School supplies

PrairieMom wrote: Well, I am back from my 2nd trip out school supply shopping, and i am officially annoyed.
Our public school system put out a list, so I went and got the stuff.
one box 24 crayons, one box of 10 markers, one bottle of glue, 2 folders, one spiral notebook blah blah blah
Now Ben's new teacher sends out a list, please buy 4 boxes of crayons, 2 boxes of markers, 3 bottles of glue, 4 notebooks... WTH is she planning on doing with these kids? 4 boxes of crayons? Then it says please bring ALL supplies with you to orientation, marked with your child's name, initials on crayons and markers is helpful. Seriously? I have to buy my kid 4 boxes of colors, for kindergarten, and then I have to open each box and write is initials on every single one? all one hundred of them? plus the markers and pencils?
is this normal?

Kaitlin'smom replied: well i have not met with kaitlins teacher yet, but the first supply list I got did mention to buy extra early as things are cheeper and when they run out of somthing like glue or what ever you have extra at home, the list I got from the store was a little different but I have all of it now I am waitling see how much more I have to buy.......and yes we are told to put our child name on everything....but it never occusred to me to lable each crayon......oy

PrairieMom replied:
I would feel better if i could leave the stuff at home, or at least let me take the personal responsibility to replace my son's supplies as it becomes necessary, but isn't 4 boxes a tad bit excessive? and then to have to take them to school, leaves me feeling like perhaps I am supplying another child with supplies. Plus, where are they gonna keep all this stuff? if every child (24 in his class) brings 4 boxes of crayons, that is 100 boxes!
Oh the joy's of our public school system. Its gonna be an interesting 12 years.

Calimama replied: What the heck does the teacher need 100 boxes of Crayons for!??

PrairieMom replied:

mckayleesmom replied: That does seem a bit excessive.

Mckaylee's list was so small that I'm throwing in extra stuff because I know she or another student will probably need it eventually.

Mckaylee's list is so small that I'm wondering if they are going to ask us to freshen up their supplies mid year.

boyohboyohboy replied: we are very lucky we do not have supply anything.

momofone replied: i would think one box would last the whole year
4 is alot and to mark each one (oh my)

A&A'smommy replied: are you SURE she meant to label EACH one or just the box?? thats weird and definitely excessive.. I have a friend who is a teacher and whatever they don't use she sends back with the students at the end of the year

PrairieMom replied:
it says, word for word...


When you come, please bring all of your supplies with you. Please label all items with your name. Initials on crayons, makers and pencils are very helpful too!.



I put a call into a teacher friend to talk to her about it, I would hate to not be a "rule follower" but I will have no time to ask the acutal teacher, as I have been instructed to bring all our stuff to our first meeting.

sparkys2boys replied: OMG, I so had to do this for Logans first year All the pencils had to be sharpened also. And she had wanted like 100 of them.. umm helloooooo grade 1 here not grad school

AlexsPajamaMama replied: wow it sounds like alot of people are having to supply the classroom and not just their child.
I'm not looking forward to kindergarten at all...for pre-k we got a list of things that are used alot and we can donate items if we'd like to. I'm way more motivated to donate tons of stuff, rather than have to buy all that.

MommyToAshley replied: That sounds about like our supply list from Kinder, as well as this year. We had to bring all the supplies in... and they do share. For example... the crayons were separated into colored containers on the tables. There were probably about 8-10 of each color in their appropriate container (only the primary colors), and there was a container of about 12 pencils. This year, in first grade, Ashley will have a desk instead of a table, so not sure how they will do it. But, I had to buy 4 boxes of crayons, a box of markers, a box of colored pencils, paper towels, baby wipes, 4 dry erase markers, kleenex, folders, eight erasers, twelve sticks of glue. I am sure there's more that I am forgetting, but it was more than just the supplies that she would be using. We pay for private school... I would think some of that would be included but it's not.

kit_kats_mom replied: We had a pretty extensive list for Katherine's Kindergarten class. However, it's the first year for the charter school so I don't mind. We also don't have to label anything. All of the supplies go into bins and the kids get what they get when it's time to use it.

One of my GF's whos DD is in K's class, told me that her DH insisted on buying "the best" for their DD. Everything matches, is pink or purple, blah blah blah. I didn't have the heart to tell them that they are all sharing and their DD probably wouldn't see that stuff again.

Kaitlin'smom replied: okay but Tara and I am sure your thinking this if they are sharing or your supplying for kids who cant afforrd it they why do you have to lable all of it? would a child not see there name on something and say hay thats mine????

PrairieMom replied:
yeah, I don't have a clue. if I have to label it all, I had better get back what isnt used at the end of the year.
I do know that storage space is at a premium there, so I can't imagine that the teacher would want to store all that stuff. I am sure it will become crystal clear to me tomorrow.
my teacher friend that I talked to who works for a different school district said that she was sure I am supposed to label each and every item, so I did as I was told. What a PITB.

maestra replied: The only reason I could think of for having each of the crayons labeled would be in case the crayons were mixed up, the kids couldn't argue over whose were whose.

My district provides most items, but this year we did send out a donation list. I got one bottle of glue. What usually happens is that at the end of the year, the supply money runs out, and I have to buy my own paper and pencils for the class. Last year, I bought pencils for the last 2 months of school. I wish people were as willing to donate as some of you are- even one box of crayons helps! (Oh, and I will probably go through 4 boxes of crayons per kid this year- they break or get used up).

MoonMama replied:
That's what I was thinking!

I think I'm home schooling.

lisar replied: The 4 boxes of crayons don't surprise me at all. They will break them and loose them and all that stuff. Each note book will be for a diffrent subject also. As for the writing your kids initials on each one is she serious. Maybe on the box, but not each crayon. Thats nuts

My2Beauties replied: Is this seriously what I have to look forward to next year?

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Reading that I would assume she meant on the boxes, not on each crayon. I think if she meant each crayon, it'd say something like "please label each crayon, marker, and pencil individually".

I would call and ask.

I wouldn't do it, even if they asked...that's nuts.

The one thing I did like about Tanner's teacher last year is that everyone bought their items, and the things like crayons, pencils, etc. were all put into a closet and shared. No labeling or anything. The 4 boxes doesn't surprise me though. I think Tanner had to bring in two last year. This year it is only one. They don't use crayons a lot though...mostly pencils and markers.