You know, it really doesn't bother me. When I owned a condo and had to pay property taxes in a reasonably upscale suburb of Chicago, I never complained about it even though I don't have kids who benefitted from the money that went toward the schools. I don't have a problem with the parents who obtain a direct benefit from the public schools that educate their children being asked to contribute a little more. That seems pretty reasonable to me.

Elementary school we gor I think pretty much everything... pencils (the big fat ones) erasers paper provided we just needed maybe a set of crayons and markers and folder or binder (I had very cool trapper keepers :) ) Then middle school we needed binders, dividers, paper, pencils pens etc... but we never had to donate anything to the classroom that I remember and our stuff could be any color we wanted (well the outside the ink in our pens had to be blue or black) In high school the most expensive thing I had to buy was a graphing calculator for any math class above Algebra 2 which was about 100 dollars. I still have it though (not that I remember how to use it or anything).

I too am not out to bash teachers - they have a tough job and I respect them tremendously. I pay taxes every year to pay for my children's educations. I don't think I should have to supplement all the children whose parents choose not to buy for them. In our system, if parents cannot afford items, the system or other donations make sure that kids have what they need. Every Walmart, Target, and office supply store has lists and donation boxes set up for people to contribute to for students that need it. Each year when we have gone to donate, those areas seem to be overflowing. Why does this community chest not make it to the classroom?

Our school has a wish list of needed supplies that I usually contribute to. I donate our used bookbags and lunch boxes for those less fortunate. I buy extra supplies on the teacher's wish list at the beginning of the year and buy books for the classroom at the yearly bookfair.

I more or less quit participating in the majority of fundraisers. If it requires that my child go out and sell something, I would prefer to make a flat donation and have the school get $20.00 instead of 20% of $20.00. The problem with pictures are that my children want to buy them so they can exchange them with all their buddies. Our system does pictures twice a year - two different companies. It seems that the moment my children go back to school we are bombarded weekly with requests for money for this or that or fundraisers and everything else under the sun.

I am on board with the complaints against the teacher appreciation week too where you are supposed to buy a different gift each day. We generally buy gifts at Christmas, and the end of the year. That alone should be enough to let the teacher know that we appreciate them. Spending time at home overseeing homework, good character traits and appropriate classroom behavior should show appreciation for the teacher. Helping out in the classroom periodically should show appreciation. I get irked when I'm expected to go out and buy gifts for appreciation week. And it is not like you have just one teacher - most classrooms in our district have two teachers per classroom - a lead teacher and an assistant. Then you have the music, art, pe, and spanish teacher that should also be appreciated. If I had just one child, perhaps a daily gift might be feasible. But I have three, and 10 teachers to appreciate per child, five days for the appreciation week, Christmas and end of the year gets expensive in a hurry.

I don't think this thread is intended to be a parent against the teachers thing. I think it is about is this the norm, and if so, why, and what can we do about it?

Lonestaradpi - thanks for explaining some other uses of the baggies - I had not thought about those.

We like teachers--we ARE teachers! :D But like any other parents, we're frustrated with the supplies and fundraisers issues.

AXO Mom, the picture issue is getting bad here too. Not only are there suddenly 2 rounds of picture taking here now, but some years the companies require that you pay before your kids' pictures are even taken. They claim you can get a refund if you don't like the pictures but trying to get one is a real headache. And we know that half of all children have their eyes shut in their pictures!

Another school scam: one magazine that gives the teachers prizes if you'll either subscribe to them or fill out an info sheet on yourself if you don't subscribe. Then they send you junk mail for years. The prizes must be fantastic because we even though we caught onto that business and quit filling out the forms, we still get their junk mail and we think the teachers have been filling them out for us.

i've never heard of donating an extra set of supplies for needy students. i think that is RIDICULOUS if it is not voluntary. just be sure though that that is exactly what it is. i ask my students to bring in 4 glue sticks (not ELmers glue--too messy) not so i can donate 2, but so that when we use them up or someone leaves the cap off and it dries up we have another one handy and don't have to ask the mom's for a new one.

i really wish i could explain the colored folder thing so you all could understand. it really is a GREAT system and helps things run smoothly. and (most) teachers definitely understand if you can't find purple and will give you time to find it.

