Supplies-Really Not Fair

amother

Honey

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 12:56 pm

amother Tuberose wrote:

We have a $100 supply/book fee per child in addition to the loads of school supplies we need to buy! Why is there a book fee? The school doesn’t pay for books.

Why don't they? I'm sure some textbooks are funded but classroom books, library books and seforim are not.

amother

↑ Tuberose

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 1:09 pm

amother Honey wrote:

Why don't they? I'm sure some textbooks are funded but classroom books, library books and seforim are not.

English textbooks are funded. The kids needs to bring all sefarim from home. We pay a separate library fee in addition to the supply/book fee. We also pay a separate fee for G.O & extra curriculum.

amother

↑ Seagreen

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:42 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

Out of curiosity, what would you be willing to pay for this?

Kids don’t like it. They like going to the store and picking out their things. Like the color of the scissors, things like that. Plus the company our school used wasn’t high quality.
I think most schools try to accommodate.

↑ Hashem_Yaazor ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:47 pm

amother Seagreen wrote:

I agree as a parent.
I was asking another poster what it would be worth it to her.

I don't think schools can be as cheap as parents can pay. Some things can be bought in bulk but many things can't be bought at the same sale price Target/Walmart would sell unless there were school employees shopping all the sales all the time, not running out of the sale items in the store, etc
That can't happen...

Which is why I nixed the idea this year of mandating a school supply fee instead of having lists.... Optional fee can be implemented if we decide in the future, but not mandating unless it really would be cost effective to parents.

mha3484

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:49 pm

Someone on my neighborhood chat is doing this as a business and her prices weren't terrible. So if you hate shopping and would rather outsource it maybe that's a better option then the school doing it. You get a choice to pick your own supplies or have someone else assemble them.

amother

↑ Nemesia ↓

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:52 pm

Our school found a service where they import the list and parents can buy a box of the needed supplies. Or parents can take the list and buy it themselves. The downside is the school can’t change the lists mid summer when teachers change. (See my posts up thread) Everything has pros and cons

↑ Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:56 pm

amother Nemesia wrote:

We imported our list to Target so parents can basically do a one click add to cart.

We tried out a service sample which didn't have everything and was overpriced and wasn't really able to differentiate as we need for certain things and quality wasn't great on certain items.

amother

↑ Nemesia

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 3:57 pm

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

This target option sounds amazing!

amother

↑ Papayawhip

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 5:24 pm

amother Seagreen wrote:

I don't agree. This is true if they are used to it. We just grew up in the UK that you got what the teacher gave. It knocks down competition, prices were way less because it was bought in bulk and if you needed something mid-year, parents don't have to pay again.

B'Syata D'Shmya ↓

Fri, Aug 16 2024, 3:08 am

amother OP wrote:

Every year I get a list of supplies for all my kids. We go to the store we pick the supplies we come out with a huge headache. Yay we're done!
But then school/cheder starts and each child comes home yet again with a fresh new list from each teacher/Rebbe!
Can't they give us the list all at once?!
I have no time in this busy busy season to go 10 times to the supplies and seforim store!!
Rant over.

Tale as old as time...
Your vent is a right of passage (of sorts), we've all been there and yes it is frustrating!!

We wanted the school (via the Parents Vaad - AKA mothers volunteering which was a win-win for them) do collective purchase of all the books and supplies (so many pluses with this, the school can "earn" a buck, the kids all have the same thing so no comparing and competition, no surprises on the first day of school)...but the plans didnt work out.

Does any school do this?

↑ B'Syata D'Shmya

Fri, Aug 16 2024, 3:12 am

amother Seagreen wrote:

Your post reminded me of this (old Staples commercial): Always puts a smile on my face...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz56prGBiS8

amother

Hyssop

Fri, Aug 16 2024, 4:22 am

Current uk parent here
Primary school - usually teachers send out a joint chol/kodesh list of basic supplies with links to the cheapest place to buy and advice NOT to buy fancy pens and pencil cases as these get lost. Sent out end of the school year for the next year.
This year they offered to buy in bulk via the school for anyone who wanted, and shared the list for those who didn't. Most parents signed up, then the school order bulk supplies ehich is cheap for everyone.

There is someone who has a small business where you order your pack acc to school and class - she gets the lists and then you can just order the whole pack instead of schlepping to different stores.

Most teachers ask for normal type stuff, no pink/purple striped 7 ring b5 ring binder requests, just regular glue stick, 3 pencils, optional coloured pens. School supply notebooks Most of the time.

Maybe the teachers should look at the list and work with that rather than decide they need something unique or unusual- surely it is about the content of the teaching rather than what it is written in?