posted
I had to buy school supplies for my kids this weekend. So far, it hasn't been as bad as previous years, but then again my high schooler won't really find out what her teachers want her to have until the first day of school.
Once again, though, there are many things about this process that bug me.
I don't think I should have to buy soap and paper towels. I think the school should provide it. I also get angry at the Ziploc bag issue. I mean, my kids came home maybe once or twice last year with something in a ziploc bag, how could the teachers have possibly needed one whole box from every kid?
I do not appreciate being given brand names to buy. It's my money, I'm the one having to spend it and I don't even buy brand names for my own use in my own kitchen, I'm certainly not going to spend twice as much to get the brand name with the fancy zippers the teacher asks for. If she likes that brand so much, she can return the ones I bought and buy the other one and pay the difference herself.
New on the list this year - headphones. For the computer lab. Surprisingly, I'm not upset. Why you ask? Because the headphones are to be labeled and only for that child's use. When my oldest was in kindergarten we had an enormous head lice infestation in the school and as soon as I'd get my daughter cleared and back to school she'd get reinfected. We finally discovered her computer lab partner was the same, and they shared headphones. I suggested they wipe down the headphones with antibacterial wipes or something, or get enough headphones that kids didn't have to share, but not surprisingly, they're just going to pass the cost along to parents instead. Still, I can live with it if it means no lost work or me missing school because one of my kids got head lice from headphones.
Finally, the copy paper. I will not provide the school with a ream of copy paper. Sorry. Paper is a basic office supply and they should pay for it themselves. If the teacher ever really runs out of paper and needs some she can send a note home explaining the situation and I'll help out if it's necessary. But see, I know that paper is not used in the classroom - it's all put together in huge cabinets in the copy room and everyone from the administration to the football coach makes use of it. I know because I asked one of the teachers where she stores it all, and she said "Oh I don't, the office sends someone by with a cart and they pick up all the paper and dump it in the copy room." I'm sorry, but the school can stock its own copy room without my help.
In short, I've become the person that will only buy the things I know my own child will personally need. Pencils, folders, crayons, notebooks. Everything else I expect the school to provide or the teacher to take out of my $35 donation that I am required to pay (how is it a donation if it's mandatory?) to each classroom. If however, the teacher sends home a note asking for a specific supply, I am always happy to help out if I know it's definitely going to something my child's teacher needs and not just going to the general supply fund for the whole school. Like, for instance, when one teacher asked for fabric to make something, I took in several yards of it and told her to pick her favorite. I'll happily donate to projects, or anything the teachers need I just resent these ridiculous demands every year.
The system takes advantage of people who do what they're supposed to do. A friend of mine who teaches 2nd grade said she has so many crayons left over from last year she has no need for anymore but the school sends out a list for all 2nd grade classrooms asking for four boxes of Crayola 24 count. When I asked her what she'd do with them all she said the school would take them and give them to a different classroom if necessary. Now see, that's ridiculous. I know 24 count Crayola is only 20 cents a box (I know because I just bought twelve boxes) but still I shouldn't be asked to buy them if the teacher doesn't need them. That's crazy.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That's crazy. I can't believe the stuff they expect parents to contribute! Soap and paper towels? Where is the school budget going, and why can't they get a larger budget if they can't afford to have hand soap?
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
If other classrooms and other children benefit from my spending a few extra dollars on supplies, carried to the school by my kidlings, I've got no problems with the practice.
And agreed, agreed, AGREED about the generic-vs-brand name supplies.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think some background is required. So is this school requiring parents to buy supplies which are then delivered to the classrooms for general use (as opposed to the "normal" process of buying supplies just for the kid, recommended or not)?
Is this a public school?