also, my school has recently implemented a new phonics and guided reading programs. guess what that means---2 more notebooks and 2 more folders to buy for parents. bringing the total up to like 5 notebooks and 4 folders.--not unreasonable for an elementary classroom.

my school sends home it's supply list in June with the report cards and kindergarten lists get mailed home. that gives over 2 months to get the supplies. it states on top that the teacher may ask for other items for her class, since it is a general grade list, but we definitely give time to get those supplies.

if people want the school to supply paper, crayons, etc expect your tax dollars to go up. and it won't go up with the actual cost of buying those items on your own. it will probably increase greatly due to supplies being different throughout the grades. i don't see how that can be worth it.

about fiskars--they are the BEST. many parents don't understand the difference and go to the dollar store to buy the dollar scissors. they break. they have a dull edge. basically they stink. just spend the $3 and get over it. and if your child is losing 3 per year, it's time to talk about personal responsibility and personal property. it is not the teacher's job to keep track of the student's supplies. even in kindergarten. last year when i taught K, my kids knew that anything left on the floor would be swept up by the custodian and that i would not pick it up for them. it is not the custodian's job to pick through the garbage he sweeps up. if little johhny's brand new fiskars are on the floor, they will be in the garbage. it's called responsibility.

i use baggies for EVERYTHING--treats, centers, little pieces of things, etc. they are used up by the end of the year.

remember that teachers don't send home school picture brochures and fund raisers, the PTA does. bring up gripes with them.

clipboards--the kids work in the hall and in groups and it helps keep the work neat and organized. plus they love using them!

**********************************************
the biggest thing to keep in mind. in 99.99% of the cases, the requests of the teacher are for the BENEFIT OF YOUR CHILD.

the teacher does not arbitrarily choose what to put on a supply list. she has probably been teaching for YEARS and knows exactly what is best and what is really needed. i don't think $40 for a year of good education is unreasonable at all.

and yes, many times the kids know for days or weeks that they need something and then put the blame on the teacher when they forget to ask mom to get it. stop thinking your kids are always right (especially in middle and high school). don't march down to the principal's office because it may get the teacher in trouble for something she didn't do. and don't write a heated letter to the teacher or be nasty to her, ask her nicely to explain the situation and i would say 4 out of 5 times it was a simple mix up.

As a non-teaching parent of middle schoolers, I thought this part was worth quoting and repeating! It is so important to contact your children's teachers if you have questions--especially once they hit middle and high school!

Has any parent (teaching or non) had an experience where one teacher requires more "stuff" than others in the same grade level?

Does this whole supply issue depend on the wealth of the district? 'Cause I know my niece and nephew don't have to bring all the stuff in that's listed. But, my parents and my sister pay for that stuff through their property taxes--which are among the highest in the state.

I don't mind the giving of extra things--if it's true that it's involuntary and it's not open that this is what it's for, then THAT'S a problem of the teacher/school/district not communicating with the parents/guardians. If you tell me what it is, I'll be more than happy to give.

Do any schools require a set of supplies for home, and a set for school? I know that's pretty popular in my hometown so kids won't lose stuff in transit or leave important supplies at home or school.

This whole thing is odd. I don't have any children, so I'm not sure what the school supplies issue is currently like in my area. In elementary school, I do not recall being given lists from the teacher with instructions for what specifically to bring to school.

I always remember arriving for school on the first day and there would be a desk for each student with a brand new pack of crayons, a couple of pencils and some paper. The teachers already had a big box of scissors which were used year after year and remained with the class. This also goes for things like glue and such - we would go to the cabinet, get the glue, use it and then put it back for another student to use. We were never required to purchase supplies for a "community chest". Dictionaries were already in the classroom.

My parents purchased things for me like: backpack, folders, 3-ring binders, pens, pencils, paper, etc. I got to use whatever fun folders and pencils I wanted.

