't even want the things in their ears anyway. Why couldn't the kids just have regular headphones?

I teach PreK/K and bought the cheap $1 headphones at The Dollar Tree. We get to use the school's Ipads once a week, and it was nice to not have the room sound like an arcade. I put each child's in a ziploc so we didn't have to worry about spreading germs.

 

[richmond282]

I'm a lurker here, but couldn't resist responding to this. DS and DD's classes both want ear buds too and they're in PRESCHOOL!!! Do you know how hard it is to find earbuds for 3 & 4 year olds? (Thank you, Amazon). DS & DD don't even want the things in their ears anyway. Why couldn't the kids just have regular headphones?

I think they want ear buds instead of headphones for storage purposes. I know at DD's school the ear buds are used (and stored) in the computer lab. So with 300 students in the school, there are about 300 ears buds in the computer lab (which is really only slightly bigger than a closet.)

 

[sk!mom]

I'm a teacher who has been very frustrated over the years buying supplies for my kids. My DD16 says that she IS NOT hauling around several gigantic binders this year. Her high school doesn't use lockers so whatever the teachers ask for the student must carry. Middle School was the same. Last year she had 3- 2 inch binders, several 3 subject spirals, calculator, note cards, and on and on. DD says that the large binders will be replaced with spirals this year. If she finds that she has a teacher that is actually going to check the binders Or use them in a meaningful way then she'll get a small one and get another when full. The large ones are too much to carry.

I teach elementary and keep the lists down because of my frustrations as a parent. I will vouch for good wooden pencils. The paper covered decorative ones ruin the electric sharpener that I have to buy myself. I'm serious enough about the pencils that I do not allow anything but wooden sharpened in my classroom. Others can used if you want your child to take them home to sharpen them. My only other specific requests are things that I do not want- no rolling backpacks, no mechanical pencils, no large binders. I ask for folders but never specify colors as I know finding specific colors can be very frustrating.

Pencils are pooled but I only ask for a dozen per student to start with. I'll ask for more if we run out. Kleenex is also pooled. I ask for 1 box per student. Everything else is used by the student who brought it. If a parent wants to buy dollar store crayons or cheap folders then their child will deal with the low quality.

No way would I send 96 pencils. Send a couple dozen and then send more if necessary. If you want to get really upset, you should see the stockpiles that many teachers have. I've been at my current school for 15 years. I inherited such a large stockpile that I took construction paper and notebook paper off my supply list for 10-12 years. Not kidding, I had stacks and stacks of it. I finally used up the stockpile and started asking for 1 of each.

 

[Alli76]

My biggest annoyance is the 4"x6" Canon Photo Pack (BRAND SPECIFIC) for my childs pre-school class. $15!!! Last year, I purchased. On her first day of school I got a picture of her playing sent home! I thought - oh this is a great idea I will get pictures throughout the year - good investment... That was the one and only one I got last year. Hope that it improves this year!

 

[LocaRoja]

OMG I just double checked my sons list and they want 6 DOZEN Ticonderoga pencils! Not gonna happen - sorry. There is no way he is going to go through 2 pencils a week

I'm sorry, but you sound quite extreme here. It's ten dollars worth of pencils, not a laptop computer or some other expensive item. It seems that if you can go on nice vacations, then sending in a few dozen decent writing instruments for your kid's class is not a big request. I guess, perhaps, you are just annoyed that a few dollars of your pencils will be used by other kids? However, in all honesty, wouldn't you feel good to be the silent person that enables a child to have what they need to be successful?

Perhaps we can re-frame the school requests that are in all likelihood intended to ensure all kids (not just your kid) in the class have what they need as a pay it forward kind of thing for the next generation. And, be happy you have the means and commitment to meet your child's needs; if all kids had parents like you, we'd be in a better place!!!

I personally feel it's great when you have a chance to help others, especially children! And hopefully, if your family ever needs a helping hand, someone will be there for you!

 

[MrsPete]

The name brand stuff if asked for because often they are a better quality and don't break as easily. Crayola crayons are so much better than rose art and others just as Ticonderoga are a stronger pencil. papermate pencils are the worst and break easily.

This is true. Most people know that Crayola really are better crayons, but not many adults use pencils on a regular basis, so people may not be aware that those super-cheap varieties are no good. They don't sharpen well, and the tips break off immediately (as in, you're still standing at the pencil sharpener), so they don't last -- It's not that they have to be sharpened twice a week instead of once a week . . . it's that the cheap pencils' lead breaks off immediately (as in, while you're pulling it from the sharpener), so the student stands there sharpening, sharpening, sharpening 'til the brand-new pencil is down to 3-4" on its first sharpening . . . and then it breaks again right away. They are awful. Ticonderoga aren't the only good pencils out there, but they are pretty much the only recognizable name that's widely available.

