2010 school supply lists!!

[jenrose]

DS starts K this year and they ask for $20 and then buy the supplies in bulk.

[434Teresa]

My problem is that the list here ask for stuff that could be replaced with stuff that is cheaper.. like the compistion notebooks they are $2.50(5) when right now we could easy use the .15 on subject note books that would work just as good but they give the kids a hard time if they dont have just what they want them to. Then my kids school has a homework note book that they try to force everyone to buy for their kids its $8 since so many want/cant pay that the school now wont give out the school rules unless you buy that book. They only use it about the first week of school and thats it.
Certin brand name of pens and pencils (yes they but the brand that they want the kids to use..LOL..Kids will learn just fine no matter the brand or how the paper comes but I was told that the reason they ask for certin things is so each child has the very same stuff as the next child..The school board says as long as they have the basic stuff the supplies are fine but the schools as I say will give the kids a hard time if they dont have just what they what them to have..LOL I know there are reasons for the certin stuff on the list but there are some parents that cant pay for the stuff on the list but do buy what they can to meet the childs needs.. Then i also know there si others that could buy the stuff and chose to spend it else where..

Then there is all the stuff on the list thats for the teachers to use, I know that they need supplies but copy paper,pens,dry earsers and so should be paid for with the money the schools get from the state/county each year from our taxes.

[barb1210]

My fifth grader needs more than my second grader..

my 2nd grader get a box from school with most supplies. For a $15 fee or course.. But they are special books for writing. I only have to buy crayons, construction paper and 2 folders. also tissues and paper towels.

my 5th graders list has 15 different items on it..
I spent today looking for an 8 pocket folder..

I have to buy contact paper to cover all workbooks and copybooks and Book Sox to cover all text books..

[Weinergirl]

My oldest is starting kindergarten this year. We got a flyer in the orientation packet that had a website where we could go order everything she needs for school and have it shipped to her classroom for the first day of school for $32... I printed off the list, and bought everything at stores, didn't even have qs for anything, and paid $7. All for the same brand of things they were asking for (Crayola, Expo, Ticonderoga etc.).

[CW&M Mom]

My problem is that the list here ask for stuff that could be replaced with stuff that is cheaper.. like the compistion notebooks they are $2.50(5) when right now we could easy use the .15 on subject note books that would work just as good but they give the kids a hard time if they dont have just what they want them to. Then my kids school has a homework note book that they try to force everyone to buy for their kids its $8 since so many want/cant pay that the school now wont give out the school rules unless you buy that book. They only use it about the first week of school and thats it.
Certin brand name of pens and pencils (yes they but the brand that they want the kids to use..LOL..Kids will learn just fine no matter the brand or how the paper comes but I was told that the reason they ask for certin things is so each child has the very same stuff as the next child..The school board says as long as they have the basic stuff the supplies are fine but the schools as I say will give the kids a hard time if they dont have just what they what them to have..LOL I know there are reasons for the certin stuff on the list but there are some parents that cant pay for the stuff on the list but do buy what they can to meet the childs needs.. Then i also know there si others that could buy the stuff and chose to spend it else where..

Then there is all the stuff on the list thats for the teachers to use, I know that they need supplies but copy paper,pens,dry earsers and so should be paid for with the money the schools get from the state/county each year from our taxes.

The reason why they ask for specfic brands...is because certain brands last longer than others.

there really is a difference between crayola and rose art, if your going to spend the money on supplies might as well spend the money on the item...that won't find itself in the trash a month later when they are broke.

The state/county/school districts have been laying off teachers in droves this year...because nearly everyone's property taxes have gone down because of the recession....when taxes go down...that means the school's get less money. I would much rather give my kids school xpo markers and copy paper then they have to resort to laying another teacher off, or let go of another para.

[CW&M Mom]

I don't really have any problems with our list. And I bought extra's of the crayons and glue to give to the teacher in case she needs them for something....

Also brought her some huge tubs of clorox wipes and an ample supply of purell.

My sister was a teacher and spent a good $2000 a year on her class...and I'm bound and determined that the teacher of my daughters class not have to spend crazy amounts of money on her. I'm her mother...It's my job.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I take a peek at the list and then buy what I want....I know what items are needed for my children to use, which items the teacher wants her his/her use (sharpie markers) and which are for the classroom to use (Kleenex, Clorox wipes etc). The recession has NOT hit our area that hard and our school district runs on a SURPLUS budget, so I am NOT buying items for the classroom or teacher. I am sure I will get flamed for my thoughts but that is what I do and I have reasons for it.

When teachers put copy paper on their school supply list and then I go dumpster diving in the recyling bins the week after the last day of school and find CASES of unused copy paper....you can bet I am not buying the school copy paper.