Soap??? With the exception of the two kindergarten classrooms, there were no toilet or wash facilities inside our classrooms. Kids who needed to wash their hands used the restrooms down the halls where they washed their hands with that powdery soap which looked like Borax and felt like you were washing your hands with sandpaper. :)

Firstly, teachers should be paid more. Period. Secondly, the school district should be providing supplies for the classrooms. Third, parents should do their part by supplying their children with the basics. Finally, there should be a fund for the teachers to purchase supplies for their classes and for the students who cannot afford to buy supplies.

I think perhaps the school districts are putting our teachers and parents in a bad situation. They don't fund the teachers, the teachers request supplies from parents, the parents get irritated and then the teachers get defensive about it. Meanwhile the school district has wiped their hands of the issue.

What's the deal? Why don't the schools have money for these things? I know our city had voted for a huge bond measure a few years ago to pay for physical upgrades to schools.....


.....Kelly :)

I think you should run for your local school board. You've hit the nail on the head on all counts!

My co-workers and I all ask for liquid soap as well as things like clorox wipes, hand wipes, paper towels, plastic baggies, etc etc. Granted I'm in a major city, but I had a lot of cleaning to do in my classroom last week. We have construction going on outside the building so there's dust everywhere not to mention reminders of the rodents and critters who live in the building too. My school is very lucky and we have plenty of actual office supplies which is good. Some of my friends have to buy their own chart paper and what not for their class. There are certain basics every classroom here should have and well don't get me started on how unfair this city system is. Even if you can get most of the supplies from the school, teachers like to have extras on hand so things can be replaced quickly. I have to keep folders for each subject for my students as well as folders for my observations of their behavior and progress and color coding all that is WONDERFUL.

I braved Staples this evening (such a stupid mistake!) and the place was CRAZY with parents getting ready for NYC's first day tomorrow.

This is just a sign of how under-funded the classroom is. All the teachers here who have admitted to spending hundreds of dollars a year on supplies are not the minority - they are the large majority.

Times have changed. When I was a kid, we were only expected to bring our own pens/pencils/erasers. Glue, soap (?!?) and many of the other supplies were given. But cut backs occured, and things had to be cut.

If you're going to be angry, get angry with the school board. They are the ones who decide exactly how much money is given towards supplies for the school. Please don't get mad at the teachers, who are spending their own money to decorate the classroom, buy many supplies not listed here, and probably foot the bill of supplies for those childrens who parents who can not afford (or refuse to) buy the needed supplies.

ETA: 4th page?? Eek! Time to go and read the rest!

whitedaisy...i agree with you. just reading some of this stuff has made me hot! but i forgot...teachers are paid for only working 9 months a year, we have our summers off, 2 weeks at christmas, we get off work every day at 3, and we get state benefits! our school and our state support us and provide everything we need to do our job to the best of our ability, we get to do lots of fun things like watch movies, take field trips, plan christmas parties, and bring home a huge paycheck! hahaha...if only it was REALLY like that!

i gotta run...I have a class of 42 students coming into my classroom of 38 desk in about 10 minutes. I am sure not everyone brought the proper materials for todays lesson, so I have to round up extra materials out of the closet that I bought from walmart last night. I also need to track down Billy to see if he brought the money to pay me back for lunch since he forgot his money last week. :rolleyes:

So let me see if I've got this right.

Everyone who lives in the same school district as me should not only pay for the building and maintenance of the schools, salaries for teachers as well as administration and support staff, all of the additional infrastructure and things like school busses, new construction, stadiums and all the rest of the stuff -- and they should pay for expendibles even though they have no children in the system?

Or, as a parent, I should expect a single person, an older person or a couple who has no children to pay for expendibles that my child(ren) may or may not use wisely?

Yes?

Great, then shouldn't they also pay for my kids clothes and shoes and stuff? After all, I wouldn't have to buy all of that stuff if they didn't have to go to school.

How about my gasoline if I have to drive the kids to school. How about a car if they drive themselves? I mean, if they didn't, the system would have to buy more busses, right?

Silly? Sure it is.

Here's the deal. If you want the school system to pay for absolutely everything, I'm sure they would be happy to. All you have to do, as a community, is agree to supply the money for them to do it.

That's right, agree to higher taxes.

