Post your crazy school supply item here.

[Swimalie]

$8 and your almost done! I will spend more then that on ziploc bags alone . I'm a very careful shopper, but my kids school lists are single spaced and an entire page long. They need multiple boxes of different size ziploc bags, which is expensive but at least I see them getting used during the year. The 3 ring binders almost always come home unused, and then next years teacher wants a 1inch instead of the 2inch from this year. Oh well, I try to buy the name brand because they are better quality - like the Prang water colors, but every year they tell us to buy prang because the kids can reuse them next year - not so much. The only thing I don't get is the Ticonderoga pencils, we had hundreds of decorated pencils the kids are given over the years and now I send those, I know they're not as good but I'm not throwing literally hundreds of pencils away and we won't use that many at home.

I hear you on the binders! Luckily the same size he didn't use last year is requested this year so we're resending it. I have a ton of ziploc bags around the house so I just grabbed one and done I went to Walmart today and finished up. I think my total is $12-13. Since they had glue sticks for 10 cents each, I bought 10 extra to use during the year or for next year. After school starts, I plan on going to the clearance sales to get more for next year.

 

[bearloch]

I can tell you as a Sub teacher and a Mom I hav seen alot of diff things.. the crayons, pencils, paper, markers all et " eatten up" so fast its sad! my bst advice is to make label for you kids stuff! tough labels that wont tear off easy! even erasers!! make a design with nail polish that works great what ens up happening is 2 kids never come with te supplies and end up borrowing then breaking the other kids stuff.

 

[disney fan4]

The Target here has some cute Disney ones. They are required by the schools on post here. The mesh ones had Mickey and Minnie ones and the Clear ones had Fairies and I'm not sure what other ones but I looked at some this morning. My kids don't need them but I was impressed that they actually have character ones now.

Oh, I hope my Target does this year! Thanks for the info!

 

[patsal]

I have not read the whole thread, but as the parent of a senior in HS I have been through all of this and I am also a teacher. Honestly, the request for name brand stufff is so that no one is using a pencil that doesn't write correctly or a crayon that is so waxy it doesn't leave much color on the page. Name brand markers are truer to the color spectrum leaving your children less disappointed with the results and they do not wear out as quickly as the non name brand items. Right now school supplies are pretty inexpensive so for .50 buy the crayola, for 2. buy the ticonderoga...they really do write better and do not tear the paper they also erase cleaner. When buying filler paper the same thing holds true, the few cents you save is more frustration for your child when the paper rips because it has no strength.

Now for the teachers that feel the few should supply for the many...nope buy what your kid will use, send in fresh as needed, but nope it is not your responsibility to supply the whole classroom.

I guess I am the crazy one here, I buy everything my students need and set them all up with it. I ask that they bring something to write with in order to be considered prepared for class. I teach high school and feel like if I supply the pen they are going to think the perspective employer will give them that to fill out the application...I want theme to know having something to write with will always have them prepared .

 

[mrsklamc]

Get this- in Indiana people are required to pay textbook rental fees. I don't understand how this is legal. Apparently for a high school student they can be like $300.

Be aware that if your teacher does 'community' supplies and you label your child's so they can supposedly retain ownership, it may backfire. My friend did this with her dd's pencils and dd was mocked for it..every time another kid got 'her' pencil out of the shared supplies they would yell "I'm using ___'s pencil!"

It makes me so mad that teachers don't have what they need while useless high level administrators get paid $$$. (I'm sure they are not all useless but some of them sure are.)

 

[patsal]

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

I use post its for writing. Some kids can go through a whole pad in no time with the strategies I teach them for increasing the vocabulary level in writing, working on ideas or replacing sentence structure. As the national standards for education come into play this year, even kindergarten students will be using highlighters to find key words and phrases and learn how to transfer them into writing. All areas will be heavily dependent upon writing , if you think the supply lists are bad wait until you see what they have in store for them academically.

 

[carebee21]

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?

Yeah, but on the flip side, wouldn't it be more honest to simply say, "your child needs two packs of pencils and 1 pack of crayons. Unfortunately, many other families are struggling and can't afford to send in these supplies. If you can buy extras and donate them, we'd greatly appreciate it." Instead of, your child needs 4 packs of pencils and 2 packs of crayons. I know they're padding their numbers because some families can't afford it and some simply don't do it, but I don't think it's fair to lie to people and say YOUR CHILD NEEDS when it's not going to MY child.

And as far as your comment about if you can afford a trip to disney, you can afford school supplies for other children. If I work for my money, shouldn't I get to decide how and where to spend it? Ultimately, I didn't limit my family size, live in a house I could afford even though it isn't the biggest house I could have purchased, stick to a strict budget and drive a 10 year old car because I wanted to save my extra money and donate it. I make the decisions I do to afford my vacation and I'm tired of hearing, you must be rich because you can afford a vacation. Or if you can afford that vacation you can afford this, or you should be donating that, or doing this.

