School supply shopping time

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have 4 kids in elementary/middle school. Here are a few thoughts off the top of my head:

Buy extra of some items as well, you will need them for homework. Each of my kids have a homework box that has all of the supplies they need:pencils, erasers, scissors, crayons, glue stick, etc. This has helped keep homework time a bit more sane. If you pick up the extras now when everything is on sale it isn't bad.

If you have kids in 4th grade or below by a bunch of extra glue sticks!! We go through a lot of those at home for homework and projects and always get asked to send more in during the year. They are cheap now but bloody expensive the rest of the year.

At back to school night ask the teacher if they plan to do multiple projects using poster board. If so buy some at the begining of the year and tuck it away. Trust me your child will remember they need a poaster for school tomorrow 5min after the store closes. (Also, it is worth checking with the parents that had this teacher last year to see what was needed during the year)

Also, get yourself a roll of clear contact paper. If your child has a "homework" folder that goes back and forth every night you will want to cover that with contact paper. The folder might make it through the year that way. I also always cover any workbooks that kids bring home for homework.

Ask your school about the scissors. I did a few years ago and the principal had no idea that the kids didn't get them back at the end of the year. Since then all of the kids has gotten them back. Every other year the kids get to pick out a new pair and we keep the old ones for home.

Your child will need a ruler for homework. Just for one week. You will not get warning about when that is. Spend the $1.00 now and buy one if you don't already have one at your house.

Awesome advice.

Join the Staples club and check online flyers. The have incredible sales and deals late July, August and September.

[Anonymous]

Technically public school is free. All the supplies are considered a voluntary donation to the school... 60 pencils, four folders, pencil box, fat markers, skinny markets, binder, 100 glue sticks, tissues, hand sanitize, paper towels, $10 for Scholastic etc....
If you are on a tight budget, worrying about putting food on the table, just send your kid to school.

Remember school supplies are optional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and I followed all the threads last time so I'm ready, as a first timer going to K.

The list isn't too bad. And no indication to label anything and there's no pencil box so I assume it is all going to a central place to be distributed, right?

There is a request for headphones or earbuds. Do I label those? I really don't want those shared......

Our list says that the headphones won't be shared - it says to put it in a ziploc bag with DC's name on it. Though I don't understand why it says "earbuds only - no headphones" for 3rd grade. Just wanted to use the same headphones DC used the last three years without buying a new one. Oh well.

I would ask on back to school night. I'm sure it will be fine for your child to use the headphones you have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thank you for so much good advice already. My weird item is a clipboard. I will try to find that first.

To the PP asking about earlier threads, I think they were circulating last fall, but were a lot of vents about how everything gets redistributed, so don't let your kid pick out pretty pony folders and think she'll get to keep them!

Also, lots of good advice about not getting the cheap supplies, but your kids might end up with cheap supplies someone else bought :-/ Also, expect to be hit up again.

Finally, a good question about what these schools do with all these scissors! I will be asking that at the end of the year (unless it is my kid that keeps losing them--possible.)

Go to Dollar Tree for the clipboard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 4 kids in elementary/middle school. Here are a few thoughts off the top of my head:

Buy extra of some items as well, you will need them for homework. Each of my kids have a homework box that has all of the supplies they need:pencils, erasers, scissors, crayons, glue stick, etc. This has helped keep homework time a bit more sane. If you pick up the extras now when everything is on sale it isn't bad.

If you have kids in 4th grade or below by a bunch of extra glue sticks!! We go through a lot of those at home for homework and projects and always get asked to send more in during the year. They are cheap now but bloody expensive the rest of the year.

At back to school night ask the teacher if they plan to do multiple projects using poster board. If so buy some at the begining of the year and tuck it away. Trust me your child will remember they need a poaster for school tomorrow 5min after the store closes. (Also, it is worth checking with the parents that had this teacher last year to see what was needed during the year)

Also, get yourself a roll of clear contact paper. If your child has a "homework" folder that goes back and forth every night you will want to cover that with contact paper. The folder might make it through the year that way. I also always cover any workbooks that kids bring home for homework.