Or, how about this. We can eliminate all athletic programs and extra-cirricular activities and use that money. And I specifically say athletic programs -- because the first things to go are generally the arts. Music, Theatre, visual arts, etc. In the high school our kids attended, many more students participated in the arts -- not even counting other activities -- than in athletics. It was a substantial majority. And this was a big (Class 5A) city high school with 18 or 20 teams probably.

In reality, in order for the school system to pay for "everything," they would probably have to cut both.

OK, how about this? If my taxes are going to pay for everything K-12, why shouldn't they pay for college as well? I mean everything.

There has to be a point where everyone's taxes stop and families start in paying for education.

Having put three kids through schools, two of them through college (well, one is still in college, and thank goodness for scholarships), and one thru "hair school," I have little sympathy for those who want to complain about the relatively minor expenses associated with public schools (considering the overall potential costs), but are the first to complain that the schools aren't doing a good job at educating their children.

End of rant.

Until later, probably.

DA, totally agree 100%!

Parents complain about the most petty crap!

My girlfriend is a band director at a Mid-High school. She charges students that use school instruments $75.00/year. It costs about $100.00 to refurbish the instrument at the end of the year, so she doesn't feel like she's being unreasonable.

She actually had some parents complain and refuse to pay! She offered payment plans, etc.! Some still refused.

She had to go to the counselor and have the kids placed in other classes. The parents can afford $100 shoes for the kid, but not a $75.00 fee for the band instrument usage.

The sense of entitlement is amazing.

Great thread.

Reason #102998113 to not have children! ;)

Wha? No, you need to have children and make society give you some $$!

Those non-child-bearing people owe us something for refusing to procreate.

This is of course, only if the children don't do maliciously evil thing to their insturments. I once saw a fellow student when I was in elementary school "accidently" snap their violin bow in half. His parents agreed with him that it was an accident and refused to pay for a replacement! And then they had the nerve to complain to the principle when the teacher refused to let him play anymore!

I went to Catholic school. We had to pay for just about everything, including books. I don't really have sympathy for the complaining since I would spend about $400 in books each year, plus $100-150 on school supplies. I'd also have to buy a uniform with each skirt costing around $80 and a sweater costing $40. Did I tell you that I also paid more than the University of Cincinnati's tuition when I went to high school?

I'm glad my parents thought it was worth it to pay that much for me to have an amazing education. My teachers were paid as little as $20,000 starting out because it was a private school, I'm glad for the things they did supply. At the same time we knew that sharing was helping out the teacher so we would buy a pack of markers to share with the class or whatever was needed. I'd hate to be the one kid who forgot pencils one day and not have anything to use.

Thank you Jesus! :)

I totally agree with both of these paragraphs. School is for education. Athletics have nothing to do with education, they are for fun only. The arts are more iffy, because they integrate with important historical trends as well, but they are not necessities. So yeah, I think the school should provide necessities like soap first, and if there's money left over, then do athletics, field trips, etc. I am willing to pay higher taxes, if the money is being spent wisely. I suspect that it isn't being spent wisely.

Most of the posters in this thread haven't bashed teachers, said that teachers are overpaid, etc. Most of us have said the exact opposite. We were simply questioning the necessity of some of the items on the kids' school supplies list. And yeah, it's a bit of a shock to the budget when you get a list out of the blue that's requiring specific brands of items and basic things like soap that you'd expect any public restroom to have. And, if you didn't budget the $40-$50 required to buy those supplies on the first day of school, it can really throw a parent into a panic too. If you know in advance, it's easier to deal with too.

Dee

a lot of athletic programs are self-supporting. The money brought in from the gates (with basketball and football it is VERY high) is used to pay refs. Athletic programs and the sale of ads is used to fund other parts of athletics. Sport teams also have fundraisers to bring in money. Not very much public money goes into an athletic budget (or at least I can speak for my school, my county, and my state). Even coaches spend a large part of their money on their teams.

I'd like to see some numbers on that.

Generally, Football and sometimes men's basketball (boys?) are self supporting and everything else is a substantial loss. In most systems, the two main sports don't make up the difference.

While I wholeheartedly support Title IX, it has made the financial situation even worse.

I'm pretty sure that most athletic programs have to be underwritten either by the school system or by student athletic fees.

