Let's Compare----

[Britesea]

I don't think I ever got a "list" when I was a kid. You were expected to bring pencils, a 3 ring binder and lined paper, maybe a box of crayons; but they didn't have to be new, just useable. I remember the first day of school was always taken up with making book covers for all our textbooks out of old shopping bags that the teacher provided. Everything else was supplied by the school. Funny, they had enough money back then to provide all that stuff even though the percentage of tax money going to the school system was smaller.

 

[gettinaclue]

My son is going in first grade.

1 Bookbag
1 box of gallon zip lock type bags
2 boxes of 24 pack crayons
3 bottles of glue (I bought the sticks instead - plenty for school and at home for homework - he had a TON of homework in Kindergarden)
1 pair of blunt end scissors (I bought two - one for school and one for homework)
6 marble composition books (the types with the pages sewn in - caught those on sale at Kmart earlier in the week for .50 )
2 boxes of tissues
3-2 pocket folders
and a couple more small items I can't remember off the top of my head.

I was shocked by the brevity of this list. My DD went to a different school for first grade and her school supply list was twice this long, and I got a teacher wish list to go with it and it was a bigger school with far more funding. I haven't gotten a teacher wish list for my son's teacher this year...but I think that's only because I haven't met him/her yet LOL.

DD is going into 8th grade this year.

I can't tell you all that was on it - there's no way I can remember all of that - it was LONG. I can tell you that they do not allow ANY gel pens and NO white out and she is using the same bookbag I bought her for an early birthday present in March. I gave her the list and told her to go shop and to get what she wanted, but to watch money. The only thing we are missing is a french/english dictionary that Walmart didn't have. They only had spanish/english dictionaries, but I think we'll just get on Amazon and get one for her. Most of the local bookstores are going/gone out of business and the two that are still in business don't have very good hours for me. It'll save me a lot of time, aggrevation and gas doing it this way - otherwise, I'd just go to Borders.

I can tell you I spent $178.00 on school supplies at Walmart during the tax free weekend her in VA, and this doesn't include the price for the gym uniforms that DD is required to have. The shirts run 15 to 20 if I remember correctly from last year, and the shorts are more expensive than that. She says she doesn't need anything for gym, everything still fits, but I at least want to buy one other shirt since one of them is looking a bit sad.

To be fair - I did buy a garden hat (sorely needed), a dog toy (because I haven't bought them a toy in about 3 years and my pom REALLY likes to kill the squeekers), and a pack of sharpies (since all my others grew legs and walked away) - none of which was required by the school, so if I hadn't bought those, the bill would have been 30 bucks cheaper. DD also had some school supplies still in her basket in her room, so we didn't have to get everything on the list - just most of it.

I have bought neither clothes nor shoes for back to school. That will have to wait until I get paid again. DS just needs a pair of everyday shoes. DD needs everyday shoes and gym shoes. She's at the age where she needs more than one pair. PAY LESS, HERE WE COME(in a couple weeks)!

 

[FarmerChick]

this is fun to read what everyone requires.



I was in the mountains and their school started Aug. 2

my bros kids in Asheville started on (like) Aug 15

my kid goes Aug. 25


She can not wait for school. can't wait to see her little friends and she got the teacher she was hoping for, the one she liked alot.

school is such a great atmosphere for her and I am so glad she is excited. And you know, WINK, I can't wait til that 7:30 to 3:00 kicks in...ahhh, the relaxing time to get some stuff done quickly!



my sister in law did say the list gets alot longer and more expensive as they get older. yikes, but it is cool. I don't mind supplying stuff for my kid if it helps her.

 

[Bimpnottin]

We still haven't gotten the list for my 4-year-old, but here's the list for my 3rd grader. In all fairness, we do send her to a Catholic grade school, so WE are the budget.

Grade 3
4 glue sticks, 2 Tacky glue & 1 Elmers glue (Art Dept.)
crayons (any size)
1 set of markers
Pencils & erasers (one large pink eraser)
2 red checking pencils or ink pens
1 roll of 3M or Scotch Masking Tape
1 12 inch wooden ruler with metric on one side
Box of colored pencils
1 highlighter
1 package loose leaf paper (wide line)
1 school box or pencil case
5 notebooks (wide lines) 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue and 2 any color
5 pocket folders (1 red & 1 green, 1 blue & 2 any color)
1 book bag or backpack
1 scissors
2 boxes of tissues to share
1 Catholic School Student Assignment Notebook (FREE) (Teacher will hand out)
* No pencil sharpeners *No 3-ring binders
4 Expo Dry Erase Markers
1 container of sanitizing wipes (example) Lysol
1 pack of 1 gallon Zip Lock Bags (Art Dept.)
1 ream of paper
Multiplication Flash Cards
Division Flash Cards

 

[old fashioned]

Every year we get similar supply lists as posted. A couple of years ago I took the kids & all their supplies to each ones classrooms & the teachers were saying "oh my, I don't have enough room in the cupboards for anymore stuff since we still have some from last year" and as the year progressed, I noticed my kids were using stuff I hadn't bought for them & I asked them about it. They said all supplies were dumped together & everyone took what they needed from it. I have since stopped buying supplies the school doesn't need & my kids won't be using. I now only buy the stuff my kids need & will use and keep the extras at home. I can't afford to buy supplies for everyone else & then have my own kids go without because someone else used it already.

 

[Wannabefree]

DD hasn't gotten the dreaded "lists" yet. She is in High School now, and I hate to tell those picky teachers, but we will only be providing necessary items, like paper, pencils, and a few folders. there will be no fancy schmancy specific stuffs for mine. We just can't afford it this year. Homeschool tuition is cheaper than their "wish lists" half the time. It is ridiculous! I HOPE I get a call from a teacher griping...it'd just about make my day. My kid can go to the restroom and wash her hands and blow her nose if she needs to do so. I refuse to send Kleenex and Germ-X because she won't use it anyway. I never send extra things, because they are very rarely even used. She had a few brand new items left over from "the list" last year that we struggled to afford for her. So no, we aren't playing that game this year. This is one of my pet peeves, couldn't tell could ya?