specific school supplies frustration

[ccgirl]

On another note, the list that came home from dd#2 in 2nd grade stunned me.

They wanted tennis balls(ok I get that for the chair bottoms) 1 6-pack Northern toilet paper, 3 pack brawny paper towels, 1 ream colored print paper, 1 ream white print paper, 6 3pks of glue sticks, 2 school glue, 2 blue gel glue, 3 pack Kleenex tissues, 2 each prong folders red, blue, white, purple, yellow & orange, 3 single subject wide ruled notebooks in each color above, 4 packs wide ruled liner paper, 4 marble notebooks black only, 2 fiskar scissors, 12- 12 packs of sharpened pencils, 2 12pks red pens, 4 black dry erase markers,2 wooden rulers, 6 boxes crayola 24 ct, 4 box crayola markers, 4 boxes crayola colored pencils. 4 2 pack pink erasers, 64oz hand sanitizer and 24oz hand soap, paper cups, plates, napkins-no print, 1 bx each ziploc brand(specified!) sandwich, quart and gallon bags, snacks for 30 (individually wrapped) juice boxes for 30, 10-pack computer disks, 2gb thumbdrive, 2 new books for the classroom, duct tape (hated to think what they were going to do with this!) The hardest thing to find were the two index card books- separate ones weren't allowed they had to be in preforated books.

Now this is what the teacher wanted- there was also a district list and then the 2nd grade list for all 2nd grade teachers in the school that was sent with the welcome pack. I had already bought the items on the list sent with the welcome pack so had to add on with the teacher's list. Now I buy staples and add as needed by using common sense. The teacher actually took all of the supplies- especially the 144 pencils - and kept them and would only allow each child to get two per day if they need to exchange broken ones for a sharpened pencil. She ranted at open school nite (3 wks into the school year) about how we needed to make sure that kids came in with pencils everyday. One parent stood up and said that they spent over $60 on her supply list what happened to the 12 packs I sent in? I was silently cheering. The teacher actually said that because 50% of the kids are on free lunches we have to send extra supplies to cover their supply needs and that she can't afford to. She was a horrible teacher and this was just the first of a litany of issues I had with her thru the year.

I now keep much of the supply at home to send throughout the year so that my daughter is never without. I don't need to supply the whole class!

I will complain no more after seeing this list! I get some of it but some of it should be provided, such as the toilet paper! Juice boxes??? Sorry but parents should send in a snack/lunch for their own children. You should be providing for your own child only not for the whole class. I get a couple of boxes of tissue paper and paper towels. I'm cool with that. But the sheer number of pencils, crayons, markers etc are just astounding to me.

 

[minniebeth]

On another note, the list that came home from dd#2 in 2nd grade stunned me.

They wanted tennis balls(ok I get that for the chair bottoms) 1 6-pack Northern toilet paper, 3 pack brawny paper towels, 1 ream colored print paper, 1 ream white print paper, 6 3pks of glue sticks, 2 school glue, 2 blue gel glue, 3 pack Kleenex tissues, 2 each prong folders red, blue, white, purple, yellow & orange, 3 single subject wide ruled notebooks in each color above, 4 packs wide ruled liner paper, 4 marble notebooks black only, 2 fiskar scissors, 12- 12 packs of sharpened pencils, 2 12pks red pens, 4 black dry erase markers,2 wooden rulers, 6 boxes crayola 24 ct, 4 box crayola markers, 4 boxes crayola colored pencils. 4 2 pack pink erasers, 64oz hand sanitizer and 24oz hand soap, paper cups, plates, napkins-no print, 1 bx each ziploc brand(specified!) sandwich, quart and gallon bags, snacks for 30 (individually wrapped) juice boxes for 30, 10-pack computer disks, 2gb thumbdrive, 2 new books for the classroom, duct tape (hated to think what they were going to do with this!) The hardest thing to find were the two index card books- separate ones weren't allowed they had to be in preforated books.