Posts: 7593 | Registered: Sep 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just so we know what page we're on, here's the list from one of my four children - I already typed it up so I could consolidate them so I can cut it paste it below:
quote:1 package of yellow or natural pencils 2 packages of wide-ruled loose leaf paper 2 boxes of 24 count crayons 1 pair of scissors 5 solid color folders w/ pockets and brads 2 wide rule spiral notebooks 1 steno pad 1 crayon pouch 1 bottle of glue 1 one-inch binder w/ plastic pocket cover on front 1 ream of copy paper 1 box of tissues 3 rolls of paper towels 1 bottle of GermX 1 box of tall kitchen size garbage bags 1 container of wet wipes 1 box sandwich-size zip-lock plastic bags 1 set of headphones for the computer lab
Scott, I can appreciate wanting to help out other kids, but I'd like to know I'm doing it. If the school sent home a list and said at the bottom, "Please bring an extra box of crayons so that we can have a supply on hand for disadvantaged children who are unable to buy their own" or something to that effect, I'd spend an extra 20 cents and gladly. But don't be dishonest by saying my kids need those four boxes, I know they don't. It's very annoying. Besides, what happens is that teachers wind up throwing out crayons from prior years to make room, or donating them to charities. That's what my friend does. I'll gladly give to charities, but I want to give voluntarily, not be forced into it by the school system attempting to deceive me by saying they are all for MY child. Because you'll note, we are prohibited from bringing supplies that have our child's name on them. I have before spent extra money to buy good vinyl folders that will last much longer than the paper ones only to have my kids come home from the first day of school with paper folders with their names written on them by the teacher.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
That is really ridiculous. We were never required to bring any of our own supplies in elementary school. At the beginning of the year we would be provided with two pencils and (in the younger grades) a box of crayons, a thing of glue, and a pair of scissors, which would never leave the classroom. I think we would get another pencil every month. If we needed more than that, we would bring it ourselves. In middle school we would be given a list, but it was always made by what the teachers actually needed us to have.
Posts: 1547 | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow. I don't have kids, and when I grew up (granted, on LI where taxes were high and schools well supplied), the school supplies we were asked to buy were the school supplies we used. They stayed at home or in my desk/locker at school until we needed them. Trash bags? Copy paper? Boggles the mind.
Posts: 3149 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Whether or not it is outrageous depends a great deal on the local tax rate. If voters keep the taxes too low to supply the school, the people to get mad at is the populace for not funding education, not the school for attempting to make up the shortfall somewhere. Considering that the cost of education (and childcare for those young kids) is being spread out among everyone, I don't have a big problem with asking the parents to shell out to make up the shorfall. It's still a whole lot cheaper than paying for your kids' education yourself.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged |
quote:Scott, I can appreciate wanting to help out other kids, but I'd like to know I'm doing it. If the school sent home a list and said at the bottom, "Please bring an extra box of crayons so that we can have a supply on hand for disadvantaged children who are unable to buy their own" or something to that effect, I'd spend an extra 20 cents and gladly. But don't be dishonest by saying my kids need those four boxes, I know they don't.
Agreed, Belle.
Also, I'm very pleased to see you posting again.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I really don't think Belle is complaining about the cost.
Aspects of this strike me as stupid and wasteful and it seems to me that this is what she is having problems with.
Anything above a small scale system will almost inevitably waste things if there aren't consequences for doing so. Having things like some of the ones from this list thrown into a general pile sounds like a very good way to encourage not thinking at all about what they are doing with it.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Not that I don't think it is rediculous that they are asking for these, but I'm not sure if they are specifically asking for name-brand ziplock bags. I've always used the term as most use kleenex to refer to tissues.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Scott, I shouldn't be - I have finals coming up and stuff to do and need to go. I just couldn't pass this up, it's become a tradition to post this every year.
Primal Curve, you're seeing my typed abbreviated list. The actual list from the school specified Ziploc brand with sliding zipper and even the color of the box! I guess so we would be sure to get the right one. Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've got really mixed feelings about this whole issue.