This is what I'm saying! I had that powder crap all the way thru high school. I can see a parent buying a Purell bottle for personal use... but I'm not understanding the soap thing. Does the child bring the soap for himself alone or does it all get stashed in a community cabinet that people just take from when they need it. (If the latter, that really sucks! Kids waste soap!)

And it only gets worse as they get older. I remember entering the graphic design program as a college freshman and my advisor giving me a VERY specific list of supplies I would probably need. This didn't include all the supplies I would need for pre-req art classes, the trips to Kinkos, paper, photo supplies, ink, and random bits of research needed to make your design projects look spiffy. Not saying that everyone's kids are going into specialized majors like design, BUT even in high school (it was private) I was asked for very specific composition book colors and scientific calculators, and we had to buy our books, PE clothes, and locks.

I just remember in elementary school, everyone had that Sanrio stuff and went out and collected multiple pencils with fancy pencil cases that shot out projectiles that held erasers and paper clips. Ah memories. ;) :D

This morning on Yahoo!......

.....Kelly :)

---------------------------

U.S. National - AP

Teachers Lose Tax Breaks for Supplies
Tue Sep 14, 8:17 PM ET

By ANDREA ALMOND, Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES - If Doreen Seelig pocketed all the money she has spent on classroom supplies over 35 years as a teacher — the printer cartridges, the paper, the pencils and the paperback books lent to her Venice High School students — she figures she would have a new car by now.

Now, as the new school year gets under way, the burden on Seelig and other teachers around the country is even heavier.

Because of a budget crunch, California has suspended a tax credit that reimbursed teachers up to $1,500 for classroom supplies. Meanwhile, a $250 federal tax deduction for teachers that helped defray out-of-pocket spending expired this year.

Seelig said she will still buy hundreds of dollars worth of basic materials that districts do not provide. And she will still drive her 1991 Acura.

"What are we going to do, tell the kids, `Sorry, there's no paper today,' or tell them they can't print because there's no ink?" Seelig asked. "I know I couldn't do it."

Teachers around the country often reach into their own pockets to buy school supplies for themselves or their students, either because the school system does not provide the money, or because they feel sorry for youngsters from poor homes who come to school without the things they need.

Parent-teacher organizations and private groups often donate supplies, but educators say poor districts still come up short.

For young teachers at the lowest end of the pay scale, the loss of the tax credits is particularly hard.

"The end of the tax benefits is effectively a tax increase for teachers — people who spend thousands of their own dollars each day for their classrooms and who don't deserve a tax increase," said Barbara Kerr, president of the California Teachers Association.

Nationwide, teachers spent an average of $458 on school supplies, according to the National School Supply and Equipment Association, a Maryland-based trade group.

The National Education Association and some lawmakers are working to reinstate the federal teacher deduction, which was introduced in 2002 but expired at the end of 2003. Teachers are still entitled to write off business expenses, like other taxpayers, but the amount they spend often does not meet the threshold for taking a deduction.

By ditching its tax break, California joined most of the rest of the nation. National teacher organizations do not keep track, but it appears few states now offer teachers any relief at all.

Arkansas, for example, requires that school districts reimburse teachers for up to $500 of out-of-pocket expenses. Texas officials have allocated $3 million to compensate public school teachers. Between that and local government funding, Texas teachers might reach $400 worth of reimbursements this school year.

Even when tax breaks are proposed, as in Arizona last year, the teachers' lobby may be opposed, saying the solution is more state money for education.

Karl Kaku, an English teacher at Fresno High School for 10 years, said he spent $200 on supplies before this year's classes had even started.

"Stuff to write with, stuff to write on, pens, paper, overhead transparencies, overhead markers, ink cartridges," said Kaku, who makes $56,000 a year. "Some years, there's some money. Others, there's nothing. This year there's nothing."

In the Canoga Park section of Los Angeles, teacher and expectant mother Jennifer Flores said she has already rationed her spending. "We'll do without some of the things I would usually buy," she said. "And the worst thing about it all is that it's the kids who end up suffering the most."

The California credit was first offered in 2000 as a way to keep teachers from quitting. Teachers with four to 11 years in the profession received $250 to $500. Those more experienced could receive up to $1,500.

