Holy cow. If I have to buy all these supplies, why aren't I just homeschooling?

[DoomaYula]

Please tell me if this is normal. My twins are starting kindy in the fall, at a public school. Here's their supply list for each kindy student (ie, I will have to buy double this list)

2x tissues
2x folders
1 spiral notebook
1 box markers
1 box dry erase markers
10x large gluesticks
2 boxes of crayons (crayola please)
1 box #2 ticonderoga pencil
colored pencils (crayola please)
3x box of ziploc bags (various sizes)
pink erasers
2 liquid anti-bac soap
band aids
1 hand sanitizer
4x6 spiral index cards
2 boxes baby wipes
colored or white copy paper

Okay, is it just me, or is that a freaking TON of stuff?!?!?!?

[elmh23]

It's a LOT of stuff, but it's also meant to last the entire school year.

[Oriole]

Well.. depending on the school district, if you don't purchase these materials for your child and the classroom, then the teacher will be bound to spend her own money multiplied by the number of kids she has in class on top of everything she has undoubtedly already spent getting ready for the year...

Yep. It's a lot of stuff to buy on a teacher's salary... However, if you are struggling yourself, I would simply purchase the pencils, the crayons, a notebook and a box of gluesticks, and see what happens... I would also consult the teacher on the first day of school regarding the supplies list, and explain that things are a little tough, so you went with the basics.

[Heavenly]

Trust me, homeschooling costs ALOT more than that. I don't view that list as excessive at all.

[lovbeingamommy]

I hope it was stated on the list that it is RECOMMENDED. You already pay for this school with your tax dollars since it's a public school. I know at my school we do give lists, but make sure, per our superintendent, to state that it is recommended. Teachers (schools) must provide everything your child needs to be successful in school. With that being said, I do know that a lot of parents and children love to shop and bring their own stuff and that's fine too. Some parents just buy the basics ie: backpack, pencils, etc. Money is tight right now, at least with my family . You shouldn't feel pressured into buying every item on the list.

If your p.s. does not allow each teacher access to the supply room or an allotment of money to spend on each classroom I'd be surprised. I've been a teacher/admin for almost 20 yrs. and ALWAYS have had plenty of supplies. If there's something over and above the general supplies than yes a teacher may need to spend his/her own money.

[jen in co]

Looks pretty typical for around here.

Teachers get almost no budget for basic classroom supplies (no more than a couple hundred bucks). The budget they get they tend to spend on instructional stuff (cool manipulatives, posters, books, games, etc.). If parents don't provide the basic supplies, they have to take away from the budget for instructional supplies to buy the basics. As it is, most teachers I know spend a lot of $$ on stuff for their classrooms every year.

Our school's PTA will provide/buy the stuff for anyone for whom it would be a financial hardship, so if it's tough (and I know it must be even tougher with 2 of them to buy for) you might look into that. Keep an eye out for the school supply sales. You can pick up most of this stuff in one section of Target or Walmart for much much less closer to the start of school.

[34me]

Unfortunately, it's a pretty typical list for our area. The thing that really bugged me about the Kindergarten list is that I got all the stuff and then they dumped it all into "communiy" supplies so we got nothing back - even the scissors. Now how many scissors do you need?

[joycenjackiesmom]

I felt the same way when my older dd started k but have gotten used to it. As a teacher if I have students who can't purchase their own materials I find a way to supply them--either through a supply closet or purchasing them myself. I thought I'd share my younger dd's list for next year (next to the fourth grade list it seems very reasonable now)

1 box of kleenex
6 Elmers glue sticks
3 bottles of Elmers school glue
1 package of 3x5 index cards
1 box of washable markers
1 box of gallon size Ziploc bags
1 pkg of pencils
1 box of colored pencils
1 box of crayons
1 backback
3 wide-ruled spiral notebooks
1 box antibacterial baby wipes (label with name)
1 ream of copy paper
1 box Ziploc sandwich bags
1 pair Fiskars scissors

This is for the beginning of the year--we will also get requests for items during the year as they run out. We also can send a snack each day or buy a larger package that can be shared with the class (I usually go for the second option so I have one less thing to remember each morning) The fourth grade list has twice as many items with several of them being multiples of the same item--I better start saving for that shopping trip now.

[Ellien C]

Here's my list. I can't believe we have to supply snacks. I guess I'm good with everything else, though the paper plates, napkins and forks are disappointing.
___________________________________

Kindergarten Supply List, 2008-2009

1 backpack labeled with your child’s name
1 towel or small blanket, clearly marked with your child’s name
(for reading/rest time)
(No large blankets, mats or sleeping bags, please.)

Please do not write your child’s name on the following supplies. Many of these items will be shared:

2 wire-bound spiral notebooks, 70 pages, wide rule, non-perforated pages
2 2-pocket folders with brads.
2 packages of 8 or 10 markers (“classic colors”)
(including red, orange, yellow, blue, green, purple, brown & black)
2 bottles of white glue, 4 oz.
2 rolls of Scotch tape (Scotch brand really works much better than others)
1 package of pencils
1 can of Play-Doh
2 boxes of crayons (8 or 16 ONLY), regular size
1 package of paper napkins
1 package of paper plates
1 package of paper cups
1 roll of paper towels
1 box of Kleenex
1 box of plastic forks or spoons, approx. 24 count

Please send a non-perishable snack to school with your child to share with the class during the first month of school. The snack should be big enough to serve 25 children. Drinks are also welcome; single-serving drink boxes are preferred. Monthly snack calendars will begin in October.

