School supplies for your teacher

**ruderring** · 08-24-2010, 09:03 PM

Some textbook fees are for books that are considered consumables that the students tear out or write in. As for the the supply fee that is a stumper. Could it be for copying fees? I don't know we don't have that my school. We do however have a technology fee that helps buy new computers and software for our labs could that be a part of it? I would be interested to know if you find out.

**New-mom-to-be** · 08-25-2010, 09:09 PM

parents have been wonderful in providing the supplies. I probably have 70 packages of copy paper, a dozen cans of Lysol, 15 packages of wipes, 25-30 boxes of Kleenex, and many, many bottles of hand sanitizer.

I was also really happy to see most students with a flash drive this year.

**TheresaRHPS** · 08-25-2010, 11:52 PM

I went through my nephew's papers today...he's in 7th grade. Some of his teachers had a teacher's wish-list (nothing more than 1-3 items for the class), and his science teacher had a list of consumable lab supplies that kids could bring in. In return, they'd get a ticket to be traded in later for a small prize.

Everything was very low-key, and not demanding. I sent a bag full of tissues, hand soap, and D batteries. I already had all these things in my stockpile, and didn't even make a noticeable dent, lol.

Luckily, we had a pretty frugal back to school shopping season this year. It also helps that costs were shared between his father, his mother, me, and my mom, lol. I'm proud of him...he made some money-smart decisions as well...such as picking out all durable plastic folders instead of easily destroyed ones, re-using last year's backpack, and packing his own lunches.

**Syn D** · 08-26-2010, 12:59 AM

Originally Posted by my4littlebuffaloes

I have spent a good bit of time in the classroom and the teachers use the wipes to clean off the desks after a craft project and before snack time. The janitors are not going to be in every classroom to take care of this several times a day.

In every school he worked at, the teachers would brush on to the floor with a damp paper towel and was his job to clean the room on his shift.. If there is a spill (glue, paint, etc.)on the desk or floor there should be a day custodian there to call, that is part of the day job..

As I have expressed, I go by my experience in the 4 different districts in the 3 different states he has worked in and in all grades.. He has worked days and evenings, so I know pretty much what a day/evening custodian does and has time for as it didn't differ much till we moved here and they had no clue what an actual custodian should be doing every shift.. When he started here and started doing his area, the teachers were shocked in the first week of all the things he did that they thought was their job.. A teachers job is to teach and take care of the kids, a custodians job is any aspect of cleaning in their area.. He has had many teachers over the years that respected him a lot (the ones that didn't think he was beneath them) and would do a little extra in their class to help him..

As he always tells his employees if they complain about a room being a mess "Hey, that's job security, if the mess wasn't there, why would they need you here".

**Syn D** · 08-26-2010, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by treeluva

I never got upset about it before, but this year, I am LIVID about it.
I have to pay a "Classroom Supply Fee" of $30 per child

Seriously?!?! 4 kids = $30 each on top of everything else.. All I can says is "try keeping my kid out of school for me not paying this"..

All I know is, after reading all these posts, a lot of school districts big or small aren't putting there money where it is suppose to go.. Our district is low budget, yet have a very small supply list and none of it calls for copy paper, toilet paper, Kleenex, zip-lock bags (fyi, never had those last 2 things in my home unless they were givin to me), baby wipes, etc..

**Ssindi** · 08-26-2010, 07:57 AM

The custodians in our schools have never had time to go into a classroom to clean up messes from projects.

Some mentioned uses for zip bags. We use them for crayons when the boxes get to raggedy. They also good for other misc items.All classrooms do not have desks.Art,science ,and K classrooms often have tables instead of desks.Likewise "pods"(trailers) used for extra classrooms not connected to the school building proper.

**McD** · 08-26-2010, 09:34 AM

Our school custodians never went room to room to clean up messes as they occur either. We were handed paper towels or wipes and expected to clean up after ourselves. Our day custodians performed building and grounds maintenance, furniture repair, bus maintenance & cleaning, things of that nature. The night custodian was the one in charge of going through and thoroughly cleaning each room at the end of the day.

I guess I don't understand why we would expect a janitor to clean up after the daily messies of our children at school. Does someone do that for them at home?

**scrap_candles** · 09-15-2010, 10:54 PM

We have a $30 supply fee per child and a loooong list of supplies to bring in also. Normally I dont get too upset by it but this year it bothered me. My 6th grader along with his normal items, crayons, pencils, ruler, etc needed 4 steno books, 4 EXPO dry erase markers, 3 boxes tissues, clorox wipes, baggies, etc. The 5th grader and 9th grader the same but they could have regular $.19 walmart notebooks. Why a stinking steno book? Cant they just use the regular cheap notebooks that always go on sale and I have stocked up? And 4 expo dry erase markers? Really 4? At 25 kids in his class, thats 100 dry erase markers? Can a teacher really use that many in one year? Maybe they can, I dont know, and if so I dont want your hand cramps. But I do get a little upset with the supply fees, and on top of it a huge list. And at our school if the fee is not paid by the end of the 2nd 9 weeks, the kids wont get their grade cards. They are held until the fee is paid.

**ruderring** · 09-15-2010, 11:53 PM

In Iowa it is against the law to hold someone's grade card even if they do owe money. If I were you I would check with your state to see what they say about that.

**Booklover** · 09-16-2010, 12:05 AM

In Wisconsin, they will hold your diploma if you do not pay your fees!

Also, at the beginning of each school year they send home a paper saying that the school district also will take legal action against someone you doesn't pay.

They will let them accrue from year to year, but watch out if your a senior!

**New-mom-to-be** · 09-18-2010, 08:25 AM

Originally Posted by scrap_candles

We have a $30 supply fee per child and a loooong list of supplies to bring in also. Normally I dont get too upset by it but this year it bothered me. My 6th grader along with his normal items, crayons, pencils, ruler, etc needed 4 steno books, 4 EXPO dry erase markers, 3 boxes tissues, clorox wipes, baggies, etc. The 5th grader and 9th grader the same but they could have regular $.19 walmart notebooks. Why a stinking steno book? Cant they just use the regular cheap notebooks that always go on sale and I have stocked up? And 4 expo dry erase markers? Really 4? At 25 kids in his class, thats 100 dry erase markers? Can a teacher really use that many in one year? Maybe they can, I dont know, and if so I dont want your hand cramps. But I do get a little upset with the supply fees, and on top of it a huge list. And at our school if the fee is not paid by the end of the 2nd 9 weeks, the kids wont get their grade cards. They are held until the fee is paid.

My school's math department has dry erase boards for every student. They use them at their desks to work out problems in class. Your child could have a teacher that does that, so they would need dry erase markers.

And even if your child doesn't use one at their desk, most math teachers, especially in younger grades, have students working problems on the board.

**Michelle** · 09-18-2010, 09:13 AM

I don't mind sending in supplies. What I don't appreciate is when teachers promise the students extra points on tests etc for bringing them in. For example, one of Kathryn's teachers (she's in 8th grade) said that if they brought in 5 boxes of tissues that they would get 10 points added to a test score. How horrible that must feel to be the child who can't afford to send in 5 boxes of tissues.

It just doesn't seem like an appropriate "reward" to me.