 

[navywifetill2002]

I work as a sub in our district and the teachers told me they have nothing to do with those lists that are out at Wal-Mart and Target. Some of the teachers have cabnets FULL of things like Ziploc baggies.

The "community supplies" are so gross! Many of our teachers do the cup of sharpend pencils and the cup you put your one in that needs sharpened, sounds great but they are so gross. EVERY class as at least 1 chewer and ther are even some that lick their pencils then it goes into the dull cup and they get another do droll all over.

When my DD is ready for school she will be getting some "classroom" supplies but also private stuff for her own use. At 3 she alrady cries if a crayon breaks, I can't see her trying to find a not broken crayon in the class box, she'd never get any work done!

 

[LocaRoja]

Yeah, but on the flip side, wouldn't it be more honest to simply say, "your child needs two packs of pencils and 1 pack of crayons. Unfortunately, many other families are struggling and can't afford to send in these supplies. If you can buy extras and donate them, we'd greatly appreciate it." Instead of, your child needs 4 packs of pencils and 2 packs of crayons. I know they're padding their numbers because some families can't afford it and some simply don't do it, but I don't think it's fair to lie to people and say YOUR CHILD NEEDS when it's not going to MY child.

And as far as your comment about if you can afford a trip to disney, you can afford school supplies for other children. If I work for my money, shouldn't I get to decide how and where to spend it? Ultimately, I didn't limit my family size, live in a house I could afford even though it isn't the biggest house I could have purchased, stick to a strict budget and drive a 10 year old car because I wanted to save money my extra money and donate it. I make the decisions I do to afford my vacation and I'm tired of hearing, you must be rich because you can afford a vacation. Or if you can afford that vacation you can afford this, or you should be donating that, or doing this.

To be clear, I never called anyone rich or mentioned "Disney" trips in my post. I would never consider myself well to do or rich, but I do feel like I can share what I have with those that have a different circumstance, especially children. I am overwhelmed that you wouldn't consider donating "extra money". I guess I feel more charitable about things than you; that's just our difference.

I did say that being charitable is a nice way to be and to try and reconsider how the schools are creating their supply lists. I've never seen a school supply list that says "your child needs". They are merely requests; clearly we know there is not 100% response to this. If you feel better at night knowing that no other children used a pencil you provided, then I guess, you win.

 

[Patience]

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).

I am the mom with the fruit scented Expo markers and, yes, I did ask why. The teachers prefer them because they smell better. Simple as that, nothing nefarious. I posted because in all the years I have had a child in school, no one has ever asked for them before and all the clerks at the stores looked at me oddly when I asked if they carried them.

I don't mind buying the supplies and I do know that all of the stuff we send in gets pooled. That doesn't bother me. We are blessed financially and we know it so we donate to our fellow man and try to be charitable. I think people are saying, however, that they are not really being given a choice about whether they wish to contribute school supplies to the "pool" and that's a valid point of discussion.

 

[lady9]

[QUOTE

I just can wrap my head around how school districts always seem so strapped for cash when so much funding is handed to them.

[/QUOTE]

You need to sit down with any superintendent and treasurer of any school district and see where the money goes. It isn't as much money as you think schools get. It doesn't go for a ton of supplies. Approximately 80% of the money is spent on staff salaries-teachers, principals, custodians, secretaries, etc. School are a service industry and 80% of the money is generally spent on staff in any service industry. Then you have to heat the buildings, provide water, and maintain the buildings along with the school grounds, athletic fields. Technology is also an expense along with supplies like paper, copiers, art supplies. Just how much money do you think is left for individual student supplies? I don't make a lot of money, in fact, I haven't had a raise in 3 years and my last raise was $750 for the year, and I only got that because I did more degree work at my own expense. I do my job because I love it and the kids I serve. I do spend my own money on classroom books, art supplies not provided by the school, gifts for Christmas for the students and gifts they can make and give their parents. There may be a few school districts out there mismanaging their money, but I can assure you that most do a great job on stretching your tax dollars.

 

[ceecee]

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

QUOTE]

We had to get those a few years as well, certainly wouldn't want to share those. USB drives since Jr. High were also required. I remember doing centers in Kindergarden and a few kids had Fiskar scissors, so much better than the $1 ones, so everyone used the 3 pair that those kids bought in. I was glad to see on next years supply list it said Fiskar scissors! In Jr and Sr high we don't even get the lists until the first day of school (typically a tues/weds) and they need everything by monday of the following week.

 

[poohj80]

After reading this thread, I'll quit complaining about our list of supplies. ;-)

 

[Sandy61]

Get this- in Indiana people are required to pay textbook rental fees. I don't understand how this is legal. Apparently for a high school student they can be like $300.