Now this is what the teacher wanted- there was also a district list and then the 2nd grade list for all 2nd grade teachers in the school that was sent with the welcome pack. I had already bought the items on the list sent with the welcome pack so had to add on with the teacher's list. Now I buy staples and add as needed by using common sense. The teacher actually took all of the supplies- especially the 144 pencils - and kept them and would only allow each child to get two per day if they need to exchange broken ones for a sharpened pencil. She ranted at open school nite (3 wks into the school year) about how we needed to make sure that kids came in with pencils everyday. One parent stood up and said that they spent over $60 on her supply list what happened to the 12 packs I sent in? I was silently cheering. The teacher actually said that because 50% of the kids are on free lunches we have to send extra supplies to cover their supply needs and that she can't afford to. She was a horrible teacher and this was just the first of a litany of issues I had with her thru the year.

I now keep much of the supply at home to send throughout the year so that my daughter is never without. I don't need to supply the whole class!

There is NO way that my kids' teachers' administrators would ever allow that type of request to parents IN ADDITION to a district list and another overall grade list. That is an unreasonable request.
I can see replenishing certain supplies half-way through the year but to stockpile that amount upfront is not necessary.

 

[Jennasis]

Quick question from one without kids...what would happen if you ignored the supply list? What if you just bought pencils and crayons etc for your kid and ignored the ziploc bags, tissues etc to supply the classroom?

 

[AntePrincess]

Quick question from one without kids...what would happen if you ignored the supply list? What if you just bought pencils and crayons etc for your kid and ignored the ziploc bags, tissues etc to supply the classroom?

They treat your kid like he/she is Harry Potter and they're Snape. Forever. Blackmark next to the permanent records and everything.

 

[lajones81]

There is NO way that my kids' teachers' administrators would ever allow that type of request to parents IN ADDITION to a district list and another overall grade list. That is an unreasonable request.
I can see replenishing certain supplies half-way through the year but to stockpile that amount upfront is not necessary.

I agree and I'm a ! That list is insane!

Our school has ONE list for each grade level. We don't specify any brands, as we aren't brand loyal. If I want anything for my class that is not on the school-approved list, it comes out of my pocket, which is fine with me! Why are parents required to buy so many supplies? *crazy*

 

[design_mom]

In my kids' classrooms (elementary/middle school) most of the supplies, including folders are pooled. The teachers don't even have any idea of who brings in what, as during orientation (usually a few days before school starts), the kids sort their supplies in piles themselves.

I think *this* is at the crux of why teachers request specific brands. If you have a pool of 24 boxes of Crayola crayons, it doesn't matter who gets what. But if you have a pool of 23 boxes of Crayolas and one box of RoseArt, someone's going to get "stuck" with the RoseArt. (And I can almost guarantee it *won't* be the kid who brought the RoseArts in the beginning.)

Our school supply list is very specific, too. However, our PTO does a pre-order program where *they* will buy the school supplies and deliver them to school on the first day. It's not much more than buying ourselves and it's totally worth it to save the hassle of driving around.

 

[shortbun]

All of my kids/grandkids go to public schools. I understand the difference between crayions. My issue is forcing families to purchase specific brands. If money isn't an issue go for it. I'm waiting for the school to say what type/brand backpack they have to have....

All kids need the same crayons because 1. Crayola actually color 2. the kids who don't bring them 'borrow' other kids crayons because they are so much better.

The pencil thing is ridiculous because you can get pencils that are made her for MUCH less than that OP. Check Staples, Office Depot and other places that use these pencils as leader items. Oh, and the undesirable pencils break when sharpened and the erasers will not erase, get hard and kids HATE them in the classroom.

Teachers want quality supplies brought in by everyone because everyone wants to use the quality supplies. If you can't truly afford school supplies, consider contacting the teacher who might have some suggestions for you.

 

[ccgirl]

Quick question from one without kids...what would happen if you ignored the supply list? What if you just bought pencils and crayons etc for your kid and ignored the ziploc bags, tissues etc to supply the classroom?

I kept forgetting things last year. I really did forget and I kept getting notes home until I sent the ziploc bags in. The only things "pooled" in my DD's class are things like the ziploc bags, tissues, and paper towels. Everything else goes in my DD's supply case and is kept in her desk.

 

[LisaNJ25]

Actually, that list seems pretty normal and reasonable to me. Heck, I had similar lists back in the late 70's, except for the uniform. That's becoming more and more common in public schools, though.

Thanks for making my list look better... I was running out the door to take my daughter to school when I posted.