On the one hand I know that many public schools simply don't have a budget sufficient to buy the supplies they need. I know personally of schools where the operating budget (which covers supplies) has literally not increased in 30 years. When you consider that 30 years ago postage stamps cost 10 cents, then you begin to get an idea what the schools are up against. Elementary schools in the areas where I live don't send out such list (it may be forbidden) I personally know elementary school teachers who buy most of classroom supplies out of their own pockets. I certainly can't blame the schools for trying to get parents to buy these supplies.
One the other hand, I strongly believe in public education and strongly believe that basic school supplies are an essential item that should be covered by taxes. Long school lists like the ones Belle describes are very hard on many families. My SIL with four children lived in Georgia and was routinely putting out $200/child to buy mandatory school supplies at the beginning of each school year. This was a severe stress on her family. This approach to supplying schools is just one more thing that separates the rich from the poor in our country. If you live in a well to do middle class neighborhood with a strong PTA, then your school will be well supplied. If you live in a poor inner city neighborhood, tough luck.
I'd gladly pay an additional $100/year in taxes to make sure that every school was properly supplied. But along with that I'd like to see rules that prohibited schools from requiring students to buy any supplies.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think part of the reason they ask for brand names is for uniformity. Slightly different sizes, colors and qualities of things can lead to problems practically (paper cut-outs sent home don't fit in brand 'x' bags, no-name markers are often dry out of the box or become useless after a few uses) and behavior-wise (Johnny got Crayola Crayons, billy got Crapola Wax Sticks, wah).
Posts: 3275 | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
posted
The school my mom teaches in does ask for things like trashbags and paper towels, but not from every student. It asks for boys to bring certain things and girls others so that you have about half the extra (not pencils) stuff per kid. I don't think they care about brands of bags but glue, scissors (especially in younger grades, Fiskars round point 4 inch scissors), and one transparency marker do make a difference in the grade. These schools don't have a donation fee though, so they are going from their own budget.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Belle: Primal Curve, you're seeing my typed abbreviated list. The actual list from the school specified Ziploc brand with sliding zipper and even the color of the box! I guess so we would be sure to get the right one.
Oh geez. It's too bad I can't post images here, or I'd totally use my giant eye-rolling smiley. <--- Clicky for Linky
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I never did this when they sent out the lists. In fact, I would send them to school with just pencils and paper and have them attend class for a week and make a note of things they would really NEED.
Otherwise, seems like each year there would be items we purchased that NEVER got used or requested (like asking for 6 3-ring binders, but the kid only ends up using one of those).
The only exception, I WOULD buy the standard box of Kleenex. Even though I know it went into the big Kleenex supply inventory and one box was put out at a time. I figured my kids would be users of them at some point.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:It seems to me that if this is a public school, there are really only two ways to pay for these supplies:
-Parents pay OR -Taxes pay (which just means both parents and nonparents split the cost)
Which is more fair?
I think this may be missing an important option, which is that it is entirely possible that some of these supplies are unecessary, and thus no one should have to pay for them.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:In short, I've become the person that will only buy the things I know my own child will personally need. Pencils, folders, crayons, notebooks. Everything else I expect the school to provide or the teacher to take out of my $35 donation that I am required to pay (how is it a donation if it's mandatory?) to each classroom. If however, the teacher sends home a note asking for a specific supply, I am always happy to help out if I know it's definitely going to something my child's teacher needs and not just going to the general supply fund for the whole school. Like, for instance, when one teacher asked for fabric to make something, I took in several yards of it and told her to pick her favorite. I'll happily donate to projects, or anything the teachers need I just resent these ridiculous demands every year.
The system takes advantage of people who do what they're supposed to do. A friend of mine who teaches 2nd grade said she has so many crayons left over from last year she has no need for anymore but the school sends out a list for all 2nd grade classrooms asking for four boxes of Crayola 24 count. When I asked her what she'd do with them all she said the school would take them and give them to a different classroom if necessary. Now see, that's ridiculous. I know 24 count Crayola is only 20 cents a box (I know because I just bought twelve boxes) but still I shouldn't be asked to buy them if the teacher doesn't need them. That's crazy.