The credit was suspended in 2002 as state legislators battled a budget gap. It was resurrected for the 2003-04 tax year, at a cost of $180 million to the state. Last month, legislators suspended the relief until 2007. Parent and teacher groups, as well as private companies, are scrambling to cushion the blow.

The Los Angeles teachers union recently teamed up with a Spanish-language radio station in asking donors for such things as glue sticks, pencils, crayons, manila folders, even socks and underwear for poorer districts.

One Web site, iLoveSchools.com, matches teachers around the country with donors. The nonprofit organization, launched in July, said it has received about $90,000 in donations.

___

Associated Press Writer Juliana Barbassa in Fresno contributed to this report.

That's just wrong. I hope congress does in fact renew the $250 tax break and in fact, increases it.

I was complaining about this stuff to my fiance this year as I helped him with his list for his 4th grade daughter. I'm glad to see it's not only the snotty area we live in. I have to say, the list wasn't THAT bad. And aside from the 2 boxes of tissue to be used by the class, everything seems to be for personal use. But if I find out her pencils or erasable pens were tossed into a bucket for community use - especially when she is probably the "pooriest" kid in school, I'll really be ticked. HOWEVER, she lives in one of the toniest towns in all of New York state. They pride themsleves on their phenomenal school system and the taxes they pay are huge. A school like that can afford some darn tissues!!! BUT...

What REALLY pissed me off was a few years ago. Soon after Sept. 11 my fiance lost his job as his company was sold. A year later, as his daughter started the new year, he was still not working, unemployment had run out and his savings was trickling down. He'd spent plenty on her supply list and new clothes etc. A few weeks into the year she was required to bring and empty tennis ball can to school for some art project. We don't play tennis. He had to go out and buy a can for an art project! OK, so it wasn't that expensive - but was it really necessary? Then in October they had to bring in a pumpkin the size of a globe. Pumpkins ain't cheap!

I understand that kids need school supplies. I guess I took it for granted that parents were smart enough to get them without a list (my mom never had a problem with it), but from our teachers on GC, I see this is unfortunately not the case. :( But I think asking for specific brands or things not "school related" (hello, pumpkins?!) is pushing it for a lot of parents.

Looks like I'll be the bitch of the PTA when I have kids!!!! :cool:

Re: Kids' School Supplies
 

Wow...
I don't know how old you guys are, but when I was in elementary school in the early 70s we had a similar supply list. These were our "personal" supplies however, that we kept at our desk. We also had to buy an artbag that we tied at our desk to keep most of our supplies in. The kids with artsy mothers had the cute bags made with nice fabrics with spaces for your ruler, crayons (the big 64 box, of course), glue, etc. The rest of us bought the cheap ones made of heavy denim from the school and all of our stuff was piled up in the bottom. Yes, Im still a little bitter.

I agree that the different gift a week is excessive. I can't imagine what they do with all of the gifts. My mother was an elementary school teacher and she got the typical gifts at Christmas. She kept 99% of it (and regifted the other 1%!) but most of it was JUNK. Cheep jewelry, perfume, potholders, candles, etc.

What I find interesting about your comments though is that you say the time you spend overseeing homework annd building good character trains should show appreciation for the teacher. Seems to me that while the teachers benefit from that, it is for your children, not the teachers! What if your employer said the time I spend reviewing your work and making sure we have heat and air conditioning should show you that I appreciate the work you do here! LOL

How does the school districts justify that duplicate supplies are used for a community chest? I think it's great to remember that not all the kids have parents who can afford supplies. But are all of the supplies are used up in an entire school year? I have no clue if that's the case either way.

The one thing that was always on the school supply list from k-6. was a box of kleenex and there were always anywhere from 2-4 boxes left over on the last day to school. Is the school district auctioning off the leftovers on ebay?

As for specific supplies wouldn't it made sense for the school, PTA, or PTO to buy the items in bulk, sell it cheaper than the stores and donate the leftovers back to the school? I think that someone posted that their school something similar.

