School supply rant

[Stacyspy]

We just got the school supply list for for the kids. One is going to be a 5th grader, the other 8th. At the minimum, with basic, bare bones supplies, it will cost over $100 each!!! That doesn't include backpacks, the extra "gym only" sneakers and clothing, the chromebook insurance, the home ec supply costs, or the large size "health supplies" that everyone has to bring to share amongst the class...tissues, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and handi-wipes.
I wouldn't be so irritated if the kids actually used the stuff I have to buy... last year one kid "needed" a binder for each of 7 classes, and by Dec., they were being used to store Pokemon cards... same kid refuses to use pencils, of which he "had to have" 25.
The list this year includes things like watercolor paints, 5 pairs of ear buds (yes, 5!), a 30 pack of markers(multi color), and scientific calculators, along with all the normal stuff.
Is it bad that I'm counting years until I don't have to buy anymore of this crap?

 

[dixiedragon]

That's...kind of ridiculous.

Some of these things - if the school just bought stuff like markers, crayons, papertowels, etc by the case then they would be a fraction of the cost!

 

[IrishLass]

Yikes! Why don't they just throw the kitchen sink in in there, too, while they are at it!

Things sure have changed from my own school-days when there were no such things as Chromebooks or hand-sanitizers/wipes, no need for earbuds, and we weren't even allowed to use calculators until high school (for the more advanced classes such as physics). Soap and water were plenty good enough to keep us clean, and we were actually expected to work math problems in our heads or out on paper, etc...

The schools I went to also provided things such as crayons, markers, paints, and certain textbooks, etc.. (via our tax dollars). They had to be kept in class, though- no taking them home (unless we got special permission, but we had to bring them back the next day).


IrishLass

 

[dibbles]

Just wait until they get to high school and want to play a sport, or be in band, drama, orchestra, dance line, and on and on.... At least in our district it was expensive!!!

 

[Rusti]

That's...kind of ridiculous.

Some of these things - if the school just bought stuff like markers, crayons, papertowels, etc by the case then they would be a fraction of the cost!

In a lot of places they can't anymore, although it depends heavily on the school. Education budgets have been cut, and cut again and cut some more to the point where teachers spend their own money on materials for their classrooms.

 

[Saipan]

Just wait, <Sean Bean Voice>College is Coming!</Sean Bean Voice>

 

[dixiedragon]

In a lot of places they can't anymore, although it depends heavily on the school. Education budgets have been cut, and cut again and cut some more to the point where teachers spend their own money on materials for their classrooms.

Oh, I know. Even if the school is only spending .50/box of crayons vs parents spending $3.99 (totally made up numbers) that's still .50 x number of students the school doesn't have.

I'm not a parent but I remember one great parenting tip I read from a dad - he commented on the same thing you did, that teachers spend their own money to get the things their students need. So along with buying the supplies on his child's list, he handed the teacher a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart every September and January. (this would get pricey if you had multiple kids, obviously.) He flat-out admitted he did it so the teacher would like/think well of him and his child and would be willing to work with him if problems arose with his child. Smart investment!

 

[Stacyspy]

Yes, I remember those days...lol... I have 2 grown children as well, and it wasn't very expensive even 10 years ago.
The public school system here has suffered from budget problems for some time. Mostly because, in my opinion, there is too much money being allocated for sports, and not enough for academics and the arts.

Yikes! Why don't they just throw the kitchen sink in in there, too, while they are at it!

Things sure have changed from my own school-days when there were no such things as Chromebooks or hand-sanitizers/wipes, no need for earbuds, and we weren't even allowed to use calculators until high school (for the more advanced classes such as physics). Soap and water were plenty good enough to keep us clean, and we were actually expected to work math problems in our heads or out on paper, etc...

The schools I went to also provided things such as crayons, markers, paints, and certain textbooks, etc.. (via our tax dollars). They had to be kept in class, though- no taking them home (unless we got special permission, but we had to bring them back the next day).


IrishLass

 

[Stacyspy]

Although our household budget won't allow for that, I have been homeroom mom, and have been able to help that way, i.e when I came in for a craft day, I brought extra supplies, and left the excess with the teacher. And yes, it does seem to help if you put forth a little effort and/or cash...lol..

Oh, I know. Even if the school is only spending .50/box of crayons vs parents spending $3.99 (totally made up numbers) that's still .50 x number of students the school doesn't have.

I'm not a parent but I remember one great parenting tip I read from a dad - he commented on the same thing you did, that teachers spend their own money to get the things their students need. So along with buying the supplies on his child's list, he handed the teacher a $100 gift card to Wal-Mart every September and January. (this would get pricey if you had multiple kids, obviously.) He flat-out admitted he did it so the teacher would like/think well of him and his child and would be willing to work with him if problems arose with his child. Smart investment!

 

[Stacyspy]

Here, unfortunately IMHO, any type of sports are better funded than say, drama or band. My stepdaughter (the 5th grader), I can see wanting to be a cheerleader in a couple years. My stepson (the 8th grader), isn't showing any interest in anything except causing trouble at this point, and playing video games. The only cost of playing sports is transportation, and parents are expected to volunteer at the snack shack during home games.

Just wait until they get to high school and want to play a sport, or be in band, drama, orchestra, dance line, and on and on.... At least in our district it was expensive!!!