Wow. I'm with you on this one, Belle. Your school is running a grade-A scam on parents who are susceptible enough to buy copy paper for them. They need to tighten up their budget, sounds like.
Like FG, I don't object to a box of Kleenex, something that will inevitibly get used per kid per year, and that the brand the school provides does not do an adequate job at. However, I would not be buying paper, GermX (which I don't want my kids using), trash bags, paper towels, or the extra box of crayons (1 should last a year for a kid), and anything they could make do with from last year, they would. I had notebooks (3 ring binders) in jr. high/HS that I used for 4 to 6 years before they fell apart. And everything that I sent with my kid would be for her personal use, and I would make that clear to her. I also would take issue with a mandatory "donation."
If the teacher tried to pull the crap I heard of in one classroom of giving kids points for bringing in the things on the list-- so the kids who couldn't/didn't essentially lost points for a grade-- I would be talking to the school board and seriously considering pulling my kids from school.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
There are a lot of people at fault in this situation, and the primary one is the voters. If the school does not have sufficient funds to run, then there is either a lack of oversight for the budget or there is a lack of funds.
That means you aren't paying enough in taxes.
I do NOT blame the teachers - don't teachers already spend a whole lot of their own money on their classrooms? And get paid jack anyway? Don't blame them.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I don't see anyone blaming the teachers-- the school administrators, yes, but not the teachers.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:I do NOT blame the teachers - don't teachers already spend a whole lot of their own money on their classrooms? And get paid jack anyway? Don't blame them.
I don't think we can pigeon hole all teachers into Elizabeth Frys and assume they are all Adam Smiths with the money they get.
In simple terms: I don't think EVERY teacher spends minimal to moderate portions of their income on classroom expenses.
Suggesting that economic troubles in the classroom could not possibly be connected with the teachers is not wise IMO.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Even then - I hardly believe that the school administrators are refraining from stocking the copy room in order to hire a crepe cart for the annual meeting (although I suppose it's possible).
Instead of being outraged at being asked to contribute to the (complimentary) education for four children, it would be more productive to be outraged at how low taxes are and how they do not cover the needs at the school.
Posts: 1753 | Registered: Aug 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
It's Back-to-School season at Staples again. I also hate the school's back-to-school list- they are either ridiculously precise (certain brands, colors, very very specific) or they'll be absurdly vague- last year I had someone come in and on their list was "Homework Organizer" is that a planner? a folder? a binder?
Posts: 980 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Instead of being outraged at being asked to contribute to the (complimentary) education for four children, it would be more productive to be outraged at how low taxes are and how they do not cover the needs at the school.
I agree that the amount of tax dollars devoted to school is ridiculous, but its hard to say that the schools would not treat money like the military if it was thrown at them in similar amounts.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Even then - I hardly believe that the school administrators are refraining from stocking the copy room in order to hire a crepe cart for the annual meeting (although I suppose it's possible).
Instead of being outraged at being asked to contribute to the (complimentary) education for four children, it would be more productive to be outraged at how low taxes are and how they do not cover the needs at the school.
Has anyone established that the school doesn't have enough money to run? This doesn't seem like a necessary conclusion based on the information given.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think sometimes you do need to be specific- for example, a calculator these days requires training to use and so using one type makes sense. Tissue is tissue. For things like folders, I can't believe they just go to random supply and not for the kid who brought them in. When I was a kid, I would go and search through every folder to pick out the prettiest. And sometimes my mom would even let me buy it (usually we got the cheapest ones available- though even those I would carefully pick out colors). If I had ever gone to class and had to surrender my beautiful folder and get a random one in return, I would have cried.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Seeing the list now, it doesn't seem quite so outrageous for four children.