Be aware that if your teacher does 'community' supplies and you label your child's so they can supposedly retain ownership, it may backfire. My friend did this with her dd's pencils and dd was mocked for it..every time another kid got 'her' pencil out of the shared supplies they would yell "I'm using ___'s pencil!"

It makes me so mad that teachers don't have what they need while useless high level administrators get paid $$$. (I'm sure they are not all useless but some of them sure are.)

I thought everyone had to pay a textbook rental fee. Now that I know some towns/states don't have to, I am a little disgruntled.

A couple years ago I got frustrated with the enormous school list that included such things as dry erase markers and erasers, hand sanitizer, and several other things that seemed like the district should pay for. The kids would be better off if they simply washed their hands with soap and water but they weren't allowed to do that before lunch. I get even more frustrated when I hear how much of a salary increase the superintendent gets that year and the elementary school principal drives around a small conservative town in a red corvette convertible.

This year's list seems reasonable except why on earth an 8th grader needs a glue stick at school is beyond my imagining. The scientific calculator will be expensive but at least it will be his and he will use it.

 

[Allison]

Plummer -- yeah I guess the irony didn't come though.

I just can wrap my head around how school districts always seem so strapped for cash when so much funding is handed to them.

In Ontario, the provincial govt. actually passed a law that prohibits schools from forcing families to provide supplies for schools cause it was getting out of hand (2 years ago each of my kids was expected to provide $300 for supply costs!!)

Because the funding is not covering the costs. Schools here have to cut every year as their funding decreases.

 

[FLmomof2]

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?

We went and checked Marshalls and Best Buys..I know Toys R. Us sells kids ones so I think thats were I will check next. Thanks for the Amazon tip though!

 

[carebee21]

To be clear, I never called anyone rich or mentioned "Disney" trips in my post. I would never consider myself well to do or rich, but I do feel like I can share what I have with those that have a different circumstance, especially children. I am overwhelmed that you wouldn't consider donating "extra money". I guess I feel more charitable about things than you; that's just our difference.

I did say that being charitable is a nice way to be and to try and reconsider how the schools are creating their supply lists. I've never seen a school supply list that says "your child needs". They are merely requests; clearly we know there is not 100% response to this. If you feel better at night knowing that no other children used a pencil you provided, then I guess, you win.

No, you didn't say Disney per se. I'm too lazy to go find your quote, but you implied that if someone can afford a vacation, they can afford to donate school supplies to others in need. While it may be true that they can afford it, the bottom line is they shouldn't be guilted into doing so. Sure, I can afford to donate to many organizations. But if I donated to every single one, I wouldn't be able to afford my vacation, and honestly, that's not something I'm willing to give up. I work hard and I budget and save to afford my vacation, not to donate the money to someone else.

And I didn't say that I wouldn't consider donating. As a matter of fact, I do donate schools supplies both at the beginning of the year and several times throughout the year, I donate my time to the school and I donate books to the teachers off of their wish lists. I also donate a lot of time and money to a gift giving program for low income families, because it's an organization I feel very strongly about. However, with all of that said, I don't feel that anyone should be asked to purchase supplies under the guise that it's for THEIR children, when really, it's for the entire class, nor do I think that just because my child is in school and I can afford it, that I need to donate supplies for the other children that can't. It doesn't matter to me if it's $1.00 or $1000.00. I should be told what I need to supply for MY child and then be given the option to donate to a class fund or supply pool, if I so choose. It's more about the principle of the matter.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Now for the teachers that feel the few should supply for the many...nope buy what your kid will use, send in fresh as needed, but nope it is not your responsibility to supply the whole classroom.

I choose to supply my students if their parents fail to send them with supplies. It is my responsibility to ensure that learning occurs and one cannot demonstrate learning without a pencil. So, like it or not, although it is not a stated responsibility, it ultimately is.

I don't do common supplies; each child's supplies are their own.

 

[lady9]

As a teacher I am on "Team NO" to sharing supplies. Some children like a specific color of scissors or pencils or a brand of whatever supplies are needed. If a parent buys for their child, then their child should get to use and enjoy those supplies. (I do pool tissues, baggies, and wipes) Some children take excellent care of their things while other children don't quite have the organizational skills to keep track them. This is the reason some teachers ask for 6 dozen pencils-to supply those kids who are careless and lose their pencil EVERY SINGLE DAY. It's totally unfair. Our 3rd grade team supply list has what each child will need realistically for the year if the supplies are well taken care of and not lost. We do encourage parents to buy extras while they are on sale. I do buy lots of extras for those kids whose parents won't, don't, or can't get the supplies. I do not believe it is a parent's responsibility to buy more than their child needs.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

As someone who is sending a child off to college in a very few weeks, I have to ask:

What are you going to do when you have to pay for college? You think pencils are expensive? Hooboy, you are in for a shock!