The five day tribute to teachers in the form of forced gifts is a bit excessive. Pool together the money that would have gone to the world's best teacher mugs and have it go toward a gift card to the mall? Perhaps at the end of the year a parent/ teacher recoginition night, whatever the opposite of fall Open house is, selected students read essays or mini thank you notes so that appreciation given to all for a job well done. Also teachers acknowledging parental involvement that went above and beyond the call of duty in his/her classroom. It takes a village to raise a child.

It's ridiculous that teachers aren't allowed more tax deductions or whatever with what they spend toward the classroom.

I hope so too....every little bit helps. I honestly was not aware that it ran out this year.

Quote from Eclispse.."What I find interesting about your comments though is that you say the time you spend overseeing homework annd building good character trains should show appreciation for the teacher. Seems to me that while the teachers benefit from that, it is for your children, not the teachers! What if your employer said the time I spend reviewing your work and making sure we have heat and air conditioning should show you that I appreciate the work you do here! LOL [/B][/QUOTE]

Yes, it does benefit my children, and as a parent I feel the responsibility to do that. I know a number of parents who don't do anything with their children regarding school or behavior. My children can be rather messy writers so I encourage them to spend time writing in journals to improve handwriting and writing skills. We usually have a quiet half hour to an hour to encourage reading, with helps again with reading skills and comprehension. I listen to my children read almost daily, and this allows me to educate them about words they may not understand and make sure they have a good understanding of what is happening in the story. We play games, work puzzles and use the computer to reinforce math skills. When a teacher tells me that my child has had difficulty staying on task that week, then I discuss that with my child. If there is a problem going on with peers, I help them come up with ways to work it out. If a teacher makes a note on the daily sheet that needs to be addressed with my child, I address it. So, yes, this is all part of being a responsible parent. At the same time, it is something that shows respect and appreciation for the job that teachers do, and reinforcing at home what they are trying to teach them in the classroom, and taking care of any problems immediately. I don't care how perfect your child is, there are going to be issues and problems that arise in the classroom that must be dealt with at home. I believe in what teachers do, and feel that a parent-teacher relationship should be collaborative and both should be working in the best interest of each child to make the most of that child's individual abilities. Some parents are perfectly fine to let the teachers do the parenting at school. Some parents are perfectly fine to let the teachers do all the parenting, all the education and all the characteristic traits. I am not one of those parents. I guess I could just turn on the tv and let it entertain and educate them for the rest of the time they are out of school.

And yeah, if my employer provides heating and air for me, I'll appreciate that too! ;)

@@##! We just got the 2006 school supply lists this week and they're even longer because all kinds of cleaning and non-educational supplies have been added--baby wipes, Clorox desk wipes, hand sanitizer, giant Ziplocs, the list goes on. Plus each teacher wants multiples of those--no way. I am not sending 4 boxes of wipes just because 3 other kids might not bring any. We're both teachers and we're not stupid.

We have gotten some good buys this week, like notebook paper for 15 cents at Staples and Office Depot and folders for a penny somewhere. Now all I have to do is watch the backpacks like a hawk so our high school boys won't do something along the lines of last year--switching their 6-year-old brother's macho pencils for Disney Princess ones.:rolleyes:

When I was in elementary school in the 1980s, I was supplied one pencil, one eraser, one box of crayons (a ball point pen replaced crayons in Grade 4), and enough notebooks for all the subjects for the year. The only thing we had to get ourselves was a three-ring binder for French class starting in Grade 3. Since the crayons only had 8 colours, most of the kids brought their own.

Doesn't Staples have a program for teachers?

That's something I can see my oldest doing :D

Target had some good deals this week, as did Fred Meyer. And seeing the lists you all have I am very grateful for my school.

1 back pack
12 Yellow Pencils,
4 24 packs of Crayola crayons
2 folders (one yellow one blue)
3 Erasers
4 Gluse sticks
1 box of zip lock baggies
30 stickers.

