school supplies - cost?

I just bought a majority of the school requested items today. I still have a few more items to find, but my total came to about $63 for both kids. I hope hope hope that the kids did not lose their headphones from last year. That will up my expenses a lot!

 

My county had a rule that the list can not cost more than $20. Teachers are no longer allowed to ask for tissues, wipes, paper plates, ect. I shop the sales and always try to send in extra and ask the teacher what else they might need. I am a teacher and my current supply amount for the year is $120 (so I know that my kid's teacher is in the same boat) that includes all the copy paper, construction paper, pens, glue, disc, blah, blah, blah that I might need. Each year I spend at minimum $500 on my class (even this past year being the Media Specialist I spent $$$).

 

Our first grade list is still pretty reasonable. I'll end up spending $15-$20 per child. I have been buying the items as they go on sale at Target, then I'll head to Walmart to pick up anything that is left on the list (I rarely go to Walmart).

For kindi the classes shared supplies, which I am fine with. We are in a pretty affluent district, but there are some school of choice kids that I know probably didn't get any supplies purchased for them at all. The teacher periodically asked for things during the year too - hand sanitizer, glue sticks, etc. I normally donated something like that once a month. Plus I'd occasionally donate a box of snacks for the kids who didn't remember/bring one.

I am assuming that for first grade they will share supplies as well. At least the list is conducive to that. The only thing I am confused by is the need for 9 pads (each) of sticky notes. Trying to figure out what they will use those for.

 

We bought everything on the lists for the 4 youngest at Walmart last week. We spent about $80 total; they will split the big boxes of pencils rather than each getting their own small box, etc. For high school, the teachers give out their own lists the first day of school so we'll shop for Megan's stuff then. The 4 youngest also still need backpacks. They'll all get new shoes but clothes wait til they need them. Although sometimes we'll get a new first day of school outfit if we have the money.

 

All I can think reading this is how excited I am to buy school supplies when my kids go to school!

Are people really upset that some of their child's pencils might be shared with a child who can't afford pencils? Are we really there as a society? I'm going to buy double my lists next year just in case.

 

I have no issue with the teacher sharing the pens or pencils. I would be aggravated if I send in two or three dozen pencils and my child is repeatedky told there aren't anymore pencils and bring from home. And, 180 pens and pencils is excessive!

 

The younger grades here pool supplies. Not so much to cover for kids that don't bring them but more because they sit at tables not desks and it would be difficult for the teachers to keep each child's supplies individually separated. It's much simpler to be able to set a coffee can full of crayons in the middle of a table than it is to keep all their crayons separate, for example.

We spend about $30 in the lower grades, less in the higher grades. By the time they get to jr/high school, they seem to only need the basics - pens, paper, notebooks, which we find to be cheaper than buying lots of art supply type things.

 

I don't know what the totals are, but I feel like it's a lot. Especially w/the backpack and lunch boxes. I'm really annoyed that the schools can't supply pencils or crayons for the kids. I mean, in the younger grades, that just seems like a given. It's like the schools have NOTHING anymore for the kids.

My list (this is per kid):

5 marble composition notebooks
5 laminated 2 pocket folders (R, B, G, Y, and one free choice folder)
2 packages of some #2 yellow pencils, sharpened, with a really weird name I can never pronounce (but they don't specify how many per/package)
2 packages pink wedge erasers (again, doesn't specify how many per pack, so I bought two two packs for each of them)
4 Jumbo Elmer's Glue sticks (sorry, bought the Office Max brand cause holy hell they are expensive!)
1 pack colored pencils
2 packs of Crayola crayons--no more than 16 per box (and what's funny? At office max, the 16 crayon pack was $1.99 and the 24 pack was $1 WTF????? I REFUSE to pay more for less. Skipped the crayons for now)
1 box of non-alcoholic wet wipes
1 package of post-its (again, did not specify amount)
1 8X5 plastic box
1 roll of paper towels
2 large boxes of tissues
1 backpack (no wheels)


I've been to Target and to Office Max so far and I think I've spent about $130. That doesn't include our trip to Toys R Us today to purchase backpacks. But at least the backpacks came with free lunch boxes! Now I need to focus on a few clothing items. sigh. I hate money. Except when I have a lot of it. Which I don't. Sigh again.