I do think that if you want to buy specific, higher quality items for your own kids you should be allowed to though. This isn't a gosh dang communist country yet!
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
quote:Has anyone established that the school doesn't have enough money to run? This doesn't seem like a necessary conclusion based on the information given.
In the case of the community my mom lives in, which is where that incident of kids losing points if they didn't bring stuff in happened, they are one of the best-funded public school districts in the country.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Oh, by the way - one of the things the $35 supply fee is said to go for is ink cartridges. So, we are supplying not only copy paper, but ink too.
One reason the paper really, really annoys me is because I used to be a purchasing agent for a university and we had contracts for all office supplies and paper specifically, and got them much, much cheaper than the general public does because of the price breaks in the contract. I'm sure the county school system has a contract with one of the paper suppliers, and they could buy those reams for pennies on the dollar compared to the retail price I pay.
Alabama does have traditionally low property taxes, but my county (this is a county school system) has a bond issue that gives additional funding to the schools and since I've lived here it's come up for renewal twice and both times it's been approved. So the community is voluntarily choosing to pay extra money to the schools through our taxes already - I think the taxpayers are doing their part.
Here's my suggestion to make things different: Classroom teachers should not accept generic lists given to parents en masse. They should prepare their own, letting the parents know what they really need. If their supply cabinets are stuffed with last year's crayons, don't ask for more!
Let each child keep his own supplies, then when his crayons break and he needs more, the parent can supply them. No more throwing crayons into one big community pile - let each person be responsible for their own.
The folders I buy for my kids should be my kids folders. I understand requesting specific colors so it's easier for the teacher if all language folders are red, etc., but allow me to keep the ones I bought so if I want to get a better value for my money and buy longer lasting vinyl, then I should get to keep what I paid for.
No more brand name requests. Sure there might be different types of zip-loc bags, so what? The teacher can open one box at a time and everyone gets the same one that day but next time we open a box it might be a different type of bag. The world will not end if we don't all have Ziploc brand name gallon size bags with the purple zipper.
We don't need GermX and we don't need antibacterial hand wipes. Every elementary school classroom in this school has a sink in it, so we need to make sure the kids know how to wash their hands with plain old soap and water. And it will not kill them to dry their hands on institutional brown paper towels either, so quit asking parents to supply different paper towels. Kleenex, sure I don't see a problem with that. But you can use the garbage bags that are included in the schools' janitorial supply contract, you don't need me to buy them for you when you can get them much cheaper.
No more "supply donations" that cover ink cartridges, workbooks, and "other things as needed". If you need ink cartridges, get them through the school system. If my kids needs a workbook, tell me exactly how much it costs and I'll buy it. If there are "other things as needed" tell me what they are and I'll get the item for you when you need it. As for kids who can't afford the supplies, have the PTO maintain a supply room disadvantaged parents can avail themselves of at reduced prices or free if necessary. The PTO raises a lot of money during the year, this supply cabinet would be a good use to put some of that money to. And, if they request donations from parents to help offset the cost, I'll donate some additional items gladly.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Shawshank: ...last year I had someone come in and on their list was "Homework Organizer" is that a planner? a folder? a binder?
A personal assistant.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Shawshank: ...last year I had someone come in and on their list was "Homework Organizer" is that a planner? a folder? a binder?
A personal assistant.
A personal assistant equipped with a palm pilot. If you give your child anything less you might as well take them to the mines of Kessel right now.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
How about stop using the extraordinarily wasteful inkjet printers and get something else. Need color? Invest in a color laser (still expensive, but MUCH less so than inkjet) or get a good quality copier than can produce good color prints or get an account at Kinko's or a local graphics company where you just email requests over and they print them.
Inkjets are retarded. I'd demand my school's IT department be canned for allowing them in the door.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
I'm a fourth grade teacher and the list that Belle posted seems outrageous to me! Like others have said, reams of paper, paper towels, garbage bags, ink cartridges . . . all of these should definitely be provided by the school system. A mandatory donation? Never heard of such a thing!