Yeah, most of it is normal.. I mainly thought asking for expo markers and computer paper was odd

 

[LisaNJ25]

I like the dress code but I am just curious why do the girls need quart bags and the boys need gallons ones. Also why is it only the girls need hand sanitizer and the boys baby wipes? Does she think the girls are cleaner ......OMG that is hysterical. Teacher better watch out or the ACLU will get after her for this list.

I think its so they can get half and half

 

[spacemountainmom]

I just wish that the schools would put together packages of items they want for each grade and let the PTA sell them for a slight profit. I would certainly buy them to save the gas from having to hunt down the items. I imagine that they could order/buy in bulk as a non-profit and sell at a decent rate- this would take care of some of the fund raising and making sure they have the supplies that are needed.

My dd16's elementary did that for 2-3 years and it was the best.thing.ever!!! It solved the problem of finding folders and notebooks in colors that don't exist in the real world. All the supplies were also good quality products too. I don't know why they discontinued it.

I also am not a fan of the "community" supplies. I would buy my kids the good stuff and they always ended up using the junk.

DD's kindergarten teacher did just ask for $$ from each parent and she bought all the supplies. I liked that idea as well, but I can imagine most teachers have enough to do without having to shop for school supplies for their whole class. They also pretty much would miss all the sales and deals too.

I also would buy extras and send them into the office when my kids were in elementary. I was just shocked when my friend who worked at the school would tell me how many kids would show up without anything.

 

[4greatboys]

I'll tell you why they want certain pencils. Kids will often want the ones that have designs on them and they are junk. They break all the time, the lead will slide right on out. The students will have to sharpen all freakin' day. Pencils are not made like they used to be.

Just make sure you buy decent pencils, not cheap ones or cute ones. They really shouldn't be too much more expensive than the other ones. GL!

Exactly! I hate those cutesy pencils. What's so hard about making a pencil so the lead will actually stay in?


As to the cheaper crayons they are not the same quality at Crayola. My kids have had the cheaper ones and they are terrible. they break so easily. Personally I have no problem spending more for quality items my kids will actually be able to use.

 

[goofy!]

I just wish that the schools would put together packages of items they want for each grade and let the PTA sell them for a slight profit. I would certainly buy them to save the gas from having to hunt down the items. I imagine that they could order/buy in bulk as a non-profit and sell at a decent rate- this would take care of some of the fund raising and making sure they have the supplies that are needed.

Our school district does that. At the end of the school year, you get your supply list and an order form for the pre-packaged, shrink wrapped, no need to run all over and fight crowds, much cheaper, supply package.

It is your choice whether you want to go get the stuff yourself or just order it from the PTA.

At registration at the end of summer, your grade specific package of supplies is waiting for you.

We never did it as my kids love school shopping and see it as the official end of summer, but I know many parents who loved the idea of writing a check and all the supplies just appeared.

And I can vouch that the high quality, pre-packaged supplies were always cheaper than going yourself.

 

[princessmom29]

Quick question from one without kids...what would happen if you ignored the supply list? What if you just bought pencils and crayons etc for your kid and ignored the ziploc bags, tissues etc to supply the classroom?

In our district, I as the teacher have to purchase what you didn't send out of my own pocket, or the classroom doesn't have tissues, paper towels, or soap.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

One year DD had to have "round barrelled pencils". ?? I took that to mean not the hexagonal (?) shaped regular ol' pencils. I could only find them in the funky design packs (more $ and since it was stated they pooled supplies, I knew it would cause issues.) I ended up just getting the regular ol' yellow nonround ones. I meant to ask the teacher when school started, but noticed every single pencil brought in was the same kind I had sent anyway .

I'm willing to get specifics (agree on Crayola products for sure)- but if a teacher wants something off the wall, they need to say where you can get them. (Or order enough for the class and folks sent $ in.) I can't look at every store in the city searching for odd ball things.

It really gets my goat too when they don't USE the oddball things. One year DS had to have a specific type composition book. I finally found it- it came home at the end of the year with like 5 pages used.

 

[princesshannahsmom]

I see the sales are starting. Target has 12 packs of USA Gold Pencils for .99, as well as the 12 pack Crayola colored pencils, different colors of Mead composition books and different colors of Mead perforated notebooks for .99. Sterlite pencil boxes (in several colors) for .50.

