There was a K teacher who used to request shaving foam cans. She would spray the foam on the desks and chairs of students and ask them to clean it up with a paper towel, The kids loved it because who does not like to play in shaving foam? The desks and chairs would be sparkling. She did it every couple of months but more during flu season. She was a real germ-phobe and would also lysol common use surfaces every day after school - door knobs, her desk, faucets, toys etc.

A few times my kid would reveal what they were running low on, and I would send a stash in. Pencils and rulers seemed to vanish.

What is interesting is that even though Somerset Elementary is similar to our home school, each teacher has an amazon wish list.

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised today when I asked the teacher what items would be most useful for us to donate to the classroom from the general list MCPS provides and she said nothing. This is at a W elementary school. Is it because the PTA provides the teachers with funding? I keep on reading that teachers are spending so much of their own money on supplies. I recall when I went to elementary school in Bethesda many, many years ago everyone was asked to bring in a box of tissues, hand soap, ziploc bags, etc.

It could be many reasons

-- She prefers to spend her own money and get exactly what she wants.

-- She put in a request on donor's choose and her needs are met.

-- Last year or this fall she had a generous parent who covered all her needs.

-- The last few years she's used up too much, and so she's decided to whittle down what she has stored up.

-- The PTA covered it all.

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

How about the theory that MD spends over $6 Billion dollars in K-12 education every year and they shouldn’t beg parents for basic supplies. Maybe the principal is actually budgeting and requisitioning supplies like a professional versus the begging that has sadly become the norm.

My friend teaches in a fairly wealthy school district but not all of the schools are full of rich kids. The district won’t allow teachers to use Donors Choose because they see it as begging and don’t want their image ruined.

At Christmas I do a gift for the teacher (gift card), and classroom gift of supplies.

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

Give her a target gift card.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

Surely there's a difference between "soliciting" (which I agree is terrible) and answering a question?

Not at our school. The principal is very funny about it. You don't want to cross her as a teacher. I've seen her yelling at teachers.

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

For the last two years our teaches have said this too and I believe it is the principal. I send in regular stuff and come mid-year really push it on what they need. Usually it is principal driven. This year I said to the teacher, I bought you, XXX, XXX, XXX and XXX. Would you like me send it now or mid-year. She was thrilled but I know she cannot ask.

Big mid year are pencils, erasers, glue sticks, wipes, soap and tissues (lots of tissues). Younger kids, stickers. Also, markers, crayons, etc.

I'd rather the teacher tells us but I also don't want to put them in a uncomfortable position when I know what the principal is really like.

My principal also tells us to avoid suggesting supply donation even when directly asked. I think its because she wants our school to come across as affluent but I'm not!

Anonymous wrote:Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

Surely there's a difference between "soliciting" (which I agree is terrible) and answering a question?

Teacher here, my principal has told us to say this to parents. She doesn’t want us soliciting donations. We have theories about why.
Teacher can always use paper towels, Clorox wipes, tissue and hand sanitizer. Expo markers are popular in k-2 as well. Don’t ask, just send them.

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised today when I asked the teacher what items would be most useful for us to donate to the classroom from the general list MCPS provides and she said nothing. This is at a W elementary school. Is it because the PTA provides the teachers with funding? I keep on reading that teachers are spending so much of their own money on supplies. I recall when I went to elementary school in Bethesda many, many years ago everyone was asked to bring in a box of tissues, hand soap, ziploc bags, etc.

Yes. Thank your PTA for collecting donations from parents and funding the teachers generously.

I was surprised today when I asked the teacher what items would be most useful for us to donate to the classroom from the general list MCPS provides and she said nothing. This is at a W elementary school. Is it because the PTA provides the teachers with funding? I keep on reading that teachers are spending so much of their own money on supplies. I recall when I went to elementary school in Bethesda many, many years ago everyone was asked to bring in a box of tissues, hand soap, ziploc bags, etc.