PSA to school teachers and administrators

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier about MCPS dictating items that can be on the supply lists. Folders were removed from the allowed items to be requested. I can guarantee that many teachers will ask for these on a “wish list.” We can ask for up to 12 (!) glue sticks, but no folders.

Our school doesn’t distinguish between whatever mcps policy for supply lists and wish lists. They published 1 list for each grade and it was ridiculously specific (think: certain kinds and colors for folders).

I can’t/won’t reuse the folders or composition notebooks that were labeled by my kid for each subject. The glue sticks will dry out and be useless.

The frustrating thing is that this happens every year. If they realize they’ll ditch the notebooks after a week or two, then remove it from the list.

Re: whiteboards - we had to provide one…the supply list was very specific about the dimensions.

The list also included markers that were never opened because “our teacher said we couldn’t use markers and had to use crayons.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier about MCPS dictating items that can be on the supply lists. Folders were removed from the allowed items to be requested. I can guarantee that many teachers will ask for these on a “wish list.” We can ask for up to 12 (!) glue sticks, but no folders.

Our school doesn’t distinguish between whatever mcps policy for supply lists and wish lists. They published 1 list for each grade and it was ridiculously specific (think: certain kinds and colors for folders).

I can’t/won’t reuse the folders or composition notebooks that were labeled by my kid for each subject. The glue sticks will dry out and be useless.

The frustrating thing is that this happens every year. If they realize they’ll ditch the notebooks after a week or two, then remove it from the list.

Re: whiteboards - we had to provide one…the supply list was very specific about the dimensions.

The list also included markers that were never opened because “our teacher said we couldn’t use markers and had to use crayons.”

You "can’t/won’t reuse the folders or composition notebooks that were labeled by my kid for each subject." Umm, unless they scribbled the label on every single page of the notebooks, they are absolutely reusable. Ever heard of crossing something out for the folder? Glue sticks stay good for longer than a year...you're just complaining to complain at this point.

[Anonymous]

PSA for OP:

Usually teams decide what supplies they will ask for. If they ask for five different colored folders it's because some of the teachers will use those for specific things but not necessarily all the teachers will. Same with composition books. Some classes do a lot of gluing, some not so much. Same is true for all the supplies.

Use the extra in the future or donate to a school or organization that could use them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier about MCPS dictating items that can be on the supply lists. Folders were removed from the allowed items to be requested. I can guarantee that many teachers will ask for these on a “wish list.” We can ask for up to 12 (!) glue sticks, but no folders.

Our school doesn’t distinguish between whatever mcps policy for supply lists and wish lists. They published 1 list for each grade and it was ridiculously specific (think: certain kinds and colors for folders).

I can’t/won’t reuse the folders or composition notebooks that were labeled by my kid for each subject. The glue sticks will dry out and be useless.

The frustrating thing is that this happens every year. If they realize they’ll ditch the notebooks after a week or two, then remove it from the list.

Re: whiteboards - we had to provide one…the supply list was very specific about the dimensions.

The list also included markers that were never opened because “our teacher said we couldn’t use markers and had to use crayons.”

Wow you are really negative about everything.

Unless your kid is in high school they will probably be doing the same subjects next year.

Glue sticks to be fine if they are still sealed up.

Who knows what the teacher next year will want with markers versus crayons.

[Anonymous]

Usually supply list decided at the grade level team but inevitably they're going to be things that maybe one teacher thinks is important another teacher doesn't.

I got back a few folders, note books and a set of colored pencils. Not a big deal in the long run and we can always save the folders and notebook for next year. My kid was very excited to have a new pristine set of colored pencils

[Anonymous]

Op, you are choosing not to re-use some of the supplies. That's on you.

Send the basics and ask what they actually need.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if they were sent home to you then you actually have control over whether they get tossed or not. Why not put them in a closet and pull them out when you get the supply list for next year? Probably would take less time then writing that post.

Not OP, but you haven't addressed her question. Just sidestepped it

There wasn’t a question, just a laughably arrogant “PSA” that no one asked for.

+1 signed a teacher who barely survived this year with an unprecedented staff and substitute shortage. Your PSA is literally last on our concerns list

For a family struggling financially it can be a big deal.