Ask your school about the scissors. I did a few years ago and the principal had no idea that the kids didn't get them back at the end of the year. Since then all of the kids has gotten them back. Every other year the kids get to pick out a new pair and we keep the old ones for home.

Your child will need a ruler for homework. Just for one week. You will not get warning about when that is. Spend the $1.00 now and buy one if you don't already have one at your house.

Great tip on the contact paper. We had a yellow homework folder and after the 2nd one was unusable by mid-year I couldn't find another one being sold anywhere. DS told me it was okay... most kids had to get new folders and they all had different colors.

AC Moore has it for $1.00.

[Anonymous]

Use plastic folders instead of paper folders. They are virtually indestructible.

Walmart has the best and cheapest supplies.

For older kids - I also stock up on printer paper and printer color inks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and I followed all the threads last time so I'm ready, as a first timer going to K.

The list isn't too bad. And no indication to label anything and there's no pencil box so I assume it is all going to a central place to be distributed, right?

There is a request for headphones or earbuds. Do I label those? I really don't want those shared......

I need advice/tips on buying school supplies - which threads did you follow? My search with "school supplies" didn't give much.

It isn't a big deal. You don't need much advise or a thread to follow. Take the list and go to Target or Walmart and buy the stuff. Don't overthink it. Unless money is really tight, don't get too concerned about saving pennies.

I've been buying school supplies for years, and have to agree with this. Unless you have what seems to be a really strange request (white erasers and a clip board don't count) follow PP's advice. If Wal Mart or Target don't have what you need go to an office supply store

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:and I followed all the threads last time so I'm ready, as a first timer going to K.

The list isn't too bad. And no indication to label anything and there's no pencil box so I assume it is all going to a central place to be distributed, right?

There is a request for headphones or earbuds. Do I label those? I really don't want those shared......

Our list says that the headphones won't be shared - it says to put it in a ziploc bag with DC's name on it. Though I don't understand why it says "earbuds only - no headphones" for 3rd grade. Just wanted to use the same headphones DC used the last three years without buying a new one. Oh well.

Earbuds are easier to store than earphones.

[Anonymous]

I just buy everything on Amazon. So easy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ack- where do you get the list??

Our school gave it our at the end of school year. It's also on their website but not sure if it gets updated - I've noticed it's sometimes different from the handout. Best to call the school.

Yes! Please check first. Sometimes if the teacher has changed over the summer you will have a list created by the former teacher which might not necessarily be the same as the list of the new teacher. For some reason schools are now asking teachers for the list at the end of the school year so they can send it out with the summer packet. In the past we sent parents our list with the letter of introduction right before school started or on the first day of school. I have scratched my head about some of the items a previous teacher requested.

[Anonymous]

Don't wait til last minute on weird items! Our school list requires white erasers. ?? I've seen pink ones everywhere, but not white.

Because pink erasers are cheap and don't work. They just smudge the pencil and leave pink behind. Those white erasers are fantastic... and actually erase. I used them for drawing all the time when I was a kid. "Magic Rub" is a great brand.

[Anonymous]

Walmart had clipboards for 50 cents last August. Watch them if you're having trouble!

I, too, am amazed by the quantity of scissors that kids "consume" at school. I think they eat the glue sticks. I buy a big 20 pack every summer. They each get 4 or so to take to school and the rest stay here for art projects. Someone always needs to replenish his or her school stash by November....

Grab an extra few packs of crayons, too. They're really cheap now and you'll need more by winter.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, but buy what you want your child to have, not what is on those idiotic lists.

4kids, multiple schools, and I've always gotten what my kids actually needed, not some teacher's wet dream of what they should have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but buy what you want your child to have, not what is on those idiotic lists.

4kids, multiple schools, and I've always gotten what my kids actually needed, not some teacher's wet dream of what they should have.

Yeah, teachers are so dumb! They have no idea what kids in their classes need! What morons!

[Anonymous]

We just buy from the PTA link every year. One click and done. This is for FCPS. Might be a bit more $$ but a tad supports PTA and I have three kids and don't have time to deal with many of the questions posted.