I will supply my kids with actual school supplies and they will have mini packs of tissue and hand sanitizer in their back packs for their own use, and they know how to use them) I have multiple crayons, scissors, markers, colored pencils, paper, erasers, construction paper, folders, binders, etc stockpiled and when my kids run out at school I will send more. If the teacher says hey the class NEEDS something I am always first to be willing to donate. But I actually know that our particular schools do no need some of the items on the lists, so I don't buy them for the schools.

[cbms]

LOL....every year!

I'm not buying supplies this year (he goes to K next year - sniff), but they standardized them a year or two back. There is a district approved list, and nothing else can be required. It might be $10 worth of stuff, but there will still be plenty of people squawking at orientation that they can't afford it.

(Now the cigarettes, the $2 Mountain Dew from the convenience store and the rented rims on the truck....that's important. Where's my free backpack of school supplies, teacher????)

Not every one who can't afford it has those things... talk about a generalization.

Neither my husband nor I drink, smoke, have nice "rims," or shop at the convenience store for anything more than fuel... and we still can't afford to supply things for the rest of the kids (which they do here; last year, I had to send paper, tissues, pencils, etc. in for the kids to be collected and used by everyone in the class. And expo pens (had to be that brand) to be given to the teachers). Not even half way through the year, they brought notes home that each child was to supply yet another 2 boxes of tissues and 2 packs of paper-minimum. OK... my kid had NOT used 5 packs of paper and 3 packs of tissues. That means other kids didn't send in their stuff... and the parents who DID do what the list requested were being punished with sending MORE. My husband was quasi-laid off and only working a week here and there for over a year. We simply can't afford that.

Thankfully, my kids don't have huge lists to supply for everyone else this year, as they're both middle schoolers now (and the others are too little); however, they now have their stupid registration, enrollment, and supplies FEES that total about 40 bucks each. Which we can't afford. And no-I don't have a bunch of nice clothes and my hair hasn't been cut in years by anyone but me and my nails are short and stubby and break off all the time. So I'm not spending frivolous money on things. I simply don't have the money for what they charge...

[beth119]

This is our first year at this school (just moved here) and I was shocked when I saw the school supply list. We had to get 4 packages, per child, of everything crayons, pencils, markers, colored pencils, paper, etc. Thankfully we were able to "recycle" stuff from last year, pencil boxes, pencils, paper, binders, bookbags and I shopped deals and used coupons.
Honestly, I don't mind stuff being communal, it was like that at the other schools. But I think 4 of everything is a bit over the top. I know that our community is mostly military so the effects of the economy is not as bad as in other places, however, I have also learned (from experience) that a lot in the military aren't the brightest when it comes to money matters.

I would imagine the purpose of 4 is to ask once... and once only. If I think about it, my kids probably go through 4 of everything in a year.

DS starts K this year and they ask for $20 and then buy the supplies in bulk.

Thats not a bad idea. I *like* the BTS shopping, but I know for busy moms this could be nice.

[CW&M Mom]

Not every one who can't afford it has those things... talk about a generalization.

Neither my husband nor I drink, smoke, have nice "rims," or shop at the convenience store for anything more than fuel... and we still can't afford to supply things for the rest of the kids (which they do here; last year, I had to send paper, tissues, pencils, etc. in for the kids to be collected and used by everyone in the class. And expo pens (had to be that brand) to be given to the teachers). Not even half way through the year, they brought notes home that each child was to supply yet another 2 boxes of tissues and 2 packs of paper-minimum. OK... my kid had NOT used 5 packs of paper and 3 packs of tissues. That means other kids didn't send in their stuff... and the parents who DID do what the list requested were being punished with sending MORE. My husband was quasi-laid off and only working a week here and there for over a year. We simply can't afford that.

Thankfully, my kids don't have huge lists to supply for everyone else this year, as they're both middle schoolers now (and the others are too little); however, they now have their stupid registration, enrollment, and supplies FEES that total about 40 bucks each. Which we can't afford. And no-I don't have a bunch of nice clothes and my hair hasn't been cut in years by anyone but me and my nails are short and stubby and break off all the time. So I'm not spending frivolous money on things. I simply don't have the money for what they charge...

apply for a fee waiver...so you don't have to pay the fee's....if your children are already on free lunch...it tends to be extremely simple to get the waiver.

My daughter in elementary school....if you absolutely cannot afford the stuff....then you just get a fee waiver. My daughters school...has supplies for those that absolutely cannot afford it.

Believe me...I know how it feels...heck growing up...I had to come up with my own school fee's...by babysitting because my parents literally didn't have the money for it....but the Poster was speaking more of the folks who whine and %itch about not having the money for it...but then it's obvious...they just don't want to have to alter there lifestyle for a week...so they can pay for them.