 

This for the most part. Though it is possible, even on shared tables, for kids to each have their own pencil box with their own supplies, pencils were always the exception. Those I always pooled into one can per table because it was easier for me when I was teaching to grab the cans and sharpen them all at the end of the day (or twice a week) and have them ready for the following day. Having 26 kids spending/wasting time sharpening pencils when they need to be working is a total time suck. Kids love to have a reason to procrastinate. It's not possible to keep track of every kid's pencils in their pencil box and unfortunately there's no time to allow 26 kids to take turns sharpening their pencils during class/instructional time. But all the other stuff was in their box, which sat in the middle of the table. Also, those boxes stay in school the whole year. If you let the kids bring them home, there are always kids who forget to bring them back the next day and then they are scrambling for stuff to use. Just makes the day smoother for everyone.

 

The schools don't have anything anymore, I know that I have not had a raise since 2008-2009!!! I have spent 14 out of the last 17 years teaching in elementary school. When I first started we had a $200 for classrooms supplies from the county warehouse (now I am down to $120!). That amount includes all copy paper, construction paper, paint,kleenex, classroom pencil sharpener, decorations and you can also use it to purchase books for your classroom. With 18-25 kids in the class, the money goes quick!! In a pp I mentioned that I spend $$$ each year on my classroom- I have spent thousands of $$ on books for my students to use in the classroom. Paying for school supplies doesn't bother me a bit. It is for the good of my child and their education. The amount is really minimal when you think that it is for 180 days.

 

I should explain why it upsets me sometimes to have to buy so much. Since I live in a very small town, I know most everyone. I also know that some parents who never send in school supplies who smoke (can afford that), drive a nicer car than mine, or who's kids dress better than mine, buy ice cream EVERY day, go on vacations and are at every sporting event that costs money to get in and expect the school to supply everything for their child/children. I don't think they should expect a teacher with 20+ kids or other parents to provide for their child. I know there are people who truly can't and that's different, and I don't mind helping, what bothers me are the ones who just flat out WON'T.

 

Just a note on the requested brand names for certain items. It is usually because those items work the best/last the longest. For example, Elmers glue sticks don't dry out as quickly as the off brands, yes, they cost a little more, but you are replacing them less, so in the end you spend less. As for the pencils, Ticonderoga is truly the best pencils. They are always perfectly centered, so they will get a point when sharpened, don't break as easily, and the leads hold together better. A kid can truly go through an entire pencil in one day when it is a "cute" pencil, because they are not made with as good quality, and keep breaking.

 

Sorry, I wasn't even talking about the teacher money which used to be $200 but did go down (I heard--didn't go back to teaching after having my girls). But we used to have a supply room in the basement of my school with all kinds of supplies. We would get called down by grade to take whatever we needed (construction paper, pencils, glue, crayons, dry erase markers, index cards, sentence strips, etc). It was great. And I was teaching in a very high immigrant neighborhood. IDK, maybe that's why we did have more? Perhaps my principal always got a budget to buy supplies or something. But it seems the school my girls are in now, which is a totally different part of NY, have nothing available. Forget about teacher money. That was blown (and then a lot) on other things for the classroom (calendar, weather bear, pocket charts, etc).

 

Interesting about the pencils. Didn't realize that. I mean, I knew the cheap ones are usually worse, but didn't really think about the #2 pencils being all that different. I figure if they are #2 they are all the same, just different companies. Thanks for the explanation.

 

I just spent about $150 for my 3 kids. I usually give the teachers $50 for their classrooms when we know who they are because I know they spend their own money for things.

What I dread are clothes and winter outerwear shopping.

Oooh, just wanted to relate the best school shopping experience. Each kid got their own cart and their own list and they had to follow it. That cut down on so much overspending and they were so happy to have that 'big' responsibility. I even paid for each cart separately and it was bagged separately so I no longer have to have a big pile of stuff in the living room to separate out into each kid's pile.

 

I wouldn't be upset, per se, but it does get expensive. I've already spent $80 on EACH twin and $45 for Peyton and I still need to get some odds and ends. And that is just from the list. That has nothing to do with new shoes/sneakers and clothes all 4 kids need. By the time I am done, I will be in the hole for at least $250. Sorry, I won't be doubling that to provide for other students.

 

I figure it is all the cost of having kids. Our teacher told us that kids use an average of 100 pencils per school year.

 

I believe it, having seen the way mine sharpen theirs into stubs when left to their own devices!

 

180 pens and 180 pencils???? That is absurd!

 

I got one pack of pencils at the start of the year. 24 pencils for the entire year. That was it. What about teaching conservation of the environment and responsibility. If you sharpened your pencil to nothing that is what you got to use or you could pick one from the teachers box which consisted of used pencils from previous years.

