how do you handle back to school supplies?

[nurseannette]

I am a bit curious as to how other people handle back to school supplies.
In particular, as I am scanning the supply list and comparing it to
what I have stockpiled. The list says a 6x8 school box. My daughter's
school box from last year is still in great condition. Unfortunately, it
does not measure 6x8. The list says two packs of 24ct yellow #2 pencils,
no specialty pencils. Well of course, I have stockpiled pencils from
every cheap after holiday sale, every event where they give out free pencils.I have tons of these so I really don't want to buy anymore pencils.
These are all natural wood and #2. It seems to me like the list gets longer
and longer. plus The amount of items they request like packs of sharpie markers, dry erase markers and erasers. If they get these from every student(which I am sure they don't) what in the heck does the teacher
do with 20 or so packs of sharpie markers, 20 erasers, 20plus of multi
packs of dry erase markers?
Don't get me wrong, I do want to contribute my part and want
to make sure my child has enough supplies, I would be willing to
send extra stuff for other kids, too.
Plus they want you to send stuff for music and art class, too.
Then during the year not counting all the book order, book fairs,
fund raisers, school pics, ect, you get a note requesting
you send paper, pens, etc for the office.
Back to my original question, do you stick strictly to the list or
is it okay to send 48 loose pencils with hearts on them instead
of buying 2 24 packs of yellow pencils?
Do you buy another school box or is the one from last year
okay as long as it is in good condition?

[pedspeech]

As for the dry erase markers, you would be amazed at how quickly they go through those, especially if they are letting the kids use them (some teachers have individual dry erase boards for the kids to work at their desk to save paper). Even if the kids are taking turns and using them to answer problems on the "big" board they can get left uncapped and dry out quickly.

Teachers don't like the specialty pencils because the hearts or whatever picture you have is printed on a fine film of some sort that gets hung up frequently if you are using electric pencil sharpeners and decreases the "life expectancy" (so to speak) of her good sharpener. Also, the kids are less likely to fight over them and you don't have to hear complaints of "She stole my pencil" if they all look the same.

That being said, I would resend last year's pencil box and if you can't afford new pencils or whatever, I would send what I had.

[latte]

well.......my thoughts are this


sharpies? what in the world does my 2nd grader need a sharpie for??? um those got crossed off the list
dry erase markers? nope those are outa my budget usually (cept this year i managed to get some free after rebate @ staples)
48 pencils to start the year? nope not for either my 4th grader or 2nd grader.....all yellow #2 pencils? nope i dont care, they can be sent with what i have....and DEFINATELY NOT all at once......ill start both kids out with 8 pencils
3 boxes of crayons? nope i only send ONE (no matter if i have 10+)
sending hand sanitizer? nope....that does NOT encourage proper handwashing so that gets crossed off my list
sending office paper/copy paper? nope not on my list until the kids have computer classes
sending in lysol wipes/baby wipes? nope not on my list either because a little soap and water goes a LONG way
4 boxes of tissues? nope i will send ONE..........every year that i have sent the standard 4 boxes they ask for, come the end of the year, both of my kids classrooms still had 50+ boxes
sending in a special pencil box? nope they can have the plastic ones i picked up on clearance last year for 17 cents each
sending 8 glue sticks? nope i send ONE to start the year with

and im the MEAN mommy who does NOT like my kids to share school supplies AND i lable EVERYTHING with thier first and last names......EVERY crayon,EVERY pencil, EVERY marker, EVERY colored pencil, EVERY glue stick, EVERY glue bottle

BUT on the other hand, i make it VERY clear to the teachers that i will happily replenish MY childs school supplies as needed and that all i need is a note

[nurseannette]

Originally Posted by pedspeech As for the dry erase markers, you would be amazed at how quickly they go through those, especially if they are letting the kids use them (some teachers have individual dry erase boards for the kids to work at their desk to save paper). Even if the kids are taking turns and using them to answer problems on the "big" board they can get left uncapped and dry out quickly. Teachers don't like the specialty pencils because the hearts or whatever picture you have is printed on a fine film of some sort that gets hung up frequently if you are using electric pencil sharpeners and decreases the "life expectancy" (so to speak) of her good sharpener. Also, the kids are less likely to fight over them and you don't have to hear complaints of "She stole my pencil" if they all look the same. That being said, I would resend last year's pencil box and if you can't afford new pencils or whatever, I would send what I had.

Thank You for your suggestions, it was very helpful.
I totally respect your advice and point of view.
However, it isn't really about being able "to afford" new pencils,
of course I can ,its just that I feel a strong sense of being a good
steward of resources. I feel that we should use things we have
in order to reduce waste.
If the film on the pencil is the issue then certainly I could send
my daughter's pencils presharpened. The pencil sharpener at my house
works just fine. She could take her own to store in her desk.
I do however think the teacher should take care of her markers and erasers.

[Cynthiabutterfly]

I know I saw a similar thread last year, but my DS is starting Kindergarten next year (and it's been a LOOOONG time since I went to school, and it was private, not public...I have NO idea what I'm doing) So I'm looking for input too.