Most of it we already had on hand. Now this is for Kindergarten but it's all day and most of the other grades lists are comparable.
I won't even begin to tell you what the private school we were considerings list was like!!!!! CRAZY

Here's my 5th graders basic list:

2 packs of wide-lined NOTEBOOK PAPER
6 (3-prong) Pocket Folders (Color Assort.)
2 Composition Books
2 packs (10 or more) #2 Pencils
(please, no MECHANICAL pencils) *this is killing my 5th grader, he loves his mechanical pencils!!!*
1 pack (Blue or Black) Pens
(please, no GEL pens)
2 Glue Sticks
1 Scissors
2 boxes of Tissues
4 Dry Erase Markers (Broad Tip)
(please, BASIC colors and Black)
1 large Pencil Eraser
3 Book Covers
2 Highlighters
1 pack of Colored Pencils (12 or more)
1 box (Gallon-size) Zip Bags-GIRLS
1 box of (Sandwich-size) Zip Bags-BOYS
5th Grade UNIFIED ARTS Classes
1 box of Tissues BOYS
1 box of Zip-Seal Bags GIRLS
* THIS IS ONLY A BASIC LIST *
Each TEAM may provide a more detailed
list when school begins…

Translate that into each team WILL provide a more detailed list!

Now, we learned last year that there's really no such thing as a supply list for high school. Some teachers may specify a certain size notebook or binder, but for the most part they decide how to manage their supply needs for classes and personal use. Of course, about a week into school our oldest realized that the huge zip binder was a pain to haul around school all day and went with a poly accordian type thing.

I am surprised that a KINDERGARTEN kid has to bring his/her own supplies. WOW! I thought that if any grade had its own stuff in the classroom, it would be kindergarten.

God, I still hate this thread...but here goes:

You know how dirty your kids are at home...try having 25 of them in one small space for 6.5 hours a day. It get really dirty. The cleaning supplies provided by the school is some sort of bleach concoction. Hell yeah I require my kids to bring Clorox wipes. It eliminates the 10 year olds from having to use a squirt bottle (think of the fun things they can squirt -- like each other's eyes!). You give everyone a wipe and say "clean your desk." Plus, then the classroom doesn't smell like bleach...which gives many kids (and teachers) headaches. I even request Fresh Scent -- because they smell the best.

I teach at a very small school where parents are required to volunteer 4 hours a month to their child's classrooms...so we are all pretty close to the parents...out supply list is funny...on the "Wish List" part (which is qualified by the following statement: "Teacher Wish List Items…buy none…buy one!" we even list Starbucks Gift Cards (qualified with "hey, it's a wish list, right?")...and our parents are so awesome that we actually get some!

Ya'll that are complaining would probably hate me.

You may not realize just how much Kindergarteners actually use, especially craft supplies. I loved how our elementary school did K supplies, there was a flat fee of $25 for all K students which covered *all* of their supplies for the year. Sure, the teachers did a wish list mid-year for extras (dry erase markers, hand sanitizers and wipes, class goodies like erasers and mini crayons, etc.) but you didn't have to worry about anything but a backpack and clothes.

WD: love the Starbucks "wish list" idea. A few of our teachers did that (even included things like Capri Suns or healthy treats for a class surprise periodically). Trust me, as a parent I'd prefer knowing that my child's teacher loved Starbucks or McDonalds or candles or whatever. There are only so many ornaments/candies/notepads/generic teacher gifts a teacher can stand!

I also was in elementary school during the 80's too. Wow, you had French in third grade? We didn't start foreign languages until 8th grade. For elementary school, we had to supply our own pencils, erasers, and folders/notebooks/composition books (whichever one the teacher preferred). But the school provided scissors, crayons, glue, rulers, bookcovers, and art supplies. Some student woulld bring their own crayons because the ones the school supplied were the basic 8-pack. A few of the teachers would ask for boxes of tissues on their supply lists, but they made a note that it was voluntary. We never had to bring our own personal supply of tissues, wipes, or plastic bags. Then again, I don't think disinfecting everything was as a big a thing in the 80's. I don't remember us ever having to wipe down our desk with any kind of disinfectant. If you spilled glue on your desk, you had to wipe as much of it off as you can with a damp paper towel. But other than that, our clean-up consisted of us throwing away scrap paper, putting away supplies, clearing our desks, and putting our chairs upside down on top of our desks so the janitors could clean.

I'm from Canada, and depending on the jursidiction, French can start anywhere between kindergarten and Grade 5.

Speaking of crayons, I don't think Crayola makes 8-packs anymore.