What do you do? Does your school send out a supply list? Do they give you enough time? Do you follow the list explicitly or do you do things your own way?
Did you follow the lists given to you in the early years but decided that it was rediculous (can you tell this is my thought roll ) and decided to boycott such things once your children reached middle/high school?
Do you ever compare what you have to do in the US (or whichever country you live in) to what your parents did for you when you were in school in the UK? Which approach do you prefer?
The schools here send out a list and you can also pick up the list in some of the major, local stores.
A lot of parents object to the items on the lists here that are pooled by the teacher at the beginning of the school year - such as pencils, pens, tissues etc.
No, I don't stick to the lists anymore. My daughter does not need 36 new regular pencils. Most of the 36 pencils bought last year can be retrieved from the back of the sofa, in between the carpet and the baseboard in her room or in the back of my car. It's like they breed well enough on their own.
No lists here. All materials are supplied by the school or the PTO. Teachers sometimes ask for donations to the classroom for things like tissues, snacks etc. The rarely even have a "wish list". Our PTO operates and fundraises in such a way that teachers have plenty of money for classroom supplies not provided by the school system.
I would rebel too.
You should be sent a list, when I was shopping for Archie's at Super Target they actually had the scool supply lists in store for each of the local schools, very handy )
Arch has already been backa week smile
They only send lists out for the elementary schools. The middle and high schools just add a few essentials to their welcome to class letters, such as the graphing calculator for math.
You should be sent a list
Why?
Because this is America, and this is how Americans have chosen to do it. roll
Because this is America, and this is how Americans have chosen to do it. :roll:
Hmmm.
Maybe we have no lists because we attend a rebelious (yet public) school?
But I don't think the conformist schools in our district have lists either. Perhaps that's why we all had to lose a teacher this year...
We get lists each year which I have discovered can only be fully purchased at Staples. This year I spent $108 on a single shopping trip to Staples. In addition I spent $40 on art supplies for the eldest, but did not have to buy the expensive 7th grade calculator because she changed schools.
I tell my kids that they need to take care of their supplies - if they need any more during they year they must purchase them with their allowance. We also buy extras for those kids whose parents cannot or will not buy their supplies.....
Monster - I think you are very fortunate to live in such a well-organised area - I like the idea of a rebellious school!
This whole "back to school" rigmarole gets right up my nose! From the supply lists to the open house where the world and his bloody dog show up to congest the car parks and corridors for a five minute audience with the new teacher. roll
I lived in what was mainly a farming community so our school (primary) only had five classes. You knew who your teacher was going to be and there was no need for parents sending in supplies.
Lucy is in 4th grade now which, in our town, also means a change of schools. This "Intermediate" school used to be the high school until they spent a gazillion dollars creating the "New Milford Hilton" but omitted to put in a swimming pool so they have to go cap in hand to the private school up the road! Anyway, I guess I have no real beef this year as she has been accepted into the TAG programme and also will be taking 5th grade math so she shouldn't be as bored!!!
Oh, and she hates getting up in the mornings so I am currently the wicked witch of the west for dragging her out of bed hence my posting on Britnet at this hour!!!! lol
Debs x smile
I was just speaking from experience here in NC, we are always sent a list of required items, then when they start back a wishlist. A lot of the items on his list are whole class contributions.
It's just such a ridiculous way to do it. They should just ask the parents for a financial donation, then one person can do all the shopping, buy the right things, probably get bulk rates and the kids all have what they need regardless of parental income. There must surely be items where they only need one per group of children...
Oh wait, that's the way we do it here....... and in fact the money used for supplies the district doen't supply come straight from the Scrip program, so no-one actually has to end up out-of-pocket. ;)
....empty house feels weird regards......
....empty house feels weird regards......
Must be time for Monsterlet #4 then...........(ducks and runs.....) :mrgreen:
It's just such a ridiculous way to do it. .....
I hear you, it has taken me a while to get used to it, I feel for the teachers here in my area unless they get the parent support for items they end up out of pocket themselves as the money they are allocated each year is so little.
Our biggest debate here is year round schools, my sons school is on a list of elementary schools to be converted to year round to make up for the huge growth. Not sure how I feel about it 100 % at the moment I think it will be ok if his is changed. We find out today I think.