So don’t buy it. No one is holding a gun to anyone’s head at the Target cash register. Just, for the love of God, stop whining.

[Anonymous]

I've never gotten supplies back!! I thought the teachers pooled all the stuff, especially the glue sticks and then used them as needed for all the kids. When I couldn't find a pencil box to buy because I waited to long, my DD teacher pulled one out of the supply closet for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if they were sent home to you then you actually have control over whether they get tossed or not. Why not put them in a closet and pull them out when you get the supply list for next year? Probably would take less time then writing that post.

Not OP, but you haven't addressed her question. Just sidestepped it

There wasn’t a question, just a laughably arrogant “PSA” that no one asked for.

+1 signed a teacher who barely survived this year with an unprecedented staff and substitute shortage. Your PSA is literally last on our concerns list

For a family struggling financially it can be a big deal.

None of these supplies are required. Nice try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PSA for OP:

Usually teams decide what supplies they will ask for. If they ask for five different colored folders it's because some of the teachers will use those for specific things but not necessarily all the teachers will. Same with composition books. Some classes do a lot of gluing, some not so much. Same is true for all the supplies.

Use the extra in the future or donate to a school or organization that could use them.

They shouldn’t ask for anything not used by all teachers. Otherwise you’re asking parents to buy unneeded things. That might not be a big deal to most DCUM parents but it can be to others. If schools aren’t going to announce class lists in advance, they should also wait for any teacher-specific requests.

[Anonymous]

Next year, send what actually was used this year. Let the teacher know you will send in anything else upon request.

Where my kids went to school we sent in a whole list of supplies and got nothing back. I started sending the bare minimum.

[Anonymous]

What some folks aren’t realizing is the reason teachers get less and less supplies each year and there aren’t enough for needy students is because parents get sick of buying and sending in unneeded supplies. Either create a grade specific list of supplies all teachers are going to use and then individual teachers can add in their own list, OR just let each teacher create their own list for their class.

I’m all for reusing supplies, bit it’s ridiculous that each year I have to tear out 10 pages of a composition book so as not to be wasteful (even though I can afford a new composition book). I’ll buy your very specific Expo markers, I just ask that you use them. Otherwise I could have brought a different kind or none at all. You want the Ticonderoga pencils, Fine, I get it. The sharpen easier, write better, and don’t break as easily. But if I send you 50, don’t send me back the pencils that easily break.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What some folks aren’t realizing is the reason teachers get less and less supplies each year and there aren’t enough for needy students is because parents get sick of buying and sending in unneeded supplies. Either create a grade specific list of supplies all teachers are going to use and then individual teachers can add in their own list, OR just let each teacher create their own list for their class.

I’m all for reusing supplies, bit it’s ridiculous that each year I have to tear out 10 pages of a composition book so as not to be wasteful (even though I can afford a new composition book). I’ll buy your very specific Expo markers, I just ask that you use them. Otherwise I could have brought a different kind or none at all. You want the Ticonderoga pencils, Fine, I get it. The sharpen easier, write better, and don’t break as easily. But if I send you 50, don’t send me back the pencils that easily break.

As a teacher I couldn't laugh more at a response like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes that's annoying but the real annoyance is that they ask for extra items on the supply list because they need to provide for the deadbeats who show up to school with no supplies, so they take from Peter to provide for Paul. Will they confess to this? No.
I don't think the teachers should pay for any supplies, ever. But I do think the district should instead of pressing us for extras

Yes, it's soooo annoying that maybe a few extra pencils from my child went to a student whose parents can't, or just didn't, buy them school supplies. How will I ever live knowing that I might have spent a couple of extra bucks to help a child out at school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, if they were sent home to you then you actually have control over whether they get tossed or not. Why not put them in a closet and pull them out when you get the supply list for next year? Probably would take less time then writing that post.

Not OP, but you haven't addressed her question. Just sidestepped it

There wasn’t a question, just a laughably arrogant “PSA” that no one asked for.

+1 signed a teacher who barely survived this year with an unprecedented staff and substitute shortage. Your PSA is literally last on our concerns list

For a family struggling financially it can be a big deal.

So don’t buy it. No one is holding a gun to anyone’s head at the Target cash register. Just, for the love of God, stop whining.

+1

PSA to parents: see the bolded above.