 

[Saipan]

I have a boy in college and one in grad school, dorm, meals, insurance, books, parking, all I can say is hopefully I can make it to the end. Then I can quit my job and roam the Earth, stopping here and there to make soap.

 

[Stacyspy]

I was lucky my two older kids got scholarships and grants for most of their college costs, but there's so much competition for any type of assistance now, I don't know what the younger ones are going to do. We can help some, but DH's health may not allow him to work full time much longer, so we'll be limited in what we can do.
I look forward to the day DH and I can wander wherever we like...

I have a boy in college and one in grad school, dorm, meals, insurance, books, parking, all I can say is hopefully I can make it to the end. Then I can quit my job and roam the Earth, stopping here and there to make soap.

 

[LisaAnne]

It's been a while since my son's were this age, one thing I always thought then. Was to begin a program at school and carried through in the home.
Children donate this year's gently used school supplies for up and coming classes. Volunteers dividing and organizing in summer to ready them for sale at greatly reduced price. Kids will accept these things if given the opportunity to do their part towards recycling. When I was young some 86 years ago. I was mortified to use a hand me down folder, these kids have heard of being green.

 

[artemis]

We don't even see an updated school supply list until the end of summer, when everything is picked over. And often, the published list doesn't match the list the teacher sends out personally

 

[Stacyspy]

Our list comes out in early July, but our schools seem to start earlier than most...the first day of school is Aug. 22nd., and orientations are Aug.11 and Aug. 15. The supply list is what the teachers come up with..there's a section for each class on the list.

We don't even see an updated school supply list until the end of summer, when everything is picked over. And often, the published list doesn't match the list the teacher sends out personally

 

[Stacyspy]

There are families that donate supplies, both used and new, because invariably there are kids that come to school unprepared, so there are usually supplies available for them. I'm glad the kids are learning about recycling, and repurposing, but unfortunately, not many kids here would want to take advantage of it.

It's been a while since my son's were this age, one thing I always thought then. Was to begin a program at school and carried through in the home.
Children donate this year's gently used school supplies for up and coming classes. Volunteers dividing and organizing in summer to ready them for sale at greatly reduced price. Kids will accept these things if given the opportunity to do their part towards recycling. When I was young some 86 years ago. I was mortified to use a hand me down folder, these kids have heard of being green.

 

[snappyllama]

I hear ya. When we lived in Houston ISD for elementary school, one school year set us back over $200 per kid for supplies alone. They wanted such weirdly specific things: 7 sheets of poly-pocket dividers (huh?), 3 dry erase marker sets, etc.

Then we moved to a big suburban high school and my oldest was thinking about trying out for volleyball. Apparently, the kids at that high school are much too busy to raise money for their trips so parents were told the kids shouldn't bother trying out until they had received a $1500 check (no worries - it wouldn't be cashed unless she made the squad). That didn't include any equipment costs... just trips. The school's cheerleaders were required to attend summer classes at a cheer-leading boot-camp that ran in the thousands too... otherwise "you won't have the skills to make it". Basically the athletic department was geared to only allow in the richest kids that could buy their way onto the team (except football were the PTA managed to fund everything so they had a chance at a winning team).

I was so happy to get my kids out of that environment...

 

[Arimara]

I hear ya. When we lived in Houston ISD for elementary school, one school year set us back over $200 per kid for supplies alone. They wanted such weirdly specific things: 7 sheets of poly-pocket dividers (huh?), 3 dry erase marker sets, etc.

Then we moved to a big suburban high school and my oldest was thinking about trying out for volleyball. Apparently, the kids at that high school are much too busy to raise money for their trips so parents were told the kids shouldn't bother trying out until they had received a $1500 check (no worries - it wouldn't be cashed unless she made the squad). That didn't include any equipment costs... just trips. The school's cheerleaders were required to attend summer classes at a cheer-leading boot-camp that ran in the thousands too... otherwise "you won't have the skills to make it". Basically the athletic department was geared to only allow in the richest kids that could buy their way onto the team (except football were the PTA managed to fund everything so they had a chance at a winning team).

I was so happy to get my kids out of that environment...

That sucks. I like extracurricular activities but I rather put my kid through the ones outside of a school if that becomes the case here.

 

[dillsandwitch]

Wow thats expensive. I dont have any kids but a friend of mine has 3 and she was telling me that her kids school all require the kids to have their own laptop bought through the school that cost something like $1000 each. Now you can get the exact same ones from a retailer for around $300. Our advice to her (DH's mum is a teacher) was to tell the school to go stuff them self and if its a requirement of the classes then the school can provide it to them for free.

 

[Stacyspy]

Thank goodness that hasn't happened yet... we do have to pay the "optional"
insurance...optional my butt. They won't let your kid have the chromebook until you pay... If we had to buy one, they'd be toting hp streams around...lol.

Wow thats expensive. I dont have any kids but a friend of mine has 3 and she was telling me that her kids school all require the kids to have their own laptop bought through the school that cost something like $1000 each. Now you can get the exact same ones from a retailer for around $300. Our advice to her (DH's mum is a teacher) was to tell the school to go stuff them self and if its a requirement of the classes then the school can provide it to them for free.