Personally, my kids and I prefer the mechanical pencils, which never require sharpening.

Trust me, teachers know these things.

Absolutely my situation as well. To have a stock of supplies to give to students who don't have them is invaluable. Staples has really done a disservice to teachers and consequently students and I have expressed that to them.

That's unfair. It isn't their place to provide cheap supplies to teachers, who feel forced to buy them for students. Would it be kind? Yes, but to blame them for discontinuing it is off-base.

 

[teacherforhi]

That's unfair. It isn't their place to provide cheap supplies to teachers, who feel forced to buy them for students. Would it be kind? Yes, but to blame them for discontinuing it is off-base.

But they aren't discontinuing it. It would be one thing to say teachers can't buy any more of an item than anyone else. Fine, that's the store's prerogative. However, they aren't doing me any favors by giving me my money back in Staples rewards. I get $50 for supplies from the PTA and I'm not giving it all to Staples. Office Max will let me have the price for up to 20 of an item. Guess who gets my business?

 

[jenketeer]

Ticonderoga are a stronger pencil.HAHAHA This is most definitely NOT true I bought my daughter these the Black ones. They were suppose to be the World's best pencil. She told me they were the biggest pieces of junk she has Ever used.She is into art so she has used just about every pencil ever created. She ended up with just a plain old #2 but she said even mechanical ones are better and she Hates those.

 

[My2Qtz0205]

Personally, my kids and I prefer the mechanical pencils, which never require sharpening.

Yes! I feel the same way! I am a substitute teacher, and it seems like the kids are constantly asking to sharpen their pencils. And the sound of that pencil sharpener grates on my nerves , especially when all the stupid thing is doing is chewing up the pencil. I bought my children's school supplies the other day, and I looked longingly at those mechanical pencils. Buy a few of those, a few packs of replacement lead, and we're good to go.

 

[irishsharon]

My son is going into 5th grade and needs 6 packs of 3x3 yellow post its.I would love to know what they will be used for Also it really annoys me to send in highlighters.Fourth grade was the first time my son has ever used them but I have been sending them in since kindergarden.Now my first grader needs four highlighters and two packs of post its I went to walmart at ten o'clock this morning and they were already sold out of the 10 cent elmer glue sticks.Staples does a package of supplies you can buy for your child,from the school,I did not do it this year because I really thought I would save money well I saved NOTHING, I was shocked

 

[mjantz]

I used highlighters with my Kindergarten classes. They were community supplies and were used for small group activities & center times. I would have them highlight certain words or letters we were working on.
Nothing too weird but my few years of teaching my supply list included newsprint. I HATED the stuff, as did my fellow teachers & we asked that it be removed but the district put out a district-wide supply list & so it stayed on there.

 

[bkangell1979]

Folks. Don't forget.... if you are purchasing supplies that goes into the general pool.... then you are making a TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION to your school (remember, public schools = non-profit).

Note that I am NOT referring to something you buy for your child that you retain ownership.... I am referring to the excess items that go into a general pool to benefit your childs classroom/school.

It might not be much... but it adds up.

 

[Marionnette]

I'm sorry, but you sound quite extreme here. It's ten dollars worth of pencils, not a laptop computer or some other expensive item. It seems that if you can go on nice vacations, then sending in a few dozen decent writing instruments for your kid's class is not a big request. I guess, perhaps, you are just annoyed that a few dollars of your pencils will be used by other kids? However, in all honesty, wouldn't you feel good to be the silent person that enables a child to have what they need to be successful?

Perhaps we can re-frame the school requests that are in all likelihood intended to ensure all kids (not just your kid) in the class have what they need as a pay it forward kind of thing for the next generation. And, be happy you have the means and commitment to meet your child's needs; if all kids had parents like you, we'd be in a better place!!!

I personally feel it's great when you have a chance to help others, especially children! And hopefully, if your family ever needs a helping hand, someone will be there for you!

In reading through this thread, the same thoughts crossed my mind. Here we are, a number of us having gone to Disney multiple times, some of us living in upper-middle class neighborhoods. And people are kvetching about spending a few extra dollars on pencils and crayons!

Yes, there are some crazy requests but did anyone bother to ask the teacher why they want those specific things? You know that they didn't just randomly request fruit-scented Expo markers or Ticonderoga pencils. They want them for a reason. My kids aren't in K-12 anymore but I remember some of the specific demands that were made in their back-to-school lists. When I asked teachers about certain items, they always had a valid reason as to why they wanted them.

Now that my kids are done with K-12, I'm glad that my tax dollars don't have to be spent on those things. My school taxes are high enough. We're fortunate that most families can afford to pay for their kids' supplies. And the HSA takes care of the kids whose families cannot (or will not).