School supply rant! Too much $$$

[lpandorf]

My DD will be in 2nd grade. We spent about $40 last year on items. She has to bring basic items like glue, scissors, folders, paper, markers and also batteries, kleenexes, wipes plus they are asking for a 2nd box just for art supplies for 1st and 2nd graders stocked with crayons, markers, scisssors, etc. And DS will start preschool and he's got a list that looks like it will cost at least $25 plus I have to pay a $75 paper and supply fee to the school.

 

[WendyisDarling]

I just want to know in advance if they are pooling, so I can make sure DD isn't spending an hour in the school supply aisle carefully selecting things that she won't get to use.

Although, I'm one who doesn't mind the pooled supplies, I think this is a good point. Couldn't the list have a little * next to the item and at the bottom say *shared classroom use.
I can understand if a child picks out a special folder why he or she would be upset. I LOVED buying my school supplies when I was a kid (nerd then, nerd now).

Ziploc bags: My kids have brought home crafts in ziploc bags, little cut out flashcards, etc.

 

[WendyisDarling]

Just a thought and I bet a teacher out there can answer or remark:

So many tissues, wipes etc for the classroom. What do the teachers who teach Art, Music, Library, PE, etc do? Kids need tissues when they are in their classes.
Does each teacher give a box of whatever to the resource teacher or do they pay OOP?

 

[PaulaSue]

Ohh....you sound great...can your DD come to my 1st grade classroom?

Things I'd love in that basket:
lined Post-Its (large size)
retractable Sharpie markers (no caps on these..I'm always losing the caps!!)
white lunch bags
teacher stickers
washable markers & colored pencils (great for our Writing Center)
colored copy paper

BTW, they are a nice thought...but I don't know any 1st grade teachers that allow those hand-held pencil sharpeners in their rooms.
They are way too messy...the pencil shavings get all over the kids' clothes & their desks & it's impossible to clean them.

Thanks for the added ideas! Will put them on my shopping list.

 

[Barbers2005]

When I was growing up, the kids that had reduced or free lunch were VERY embarrased, but now when I go to my sons school, these kids dont give a crap. They have there free lunch(which they waist) and then they go and get Ice Cream. I graduated in '88 and kids were truley ashamed when they had to have there card stamped for Lunch

Yeah, kids were embarrassed to be on free or reduced lunch when I was growing up, too (I graduated in 98). In fact, my brother and I were so ashamed that we stopped eating the lunches that we qualified for. I never did tell Dm, though- I know she was doing the best she could. I wasn't rolling in clothes, either. In elementary and middle school I wore a lot of things dm sewed with fabric she bought out of the bargain bin at Philadelphia Sales. One year in high school I got $40 to buy school clothes b/c that's all dm had to give me. Now that I think about it, though, I did have some name brand clothes (Express, Limited) that I bought for $5-10 off the clearance rack, or got as Christmas or birthday presents from wealthier relatives, then wore for several years. You probably wouldn't have been able to tell I was so poor by looking at me. Having experienced it myself, I really wouldn't want other kids to have to feel embarrassed b/c their parents can't afford to buy them lunches(or school supplies). If they can take it without shame then I say good for them.

 

[lacy1101]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, so I apologize if this has been mentioned already, but, for the last several years, my kids have been asked to bring in TENNIS BALLS to put on their chair legs so they don't scratch the floor! This is way over the top in my opinion.

 

[gemjoy]

for the last several years, my kids have been asked to bring in TENNIS BALLS to put on their chair legs so they don't scratch the floor! This is way over the top in my opinion.

Uh... yes ~ I would totally agree that this is a little extreme...

 

[daisyduck123]

Just a thought and I bet a teacher out there can answer or remark:

So many tissues, wipes etc for the classroom. What do the teachers who teach Art, Music, Library, PE, etc do? Kids need tissues when they are in their classes.
Does each teacher give a box of whatever to the resource teacher or do they pay OOP?

At my school, one of us classroom teachers donates a box to any specialist teacher who says she needs one.

 

[jcc0621]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, so I apologize if this has been mentioned already, but, for the last several years, my kids have been asked to bring in TENNIS BALLS to put on their chair legs so they don't scratch the floor! This is way over the top in my opinion.

