School Supplies lists and Janitorial Supplies

[Anonymous]

Just curious and this is mostly to teachers- why does each child need 96 crayons and 120 Ticonderoga pencils? In a class of 20 children that is 1.920 crayons and 2.400 pencils! What do you do with the leftover at the end of the year? Also why do you need paper towels and wipes? Aren’t these janitorial supplies?

Lists this year are MUCH more reasonable than other years. I purchased most supplies for under $40 each child (K and 4th) the pta box is almost $100 each! But still genuinely curious about these excessive amounts of items.

[Anonymous]

They share with electives teachers and specials teachers.

I too dislike the antibacterial wipes. I think they're not healthy to be using. But I think it stems from the fact that schools do not clean at all. My kids have come home with wild stories about kids vomiting in the classroom. It gets cleaned up but really every single surface needs cleaned before that bug spreads to all kids, and that doesn't happen.

One of my kids is in Pre-K and you should see the amount of cleaning that goes on daily. All of the tables are bleached daily, every door handle and surface is wiped. My daycare kids never get sick even though they hug and touch each other a lot more than elementary school kids. My elementary school kids are sick nonstop all winter long. (And then school has the gall to complain about missing days!!!)

[Anonymous]

There are none left over. Your children will break and lose all the pencils. They will let them fall on the floor and will walk over them instead of picking them up.

We use wipes snd paper towels probably for the same thing you do—cleaning things, wiping up messes, drying hands.

[Anonymous]

Different issue with liking the wipes vs. why do teachers ask for them.

Teachers share with specials/library/counselors - anyone who doesn’t have their own classroom.

Some families can’t afford supplies so others’ contributions fill in.

Schools don’t budget for classroom cleaning supplies like paper towels and tissues.

Lots if other reasons, I am sure.

[Anonymous]

And, pencil sharpeners eat pencils. Fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are none left over. Your children will break and lose all the pencils. They will let them fall on the floor and will walk over them instead of picking them up.

We use wipes snd paper towels probably for the same thing you do—cleaning things, wiping up messes, drying hands.

And yes, paper towels and wipes are janitorial supplies. But districts have to buy the cheapest stuff, and you are probably familiar with the standard issue brown paper towels. Please clean up a milk or water spill and report back.

I’ve never worked in a school that provided wipes. They just say to use the brown paper towels.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious and this is mostly to teachers- why does each child need 96 crayons and 120 Ticonderoga pencils? In a class of 20 children that is 1.920 crayons and 2.400 pencils! What do you do with the leftover at the end of the year? Also why do you need paper towels and wipes? Aren’t these janitorial supplies?

Lists this year are MUCH more reasonable than other years. I purchased most supplies for under $40 each child (K and 4th) the pta box is almost $100 each! But still genuinely curious about these excessive amounts of items.

I accidentally bought the unsharpened pencils this year, so I feel particularly strongly toward this. It is what it is, but so. many. pencils.

[Anonymous]

120 Ticonderoga pencils? You're exaggerating right?

[Anonymous]

I just don’t send it. I send my kids with things but not communal things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:120 Ticonderoga pencils? You're exaggerating right?

Nope not kidding. 24 pack presharpebed pencils x 5 packs. Last year the teacher only let him have 2 pencils. This communal thing is crazy. We aren’t working hard to spend our money for other people.

[Anonymous]

Kids will break them all in 1/2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:120 Ticonderoga pencils? You're exaggerating right?

Nope not kidding. 24 pack presharpebed pencils x 5 packs. Last year the teacher only let him have 2 pencils. This communal thing is crazy. We aren’t working hard to spend our money for other people.

Chill out

[Anonymous]

Aren't most subjects and assignments on the computer though...not sure why the list always requires 5 spiral notebooks, 4 marbled comp books, and a ton of pencils.
My kid submitted most stuff in schoology/Google docs

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:120 Ticonderoga pencils? You're exaggerating right?

Nope not kidding. 24 pack presharpebed pencils x 5 packs. Last year the teacher only let him have 2 pencils. This communal thing is crazy. We aren’t working hard to spend our money for other people.

So don't. Other people who are grateful and maybe have been helped by others at some point in their life will buy the insane number of pencils, knowing that they are covering for a few other people.

Our school usually asked for one or two boxes per grade year. My inference is that your school district doesn't have a lot of people chipping in for collective supplies.

Also, almost all pencils we purchased for our kids, including the expensive Ticonderogas, are poor quality compared to what I grew up with. The wood is softer. They don't stay sharp as well. My understanding is that teachers ask for pre-sharpened pencils because kids mess around while sharpening and it's harder to get them sharp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:120 Ticonderoga pencils? You're exaggerating right?

Nope not kidding. 24 pack presharpebed pencils x 5 packs. Last year the teacher only let him have 2 pencils. This communal thing is crazy. We aren’t working hard to spend our money for other people.

I’m a teacher. I have to spend my own money on others’ children all the time. When parents don’t provide, I have to purchase. Some years parents are generous and provide what’s on the list. Some years parents provide very little and I have to do bulk orders with my own money. It adds up. I’ve spend over $800 on supplies some years.