For middle schoolers, they also have a Texas Instruments scientific calculator for $9. 2-pocket folders (licensed characters) for .80.

So, the sales are out there, and I really didn't have to search much, except for my normal sales paper search (I do this every Sunday and Wednesday)! Obviously there will be other things on DD's list (they haven't gotten theirs yet), and no doubt there will be specifics, but I am buying stuff on sale now, that have been on past lists, so we don't go overboard with spending when the time comes.

 

[Jennasis]

In our district, I as the teacher have to purchase what you didn't send out of my own pocket, or the classroom doesn't have tissues, paper towels, or soap.

Why? Why are basic bathroom necessities not provided by the district? On another note, I stock the bathroom (and soda machine) in my business out of my own pocket too. Toilet paper, paper towels, soap, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, tissues, soda for the Coke machine. It gets written off a business expense. I don't ask my students or their families to supply these items, and yeah it's a pretty big investment but it's the business I'm in so I do it.

Not knocking teachers...just "the system".

 

[Poohforyou]

Latex free erasers actually erase better than regular erasers. Perhaps that's why they wanted the latex free pencils.

In my class I don't allow mechanical pencils at all. They become more trouble than they are worth between the kids that argue over lead to the ones that are filling them or counting their lead pieces over and over. Nobody uses them.

We are not allowed to send supply lists, but I will usually ask for at least a box of tissues per student. I'm lucky if 5 kids bring them. For me, it's easier to get the things I want myself when they have the sales. Some kids will bring their own pencils, crayons, etc., but I supply those things as well as notebooks and folders for all of my students.

It wasn't latex free erasers but rather latex free pencils.

As for the mechanical pencils, my daughter is going into 7th grade. I think she's beyond playing with them or arguing over them with others. In middle school the pace is too fast for that kind of nonsense. If it were a problem I'd expect a teacher to speak to her or contact me.

 

[princessmom29]

Why? Why are basic bathroom necessities not provided by the district? On another note, I stock the bathroom (and soda machine) in my business out of my own pocket too. Toilet paper, paper towels, soap, laundry detergent, cleaning supplies, tissues, soda for the Coke machine. It gets written off a business expense. I don't ask my students or their families to supply these items, and yeah it's a pretty big investment but it's the business I'm in so I do it.

Not knocking teachers...just "the system".

Becuase funding has been cut to that point. There is NO money for classroom supplies. They supply tissue and soap in the restrooms, but that is it. Or school services almost 2000 students and there is one laides room and one mens room per floor. If I have to send a kid to the RR every tiem they need a tissue or to wash hands (I teach science so we do that frequently) it would be a large amount of class time lost. I ask parents to send in paper towels, hand soap, and tissue, one container per child. That is all I ask for other than a pencil, paper, some kind of notebook, and a calculator. I usualy get about half the parents to send stuff in. I end up not only buying paper towels and soap, but supplying pencils and paper for a lot of the kids.

 

[Pigeon]

I can also tell you whay they ask for specific colors. If all the homework folders are yellow, they are really easy for the kids to find. No one is spending 10 min looking for it becuase they cannot remebmer which one is which. It also keeps the kid whose parent cannot afford the "cutsey" folder form getting teased. It just makes the classroom run mroe smoothly to make everything uniform. I don't see why it is uch a big deal to get the colors asked for if it makes your child's day run more smoothly??

Why is it such a big deal? Because if I've gone to every freaking store in town looking for the specific brand of a certain type of folder in the specified eight different colors (this happened exactly last year) and no place has them, well, guess what? Doing the School Supplies Scavenger Hunt isn't the only thing parents have to do in their spare time. Many hours of my life that I will never get back were wasted on these excursions. Oh, and gallons of fossil fuel.

I'm in my 50s and went to a school where we routinely had 40 kids in a class at a minimum, and yet the teacher managed to educate the children without a plethora of color-coordinated foldrers. It can be done.

Another pet peeve of mine is the composition notebooks. Every teacher insists that each kid get at least 8 composition notebooks. At the end of the year, said notebooks get sent home, each with no more than 10 pages used. But they are always too beat up from being jammed into tiny desks and cubbies all year to be recyclable for next year. Somebody knows somebody in the Composition Notebook Mafia.