I totally agree

 

[MM27]

Just a thought and I bet a teacher out there can answer or remark:

So many tissues, wipes etc for the classroom. What do the teachers who teach Art, Music, Library, PE, etc do? Kids need tissues when they are in their classes.
Does each teacher give a box of whatever to the resource teacher or do they pay OOP?

My classroom is down the hall from the Spanish room and when kids need tissues she usually sends them to either my classroom or to one of the other teachers in my hall. I don't mind sharing. I just don't understand why sending in a box of tissues is such a big deal. Your kids are using the tissues too! I usually buy the big packs of Puffs from BJ's whenever I'm in there for school. Tissues go fast in a classroom. I teach 2 classes of 25 kids each. Some of those kids have severe allergies~that's a lot of tissues. One of the teachers in my grade level puts out a roll of papertowels (the hard brown school ones) at the beginning of the year which is in fact supplied by the school. After the kids blow their noses in that are realize it is not a very pleasant feeling, they start showing up with boxes of tissues. He never even has to ask.

I do not and would never pool school supplies. I also don't ask parents to send in extras for kids that don't have. I have been visiting Staples and Walmart regularly for the penny sales and the deep discounts. These supplies will go to any child that needs them. I've even purchased backpacks for kids in past years. The one that made me really mad was the girl that would come to school filthy every day, holes in her shoes, hair dirty and never combed and never a supply around. I purchased a backpack for her and filled it with supplies. She told me the next day that her mother said to say thank you and she wanted to thank me herself after school. Sounds good right? So I walk outside with her after school and there is mom~driving a brand new JAGUAR

 

[WendyisDarling]

I haven't read the entire thread yet, so I apologize if this has been mentioned already, but, for the last several years, my kids have been asked to bring in TENNIS BALLS to put on their chair legs so they don't scratch the floor! This is way over the top in my opinion.

We had the tennis ball request also. Not for scratching the floors but because the class was on the second story and it makes it quieter for the classrooms downstairs.
I wonder why they need NEW tennis balls each year? Can't they be used for a couple years in a row?

Glad to hear that classroom teachers share with resource teachers

 

[tarheel618]

In regards to tissues, santizier, and wipes these items are used to help keep your child healthy. Not all classrooms have sinks and these items help keep down the spreading of germs, which in the long run saves you money by going to the doctor less or taking off days from work to stay home with your sick child.

If you really feel you shouldn't have to supply these items then DON'T but then you shouldn't expect them to be available for your child to use in the classroom.

It is not the teachers responsibility to supply these items, THE TEACHERS request these items to give YOUR child some comforts of home.

 

[blueangel]

As I've read through this thread my blood pressure has steadily risen. Thank you to those parents out there who are understanding about school supplies. Yes, they may be more expensive and extensive than when you were growing up. Did you have computers in your classrooms? Because we are on paper rationing in order to pay for computers. Did you have a SmartBoard? Math manipulatives? Level (not grade) specific reading material? You may have only had to bring paper, pencil, and folder (which is all I require of my students), but know that schools are now providing much higher priced technology and more materials than even twenty years ago. How about testing? Did you know that more than half of the materials I get are directly related to testing? The money for that had to come from somewhere. And the parents demand better test preparation, new methods, and more technology. Who's paying?

Don't get me wrong - I consider myself lucky that my school provides dry erase markers, tissues, and paper towels. We do run out constantly, sometimes there is a time delay in getting new orders, and sometimes there is no money for more. We deal, and do not complain. That's the way it is.

 

[tarheel618]

blueangel I'm glad I wasn't the only one feeling this way. I started 3 different post before I finally found one calm enough to post.

 

[Angela&Kayla]

I think the biggest problem most of us have with the school supply lists are the fact that everything seems to be excessive and everything seems to be quite specific.

For example, my DD's list this year specifies not only the type of markers, crayons and colored pencils, but also the brand of regular pencils (no - not type of pencil wood #2, but actual brand name). Her list also asks for wide lined non-perforated non-recycled notebooks. I have been to every store in the area and am still unable to find notebooks that meet this criteria. Plus, her list asks for 8 black dry erase markers - honestly, why can't they be mixed packs that are a little cheaper (still expo brand but with black, blue, green and red)?

The thing on her list that puts me over the top this year is a seperate list of three things that need to be purchased on the day of registration. One thing is a pocket dictionary. I found a Webster pocket dictionary at Target for $1.79 (not on sale), but the school is going to charge me about $6 for the Webster pocket dictionary. Why?