All of the teachers in our fourth grade team (four classes) got together to figure out what our students needed. We put the following on our list: binder or trapper keeper (zip up binder), notebook paper, three folders with pockets and brads, pencils, box of crayons or colored pencils (no specific amount), composition book, dry-erase markers, kleenex.
Optional: $6 for a t-shirt (for field trips, field day, etc), $25 for field trips (for some people it is easier to pay all at once at the beginning of the year), germ-x, baggies (gallon or quart), glue, scissors.
In Georgia we get a $100 gift card from the state for school supplies. I spent mine on folders, composition books, scissors, crayons, pencils, paper, glue, and lots of dry-erase markers (we use these a LOT).
Last year I had a class of 28 at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year I only had 18 of the same kids that I started with, though I ended with 26 kids. So the supplies I bought last year with the $100 (and lots of my own money too) helped to outfit these kids who came to the class later (many fresh from Mexico). Of course, kids who move get their field trip money back that hasn't been used. The other optional stuff is used by the whole class.
Posts: 315 | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Our school system instead of doing the gift card now has "teachers warehouse" which gets donations from Office Depot, Target and induviduals. There are lots of new and gently used folders, pencils, other supplies and then books, bulitin board materials, science kits, lots of that donated by retiring teachers. Each teacher in the school system gets two grocery baskets full a semester, of their choice, usually something like one folder or ruler per student in their class. Bulky items like chairs, globes, or poster board don't count towards your baskets, sometimes neither do three ring binders.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Personally, I'd like to see the money to supply these needs come from the union dues the teachers have to pay. Somehow I think the union would be working harder then to get the teachers the supplies they needed to do their jobs rather than lobbying for less actual education based priorities. Or have them come out of the school administrator's payroll. If they can't supply basic school needs, they should feel it.
Having said that, I'd also like to see children understand that the supplies they use are not limitless. I teach gradeschool aged kids' Sunday School and it never ceases to surprise me how wontonly wasteful these children are. They recently ruined a set of dry erase markers by mashing all the ends in. This weekend, I had to take the staplers away from one child who was happily destroying the staple supply. I get the distinct sense they think that everything they get to use is limitless. I know part of it is their age, but part of it is just the excess with which they live. Of course it's limitless...they've never seen scarcity.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
I find the pooling of folders obnoxious. The only times I've ever had teachers insist on everyone in the class having identical supplies, they asked for money ($5-10) instead of giving a supply list. While I was less than thrilled (I shop the sales and keep a stock of most supplies on hand), I was ok with it. I would NOT have been ok with my kid getting a different folder than the one I'd bought. I also tend to get the (more expensive but more durable) vinyl folders.
As for the copy paper and trash bags . . . sheesh! And I object to the endorsement for a waterless sanitizer, when washing with water and soap is considerably more effective. (At least they're not requesting something with triclosan, I guess.)
quote:Originally posted by Selran: $0.20 for a box of crayons? I would think that would be about one or two bucks.
She's talking about a little box like this. When they're on back-to-school sale, they often go for $.20 - .50 apiece. The boxes that cost a few bucks usually have over a 100 crayons. Or aren't on sale for back to school.
Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
| IP: Logged |
posted
I think this depends a lot on the school system involved. Kids in my Father's system (he teaches) get supply lists that are made up mostly by the teacher, with a few standard items for each grade level. These items would be things like the handwriting tablets (sold at the school store) or tissues etc. He works in the Washington D.C. area. I live in the upstate of South Carolina, and you can pick up a copy of any of the public school supply lists for your child's school and grade level at every Wal Mart, Target, CVS etc. They are published by the school system and available everywhere. I don't know what the average income etc. in Belle's area is, but I suspect that the difference between my Dad's school system and the local one is that his is much wealthier (in some areas) and also that there is a greater diversity of finances in his area. (His county is huge and covers all various levels of income.) Here, even though there is still some difference, it isn't nearly as varied and the school system's budget is much less.
