School supplies - where do they go?

[Anonymous]

5th grade son needs to show up tomorrow with 72 sharpened pencils! Can these all really be for him? Who makes these lists? It's hard for me to believe we aren't subsidizing some other schools.

[Anonymous]

You've been doing this for 5 years already, and haven't figured it out???

[Anonymous]

op - just moved here from overseas

[Anonymous]

This issue has been talked about to death from a month back. Please do a search to get more info. Next year order from the school.

[Anonymous]

Agree that you should search the archives -- this was discussed at great length very recently.

In brief, you are not subsidizing other schools, but you may be subsidizing other students in your child's class who either can't afford supplies(just b/c you live in a "nice" neighborhood don't assume this is not an issue) or whose parents for one reason or another don't have their sh*t together to get them. Either way, if you can afford the extra few pencils it's pretty un-gracious to grumble about it. Also kids lose pencils and other supplies ALL. THE. TIME. The teacher should not have to spend her time rationing supplies.

[Anonymous]

Wow -- you guys are pretty rough. OP just said she moved here from overseas! Not like this is the first time that someone has asked a redundant question on the forum.

[Anonymous]

They go through a lot of pencils.

[Anonymous]

Are they asking parents to bring in extra school supplies for those kids who can't afford them?

I believe so, since they don't even want you to write your kid's name on what he/she is bringing in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are they asking parents to bring in extra school supplies for those kids who can't afford them?

I believe so, since they don't even want you to write your kid's name on what he/she is bringing in.

They don't want you to put names on them because they put them all in a big pot to share.

[Anonymous]

Okay, I taught 5th grade for 14 years. I've been a principal of an elementary school for 8 years. And I'm a mom of a fifth grader. Asking anyone to bring in 72 sharpened pencils is just plain silly and unnecessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they asking parents to bring in extra school supplies for those kids who can't afford them?

I believe so, since they don't even want you to write your kid's name on what he/she is bringing in.

They don't want you to put names on them because they put them all in a big pot to share.

I like the items labeled and my students' materials do not get pooled. I have them keep what they need and the extras go into gallon ziplock bags with the student's name on the bag. When the student needs a new pencil, glue stick, or...he just pulls it from his Baggie.

[Anonymous]

What is really very funny to me is how this school supply thing is turning my 9 yo daughter into an indignant Randian (although she doesn't know what that means), even though we come from a very liberal household.

School asks parents to buy supplies in advance at the end of the year. They are delivered to the classroom in the first year.

DD was annoyed to discover that everything was basically put into a communal cabinet. And some kids take better care of the supplies than others. "So, if I want to get a pencil, I have to pick through the ones that haven't been chewed." DD exclaimed the other night. "Why can't I have my own school supplies?" She is totally grossed out and frustrated that some of the pencils already have erasers chewed off.

I had to laugh. She's right. Even though I do agree philosophically with the communal approach.

4th grade, by the way. North Arlington school.

I ended up buying her a few supplemental supplies of her own to keep in her desk. Which raises an interesting question if they go missing.

[Anonymous]

meant "first week of the next school year" above. sorry for the lack of clarity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they asking parents to bring in extra school supplies for those kids who can't afford them?

I believe so, since they don't even want you to write your kid's name on what he/she is bringing in.

They don't want you to put names on them because they put them all in a big pot to share.

Not all teachers do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are they asking parents to bring in extra school supplies for those kids who can't afford them?

I believe so, since they don't even want you to write your kid's name on what he/she is bringing in.

They don't want you to put names on them because they put them all in a big pot to share.

Not all teachers do that.

Right. See 07:52.