Also, as far as the sharing of supplies goes...when my daughter was in first grade, they shared supplies. So, they shared germs through the supplies as well. So much so, half way through the year we had to supply all new supplies because of a case of pink eye. We even had to buy new school supply boxes. Had I known this was a possibility, I could have stocked up before school started. But, not knowing that I might be asked to resupply, I had to pay full price for all the supplies (read $3 for a pack of thick markers, $2 for a pack of crayons, etc).

The kicker...a couple of years ago the list requested 50 glue sticks. No...that is not a typo...50 glue sticks. Were the children eating them or what?

 

[jcc0621]

I do not and would never pool school supplies. I also don't ask parents to send in extras for kids that don't have. I have been visiting Staples and Walmart regularly for the penny sales and the deep discounts. These supplies will go to any child that needs them. I've even purchased backpacks for kids in past years. The one that made me really mad was the girl that would come to school filthy every day, holes in her shoes, hair dirty and never combed and never a supply around. I purchased a backpack for her and filled it with supplies. She told me the next day that her mother said to say thank you and she wanted to thank me herself after school. Sounds good right? So I walk outside with her after school and there is mom~driving a brand new JAGUAR

DH is also a teacher and does the same as you. Picking up folders, pencils, crayons, etc at the penny sales and throughout the year. He gets a whole $50 to spend on supplies for the year. He usually spends that plus (thank goodness for the teacher tax credit).

If he was in your shoes with that little girl he would have actually said something to the mother

 

[daisyduck123]

.

The thing on her list that puts me over the top this year is a seperate list of three things that need to be purchased on the day of registration. One thing is a pocket dictionary. I found a Webster pocket dictionary at Target for $1.79 (not on sale), but the school is going to charge me about $6 for the Webster pocket dictionary. Why?

Hi! Teacher here

Here's your answer....
It's impossible to teach dictionary skills (or use them as a class) when everyone in the class has a different dictionary. When the teacher says, "Ok, turn to p. 83 for the definition of an "island", everyone's page would be different.

 

[summerrluvv]

Yeah, kids were embarrassed to be on free or reduced lunch when I was growing up, too (I graduated in 98). In fact, my brother and I were so ashamed that we stopped eating the lunches that we qualified for. I never did tell Dm, though- I know she was doing the best she could. I wasn't rolling in clothes, either. In elementary and middle school I wore a lot of things dm sewed with fabric she bought out of the bargain bin at Philadelphia Sales. One year in high school I got $40 to buy school clothes b/c that's all dm had to give me. Now that I think about it, though, I did have some name brand clothes (Express, Limited) that I bought for $5-10 off the clearance rack, or got as Christmas or birthday presents from wealthier relatives, then wore for several years. You probably wouldn't have been able to tell I was so poor by looking at me. Having experienced it myself, I really wouldn't want other kids to have to feel embarrassed b/c their parents can't afford to buy them lunches(or school supplies). If they can take it without shame then I say good for them.

Well, a lot of schools these days have a cashless lunch system, therefore no one knows who gets free lunch and who doesn't. They just swipe a card.

 

[Minnie_me]

The one that made me really mad was the girl that would come to school filthy every day, holes in her shoes, hair dirty and never combed and never a supply around. I purchased a backpack for her and filled it with supplies. She told me the next day that her mother said to say thank you and she wanted to thank me herself after school. Sounds good right? So I walk outside with her after school and there is mom~driving a brand new JAGUAR

I have a similar story. I bought a snowsuit, boots, hat and mittens for a little boy in my class one year just before Christmas. After Christmas break, he came to school with his old raggedy lightweight jacket again. The home school counselor did some investigating, and found out that the parents returned the items to KMart and bought cartons of cigarettes instead. I had left the tags on in case the sizes weren't right, so they could exchange them.

 

[MrsPete]

The pooled supplies are not always just crayons and glue sticks. Several of the teachers here pool folders, composition notebooks, spiral notebooks, etc. If I know ahead of time that they are going to pool that stuff, I will buy plain colored supplies. But if I buy my kid a puppy folder, she has the right to be able to use that folder.

My point was that the pooled supplies are the cheap ones -- typically I can buy crayons for .15, glue sticks for .10, folders for .10, composition notebooks for .50, and spiral notebooks for .10 -- not exactly break the bank stuff.

I agree that a specially-chosen item should remain with the child, so why not ask the teacher ahead of time?