Posts: 1214 | Registered: Aug 2005
| IP: Logged |
quote:I don't know what the average income etc. in Belle's area is, but I suspect that the difference between my Dad's school system and the local one is that his is much wealthier (in some areas) and also that there is a greater diversity of finances in his area. (His county is huge and covers all various levels of income.)
I have no idea what the average income is but there is a lot of variation. In my subdivision alone a surgeon lives next door to a guy who frames houses for a living. Our county is semi-rural, with only one big city and that city has its own city school system. The rest of us are in the county school system and we have very, very rich people who moved out here because they liked the country atmosphere, living close to very, very poor people. There are parts of our county where the homes don't have running water still. The literacy rate for adults in our county is depressingly low but the influx of new people moving into the area has driven up property values and brought a lot of new business and retail. Still there are a lot of extremes. In the school line you can be behind a Mercedes one day and an old beat up pick-up truck hauling a calf the next.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Just thought I'd mention, there are no sinks in any of the rooms at my school except for the kindergarten rooms, and trying to funnel 120 kids through two bathrooms (one girls, one boys) is pretty difficult. We actually don't ask for germ-x, but for any hand sanitizer. Any child who's parents don't want their kids can use the sink in the bathroom. Lots easier for ten kids to use the sink!
Posts: 315 | Registered: Dec 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I would think having their own supply would make a kid more responsible. When you break your crayons, you have to convince mom to buy more, not just get them automatically. I also agree with Belle that since the district would be ordering a large amount, they could negotiate cheaper prices. I think I would be ok with paying a supply fee (not donation, cause call it was it is) provided I was given a report on how it was used the prior year. Basically, I would want to know how much they collected and what exactly they spent it on. I think just forcing this listing would make for more responsible use of funding.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
What I don't understand is why a lot of this comes down to an issue between parents and teachers. I did read where someone said that this is an Administration issue and that is correct. School district administrators decide how much to put in each line item in their budget. Schools do not have enough paper because the Administration does not put much money in that line item on purpose. I see it all the time as I work in the Administration building. It's sad to see that the people at the top are not doing what is in the best interest of the teachers and ultimately the students.
Posts: 1918 | Registered: Mar 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Here is my kids' list for this year. It's substantially shorter than in previous years, due to parent complaints:
quote:Please note that this is a general supply list and individual teachers may require additional supplies.
3rd Grade:
-5 packs of sharpened yellow pencils with erasers -EXPO dry erase markers - thick -scissors -colored pencils (12 count) -crayons (24 count) -washable markers (8 count) -3 spiral notebooks (1 subject, wide ruled) -1 pkg. of 3x5 index cards -1 student pencil bag (no boxes) -10 duo tang (3 prong) pocket folders (basic rainbow colors) -3 large pink erasers -3 reams of white copy paper (500 pack) -3 packs of wide-ruled lined paper -1 ream of colored copy paper
Other helpful items: -3 boxes of tissues and 1 bottle of pump Hand Sanitizer -1 box Ziploc bags (large and small) -1 box of band-aids
Helpful for technology class (Please label) 1- 64MB Flash Drive (USB 1.0-2.0 compatible)
Please do not label supplies with the student’s name unless noted.
Of course, multiply that by two.
They never used the damn USB drives I bought last year. And they won't come close to using 64 MB in class. The "other helpful items" and "helpful for technology" lists used to be on the list, not merely "helpful."
-o-
I object (mildly) to the use of the word "require" in the first sentence. They don't have the right to require anything. These are requests.Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wow, that list is overkill. There's no way one kid would use that many pencils in a year; I generally went through less than one pack of pencils in a year my entire school career. And they want you to buy not only white but also colored copy paper? I wouldn't do it.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](http://www.entropicalisle.com/gallery/d/1784-1/Roll_Eyes_BIG.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