 

Quality determines how quickly pencils get sharpened down to a useless size. Ticonderoga pencils sharpen beautifully and will last a lot longer than a Dollar Tree pencil. I've had a student literally go through an entire dozen before one would actually sharpen. The lead was broken in most of his pencils and they were simply useless for their intended purpose. I traded him and we used those pencils for making pinwheels.

Just a note for the teachers out there or those who want to pass this on to teachers in their schools: Look into Donorschoose.org. Any public school teacher (inc. public charter schools) can post a project requesting needed items for his/her classroom. My school and my classroom have been so blessed by DC in the last 2 years. One of my funded projects was for Ticonderoga pencils. Even my students commented on the quality of the pencils.

 

There are so many types of pencils out there and kids are drawn to the flashy ones with decorations. Those are the worst. First of all, they are coated in plastic which is hard on the pencil sharpeners, and second they are cheaply made. Like PP mentioned, you can try to sharpen them and end up with a nub in one shot just trying to get a sharp point, or a point with lead that isn't already broken. It can be maddening and ridiculous. It has nothing to do with responsibility or being wasteful and instead is all about cheapness.

As to using from the teacher's box with used pencils from previous years . . . my cup of pencils is empty by March. I buy at least 100 pencils for my class, from my own money at the beginning of the year. They are gone by March. (that goes along with the 12-15 glue sticks, 10 new packs of colored pencils and 4 packs of markers) I try really hard to help my kids be responsible, but they're kids. I take pencils from the custodians closet where they keep all the pencils that are swept up each night and use those. I still go through my stash.

 

Wow..we start K in a week, our orientation is on Tuesday - so far no lists.

But as an aside, I don't remember having lists once i got to Jr. high - you needed a pen, pencil, notebook paper, calculator, etc.

Of course the school probably had budget for art supplies etc.

 

I spent $130 on three of the kids. I spent $145 on my classroom needs thus far for the coming year.

 

Well shoot, if I can't keep from losing the pens I keep in my purse how can I complain too much about my kids going through pencils. I'm sure I spend more on my pens than I spend on their pencils lol.

The only things that bother me to much on the list are the things like 4 dry erase markers and 4 containers of clorox wipes AND 2 of wet wipes. Is the teacher really going to use up 80 dry erase markers in one year? And 80 containers of clorox wipes will clean that classroom top to bottom pretty often lol.

 

I teach middle school and by February I am out of dry erasers. I will say though, that I just moved into my new room and when I opened up the cabinet, there were at least 25 boxes of Kleenex left over from last year.

 

Usually when teachers ask for dry erase markers, they aren't for themselves, they are for the kids to use. I know our school has individual white boards that the kids use at their desks daily.

 

My mom taught 3rd grade for over twenty years. She had a box of used pencils and I mean the half pencils that were there for her students. She always had plenty. She worked in a very poor school. As for pencil brands I got yellow pencils. Not a fancy brand and not expensive. Some pencils are cheap but I would hate for a parent to buy 180 crappy pencils. At least if they go thru a small box you can direct them to a different brand.

 

I forgot but my mom reminded me she always bought her kids new pencils for Christmas. She usually gave each child to new pencils. And sometimes an eraser plus other small goodies.

 

Can you send some my way? That's another thing we run out of! I will say though, when I tell the kids they have to use the toilet paper rolls because we're out of tissue boxes, it's amazing how quickly I get extra boxes!

That's my school. My students use dry erase boards (little personal ones) on a daily basis in Math, English and Spelling. We use them for review activities in Science and Social Studies. I rarely need to use them in reading. My students go through about a marker a month because they dry out.

Can you send your mom my way, please? I've been teaching for 17/18 years (is it awful that I'd have to sit down to figure out exactly how many years??!) and never end up with extra pencils! Never! I'm glad she never had this problem, but it's a reality for me and many of my peers. And yes, even while I'm working my way through the 100+ brand new pencils I buy for my classroom, I'm also using any pencils I find from the halls and the floor (our custodians sweep them up and keep them in a coffee can and I get them for my classroom from there). When my kids need a pencil, they don't care if it's brand new or half way used.

 

I think using personal white boards is a great idea! I wish our kids' classrooms did that. Then they wouldn't bring home so much paper for me to throw away AND we wouldn't have to buy a bazillion notebooks and packages of paper for each of them.

 

not sure about the dry erase markers but we had to supply tons of clorox and wet wipes for Kinder last year. The clorox were for the desks and the wet wipes for snack and cleaning up kids. She wiped down everything in the classroom about twice a day I think. That 80 count would go pretty quick. She was always asking for us to send in wipes. It kept the kids healthy. My son was only sick once that year.