Does your child have their own tote or drawer at school for supplies, or everything just gets put into the same pile?

All these 'requests' and notes the teacher sends home... are they NOT mandatory? Do they just make it seem like they are and hope that all the parents agree?

The way I was raised, I just do as I am told and never think to ask these kinds of questions.

[pedspeech]

I am not a teacher but my mom is and the dry erase markers and specialty pencils are pet peeves of hers- even when the teacher is vigilant the kids can tear up the pencil sharpener or leave a marker open. She complains about the money she pours into those items every year! I was a speech therapist in the schools and wasn't afforded the luxury of sending home supply lists. You wouldn't believe how many boxes of kleenexes that the kids can go through, and I only had a few kids at a time so I could closely monitor for waste. You are going to have some teachers that don't try to take care of everything but in my experience most of them are careful because if it gets wasted they end up replacing it out of their pocket. You may be willing to replace items as needed, but then the teacher has to keep up with who needs what and take the time to sit down and write notes throughout the year- when it is just easier for everyone involved to do it upfront. (Most teachers are going to buy it themself instead of taking the time to stop and ask you to send more.) When the class as a whole is out of something, then she may send a note home around Christmas saying, "We need _____ if you want to send it."

ITA and understand about hating to buy something that you already have in your stockpile (believe me, I want to use up those WAGS pencils, too!). I do sometimes fudge on sending what they ask and substitute some items: for example, they asked for Hefty storage bags and I figured they could make do with Ziploc!

Originally Posted by Cynthiabutterfly Does your child have their own tote or drawer at school for supplies, or everything just gets put into the same pile? All these 'requests' and notes the teacher sends home... are they NOT mandatory? Do they just make it seem like they are and hope that all the parents agree?

It is going to be different in different classrooms- sometimes they are really good about keeping everything separate and accounted for and other teachers are going to put all of the glue in one tub and pass it out when they do a craft. (Writing "John Smith" on each individual pencil does absolutely nothing to prevent a teacher from putting all of them together if that is the way she does it in her classroom.) The requests are not mandatory because they legally have to provide an education for your child (unless he is at a private school and then they can make you send stuff, I guess) it just makes a teacher's life easier if she doesn't have to provide an education as well as the materials for other people's kids. And if you really can't provide something and explain that civilly, the teacher is going to understand that and it isn't going to prevent your kid from getting the help they need.

[nurseannette]

thank you for your input!! I am loving hearing different viewpoints.
If say the teacher does put all like items in tubs and passes needed
supplies out when needed, then what do they do with the required
school box, a 6x8 one specifically?:shrug7:

[pedspeech]

Oh, (in case my long dissertation up there wasn't enough) I thought of one more thing! I remember Momma complaining at the end of the school year last time when they got together to make the school supply lists. The teachers in most places are going to be compiling a supply list as a group, so unless you are at a small school that only has one teacher per grade, the list isn't necessarily things that YOUR teacher wanted, just that someone in that grade level felt they couldn't live without. I think she is working with nine other teachers, so they all listed what they wanted and then one of them compiled it- they talked over it some to see what could be pared down but she said that Mrs. A might be negotiable on whether or not she needed a certain item, but Mrs. B just couldn't do her job without it. They have no way of noting on the list- "You really only need to buy a purple Sharpie if your kid is in Mrs. B's room!" If there is something on there that you don't understand, talk to the teacher when you get to meet her and say something like, "I have a pencil box that measures 8X11, is that okay?" Maybe Mrs. B has cubbies that only a six inch wide box will fit in but Mrs. A doesn't care what kind of box you have. Does that make sense? I mean, you know they are going to need the same basic stuff, but if there is something specific on the list it was probably requested by a particular person for a particular reason. I doubt any teacher would have a problem telling you if you asked about it!

[pedspeech]

Originally Posted by nurseannette thank you for your input!! I am loving hearing different viewpoints. If say the teacher does put all like items in tubs and passes needed supplies out when needed, then what do they do with the required school box, a 6x8 one specifically?:shrug7:

I was just answering that for Cynthia- if you were asked for that I would assume that your teacher is going to keep (at least some of) the kid's stuff separate.

Sorry if it sounds like I was fussing at you- definitely not my intention. I just think a lot of people get up in arms about the lists without taking the time to look at it from the perspective of the teacher who is having a hard enough time keeping up with 30 little people, much less their supplies, too!

[loveebella]

Okay I have been wondering some stuff about back to school as well. My son is starting pre k and his list specifically says 8 ct CRAYOLA and 16ct CRAYOLA...does it have to be Crayola or Friskars or Ziploc or Elmers? I have not found a sale on Crayola except the 24 ct or Elmers jumbo glue sticks,but I found Targets jumo glue stick for 0.50.I have yet to buy his crayons and the Rose art are cheaper,I dont want him to be the only kid in class with Roseart,not that it would matter because his list also says DO NOT label everyone is sharing supplies. ANy thought? Thanks!