HalifaxTalk.com

[ama22001]

Many of us parents are thrilled by the new, shorter supply lists (5 items or less).

The elementary school teachers are the ones who will be paying out of their own pockets for those supplies that were removed from the lists. [There are many hard-working teachers who use their own money to buy hundreds, even thousands, of dollars worth of supplies and materials FOR THE CHILDREN each year because they love our children and want them to be comfortable.]

The school system does NOT provide a fund or supply closet where these materials magically appear. I know you are all shocked! And there certainly isn't a stockpile hidden anywhere that I have seen so far.

Yes, your elementary school child's teacher has to supply the tissues that are used up at a phenomenal rate. Yes, they pay for all that notebook paper that wasn't placed on the supply lists [because the teachers were only allowed to put 5 requests on their lists]. Yes, the teachers provide 20 or more pencils every day for students whose families refuse to buy or cannot afford to buy school supplies.

My point? Nothing in life is free. While we parents are rejoicing at those short lists and the money we will be saving, the teachers are feeling pressured to buy those items for us.

[tobaccagirl]

I'm a parent that is NOT happy about the short list. Granted I only have one child ( if I had more it would have only been one more.. because I feel that would be about all I could afford) Schools are not going to provide anything! The teacher can only buy so much.....I would GLADLY send tissues, hand sanitizer, Wipes to clean the desks...etc! Anything to help keep down the sickness! Some parents send kids to school with out backpacks and pencils, things these kids really need....forget the other stuff! I have told all my childs teachers if they need something to help keep things clean, PLEASE ask me! I will be glad to help! It really upsets me that they could not ask for these things.....some parents would help, but now you can't even ask! Thats CRAZY! But thats our SCHOOL SYSTEM!

[ginblossom]

I was stunned at the 6th grade list where it said "loose leaf paper will be provided by MS". Loose leaf paper is not mentioned at all on the 8th grade list. I cannot fathom how much paper it will take to supply all the students. Is this some sort of grant we have gotten?

[justme]

I didn't hear anything about the MS supplying loose-leaf paper. Maybe it is just a sixth-grade thing.

[koolbox]

I don't have a child in school anymore, but this issue is confusing to me.

Why were the teachers only allowed to ask the parents to provide only five items? Is not notepaper, pens, pencils, binders, notebooks, necessary items? Even when I was a child we had to wait for the list to come out so we knew what kind and number of notebooks and/or binders we were required to have. A dictionary was one of the items we always had to have. Something just doesn't sound right.

[Joe]

There was much complaining about all of the items that were being shown on the supply lists given out by the schools. As a result it was decided that there would be a committee formed of various representatives of each school to work out what items would be on all elementary lists. There was disagreement as to the items and the elementary schools could not agree as to what was to be on the list. One school refused to go along with the other schools and insisted on certain things. So, each elementary school has a generic list of the central office mandated number of items for all students. Some teachers will ask for additional stuff, some teachers get students whose parents send nothing. Some teachers get a mix of parents; those who send and those who do not. Some teachers have so many supplies sent in that there is nowhere to put them. Building principals have much to say about what money is spent on and often they error in what money is spent on in that they do not always inquire from the teachers. Prime example is supplying of loose leaf paper which is rarely used anyway.
In addition much gets put on the PTO’s to make up the shortfall so the principal’s discretionary fund is left intact. What the school does not supply, and the parents do not supply, the teachers often end up supplying. Some of the items which seem to be very basic in nature should be supplied by the school and are not. This was covered by the school board and there was to be an increase in the supplies provided but it seems that it was ignored. Basically central office gets involved and does not know what is really happening in the schools and screws it up. School Board members who have no clue say the administration is doing the right thing, and some say we have no money. Contact your school board representative and complain. There are several that continue to say everything is fine. Contact the school’s principal and express your concern.

[marine22]

I will admit that I am one of those parents that was happy about the shortened list. I will also tell everyone that I am one of those parents that buys extra things for each of my kids, just in case there are some kids that don't have the things that they need. I will ask the teachers periodically throughout the school year if there is anything that they need and I will go out and purchase those items. There are some of us parents out there that do our best to help out the teachers with supplies in any way that we can!

[HomeStyle]

Asking teachers to supply something as simple as a pack of notebook paper is stupid as hell. I saw the note but bought my kids all of their supplies needed anyway, plus more. I'll be damned if one of my kids will be standing in front of their teacher with their hand out and essentially saying they were too irresponsible to bring their own paper. Forgetting supplies and leaving them at home is one thing. EXPECTING just one more thing to be handed to them free and clear is another. Good grief. No wonder kids nowadays seem they are entitled to the world.
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[2boxers]

Homestyle, DT really needs to install an "Oh hell yeah" or a "Preach it, Sistah" button.
_________________
Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun
And you might meet 'em both if you show up here not welcome son
Our necks are burnt, our roads are dirt and our trucks ain't clean
The dogs run lose, we smoke, we chew and fry everything
Out here,

[ginblossom]

Absolutely agree homestyle!! I won't buy my kids cell phones, but I will damn sure make sure they have what they NEED for school.

I am constantly amazed at the students sitting in my HS classroom that "borry" paper and pencil everyday!!


As an aside, I am glad to have moved away from elem. school and 1 item always on the list - plastic baggies. I always felt like I was supplying a drug dealer!!

[justme]

I don't ask for baggies because I can afford them! I can buy enough for everyone for a couple of dollars.

For me, the biggest problem is the notebook paper. We use a lot of paper because we try just to make a class set of copies.

[Psych]

[V]

HomeStyle, you hit the nail on the head!
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Today I'm handin' out lollipops and a** whoopin's. And I'm fresh outta lollipops...

[kfarson]

First let me say I am speaking for myself NOT THE SCHOOL BOARD....... It has been "strongly recommended" that board members not post, respond or communicate about issues involving the school system, so with that being said I am simply giving my opinion as an INDIVIDUAL!!!!
The teachers in this county should NOT be expected to use out of pocket funds to buy any supplies. There needs to be enough money alloted to each school for children to receive the education they are entitled to without financially causing strain on the classroom teacher.
Teachers are expected to do enough without worrying over the students having notebook paper and pencils.

[perspective]