Please send only the items on the list. All additional items will be returned.

Optional Helpful Items:

Plastic zip lock bags (gallon size or sandwich size)
Package of dry-erase markers
Brass paper fasteners

Kindergarten Homework Supplies:

Please purchase the following items to keep in a special place at home for homework:

Glue
Scissors: “Fiskars for Kids” work the best
Crayons and/or markers
Pencils
Paper

[FancyPants]

yup. Pretty typical. Seems not too bad actually.

[CarrieMF]

That would be excessive for here.

In Kindergarten they need:

Backpack
indoor shoes
headphones
lunchkit

The headphones are used each year for in the computer room. I paid $20 for them & so far the ones I bought my dd going into Grade 5 has used the same pair since K.

We don't have the lists yet(get them Friday), but on my dd going into Grade 1 she'll need

Ruler(we've used the same ones year to year)
pencil box(again used the same ones)
crayons(1 box)
Pencil crayons(1 box)
4 white erasers
10 or 20 pencils
4 large glue sticks
headphones(re-use the same ones)
10 duo tangs
1 highlighter
2 boxes of kleenex
lunchkit
backpack
shoes
scissors(re-used)

[bnhmama]

That seems about standard, I think. I can remember as a kid my parents having to provide backpack, crayons, pencils, paper, school box, erasers, scissors, glue, etc. I know this is a bit more but seems about normal.

Here's my ds's fall K list. (Sniff, sniff. My baby is going to K!)
4-#2 pencils
Fiskars scissors (no plastic blades)
3 boxes of crayons (crayola preferred)
2-3 boxes washable markers (crayola preferred)
2 large boxes of facial tissue
2 bottles Elmer's glue
Backpack (No wheels, please)
2 rolls of scotch tape
4-2 pocket folders with brads-solid color-no pictures
Nap mat-vinyl or plastic
1 package of index cards

Boys-Box of gallon Ziploc bags
Roll of paper towels
Waterless soap

Girls-box of sandwich ziploc bags
Box of wet wipes
3-4 glue sticks

My plan is to pick up extras of the cheap things like crayons, glue, markers, etc. Those are always marked down super cheap as the school year approaches.

[SAHDS]

Originally Posted by DoomaYula

2x tissues
2x folders
1 spiral notebook
1 box markers
1 box dry erase markers
10x large gluesticks
2 boxes of crayons (crayola please)
1 box #2 ticonderoga pencil
colored pencils (crayola please)
3x box of ziploc bags (various sizes)
pink erasers
2 liquid anti-bac soap
band aids
1 hand sanitizer
4x6 spiral index cards
2 boxes baby wipes
colored or white copy paper

WOW! That is insane! It seems to me as though you're providing supplies for half the kids. Baby wipes, copy paper, band-aids, soaps and sanitizer??? That school needs more funding!

Here's our school's list:

Colored pencils
2 sets of markers
16 Glue Sticks—replace as needed ( NOT colored )
Box of 24 Crayola Crayons
1 Box Kleenex
2 dry erase markers

Everything else is provided and only the glue sticks need replenishing.

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by Heavenly

Trust me, homeschooling costs ALOT more than that.

Not the way we do it.

Yeah, when ds was in school, I was bowled over by the amount of things we needed to bring in, not just supplies (actually weren't too many beyond snacks for pre-k), but assignments for donations to different causes (like Hurricane victims). And then there was the fund raisers. I think there were three in the first 6 weeks.

[ChristaN]

Well, my youngest is a 3rd grader, but I do have the school list for all grades, so I can tell you what the kindergarteners need. (BTW, we are often asked, mid-year to send in more pencils, snacks for the class, tissues and hand sanitizer, so don't be surprised if this stuff doesn't last all year.) Here's our K list:

two black felt tipped fine markers
three glue sticks
three 4-oz. bottles of white school glue
six glue sticks (I don't know why they broke 9 sticks up into two items??)
three boxes of 8 count, regular sized crayons
two boxes of 24 count crayons
two boxes of fat, washable markers (classic colors, no smelly ones)
one pair of fiskars scissors (blunt tip, metal blade)
one backpack
one container Clorox wipes
one small container of hand sanitizer
one box of 5 oz. kitchen cups
one box of quart or gallon sized Ziploc bags

My third grader's list has about 5 or 6 more items on it than this including cash. My sixth grader needs things like flash drives for a computer.

[pajamajes]

I don't think it is bad at all. You kid is gonna be using the stuff. Teachers can't pay for 30 kids school supplies out of their pockets.

[EFmom]

That's pretty reasonable for my neck of the woods, too.

The only thing that gets my goat are the notebook requests. We always have to buy about 6 composition books and 6 spiral notebooks. At the end of the year, each one of the notebooks will have a max of ten pages used. I'm not seeing exactly why we need a separate notebook for each subject.

[alegna]

Completely typical for around here.

-Angela

[annethcz]

I don't think that seems excessive. At my kids' school they ask parents to donate $25/child for shared supplies at the beginning of the year. I have no problem providing the basics for my kids, that's my job as a parent.

[quinnsmum]

Okay, I am sorry, but I think these lists are total BS. Yes, our kids probably need all most of this stuff, and learn so much during these years, but if we are spending $300million PER DAY in Iraq, why the *&$% are we not sending a mere fraction of that to our schools? This blows my mind. Here I am, the mom of a toddler and I have to think about how the heck I am going to pay for these outrageous supply lists, just for kindergarden?!