I am brand new to a small, private school this year. I have 12 students in my room this year I have to get my supply list done ASAP so that students can bring their items to open house on July 29th. This is what I have come up with so far: 2 Dozen #2 pencils (yellow, Ticonderoga brand) 1 box of crayons 1 box of colored pencils 1 box of Washable Markers 1 bottles liquid school glue ( 4 ounces) 8-10 glue sticks (Elmer’s) 1 pair Fiskar scissors (blunt edge) 2 black Expo dry erase markers 1 Ruler 1 pencil box 1 composition notebook 2 boxes of Kleenex 1 bottle of liquid hand-washing soap 1 box of sandwich-size Zip-loc bags 1 Box of gallon-size Zip-loc bags 2 rolls paper towels What about adding a folder for homework etc?? Is this too much to ask parents to bring?
I would separate the Zip loc bags - girls bring the sandwich size and boys bring the gallon size. I would add spiral notebooks for math journals ( I used them for word problems - helped a lot to have them all in one place). One or two should be enough for the year. And maybe some more crayons. I know we used more than one box - they tend to break throughout the year. Oh and definitely some folders to send home work daily or weekly. HTH!
I think you could easily add a folder--those usually cost less than a quarter. On my list, I put things like soap, ziploc bags, paper plates, and plastic utensiles as a "wish list" on the bottom. Almost all the parents send several items off that, but that way they don't feel they have to bring it if they can't afford to. If I run out during the year, I just put a note in the newsletter. (I do keep Kleenex on the regular supply list. )
Thanks for the help! The reason I didn't split the ziplocks is I don't know what my breakdown of girls to boys is in the class yet. Maybe I'll move those to wish list items and then ask for more crayons. I also really like the idea of "wish list" items for these house keeping type items so parents don't feel obligated.
Elementary people, help me here: Is there any way you can let first time parents know that Staples, Walmart, and Target run sales on this stuff duing the summer? Those of us who have done this before stop by each week, picking up the sale items. But I always run into a first time mom, paying $2.25 for a box of crayons that will cost $0.25 some time later in the summer. Is there a tactful way to include that list on the supply list or in the accompanying letter? The parents will LOVE you before they even meet you!
Aliceacc...GREAT idea here. Hmmmm....I don't know. I know our public school states it has the lists up at Walmart, Target, and our local Office Max and Staples. I've never seen them mention sales though.
I also add a note to mine that says: "Please note that it may be necessary to replace some of these items during the school year. You may want to take advantage of back to school sales and buy extras of items such as pencils, glue sticks, and markers." I know that our first grade teacher also put a note on her list explaining that students would need pencils, crayons, erasers, and a ruler at home to complete their homework.
I would also suggest Crayola Crayons, the other ones are cheaper but they don't work as well. I would add or buy dry erase boards. You can always reuse them if you buy them. I'm not sure if your school reimburses you. I also buy the pencils but I like to buy the presharpened ones. Our students use about 2 bottles of Elmers glue and less of the stick glue. You also want your homework folder to las throught the year, I like the plastic Mead folders.
suziQ......I bought small, dry erase boards at The Dollar Tree. I got enough for my class since I have a small group.
Have you thought about what you will use for erasers for your boards? I know some people ask for students to bring an old sock or something... As SuzieQ mentioned, I add a note that a plastic folder is more durable and more likely to make it through the year without needing to be replaces.
I just list the items. Most people brought in one of each item, some brought just one or two items. You might want to think of other things to put on your wishlist, too. Mine has some things I am looking for for different centers(alphabet magnet sets, old personal cassette/cd players). Other teachers ask for board games/puzzles for indoor recess, etc. I try to ask for things that people might have around the house but not be using anymore.
I have a few board games already, but was thinking of asking for some to add to it. I know my oldest child's first grade teacher had those on her wish list at open house because we bought some for her. Thank you! Thank you!
I think your list is covered, as with some of the other posters said add folders, sprial notebooks and split up the Zip Loc bags by gender and maybe a paint shirt if your going to be doing any messy projects.
I work in a public school, so this might be useless. Our supplies list is $35 worth of stuff in 1st grade. Then we have wish lists, of course. We also took sanitizer and kleenex off our supply list and are asking for parent donations of those things. Without those expenses, we were able to ask for more expensive things like composition notebooks for science, and the other hundreds of journals we use. I have no idea what your school supplies you with, so your list looks okay with me.
Well, actually I bought the hard comp. books for a quarter each.. but we asked for lined composition books (the ones with the handwriting lines) and things like that.
It would be a wise idea to add Clorox wipes to your wish list...every so often I have the kids do a desk cleaning with them to wipe all the surfaces they touch and get rid of all the germs. Maybe they don't like to clean their rooms at home, but they LOVE to clean their desks with Clorox wipes at school!
I second Clorox wipes! Or even baby wipes to wipe up spills or to clean desks at the end of the week. I used to give my kids some time once a month to clean out their desks before the "desk fairy" came to inspect them. They loved the idea of the desk fairy. They used baby wipes to clean the top of their desks.
I have clorox wipes on mine. I ask them to bring two for the year. We use them to clean up all sorts of things.
Our list is almost exactly the same. I prefer stick glue in 1st grade, otherwise the bottle glue gets everywhere. I also say 2 boxes of crayons. To help with the household items, I too ask for them to bring either gallon or quart ziploc bags. 2 notebooks and folders would be impt. too.
I really do not see how you can allow the students to use clorox wipes on their desks. The container of the bottle specifically states: Keep out of the reach of children. Not sure if I would allow my students to use/touch the wipes at the elementary level. I know we were warned by our administration.
I think I heard we're not supposed to use clorox in our rooms. How you you guys know you're not supposed to? Is there a district handbook? Does your school give you a packet of rules? Just wondering... I want to find out for sure.
We aren't allowed any cleaning products or chemicals (including soap or hand sanitizer) in our classrooms that are not supplied by our caretaking staff. Anything else is against our Health and Safety regulations--we have a "refresher" of these just before the new school year begins.
I also have my kids bring in one extra lunch money. They put it in a sealed envelope marked with their name on it just in case they run out of money or forget their lunch. If it is unused, I send it home on the last day. It has come in SO handy.
I did this for 3 years... and always forgot to give it to them at the end of the year! I stopped doing this last year. Once the child's account gets low, our cafeteria gives them a stamp and I give them a reminder slip. this gives them a few days to put money in their account. I found I rarely used the money since they had warnings as soon as their account was under $5 (which gives them several days to eat without adding money). However, if we did not use the electronic system, I would totally do the emergency lunch money fund.
trayums Thankfully, I don't have to handle lunch money! Our school doesn't have a full cafeteria and everyone brings their own lunches from home each day. Chick Fil A is brought in on Wednesdays, but students (and teachers) must pre order for the month with their tuition payments so teachers don't have to handle money on that end. My girls' public school does the electronic system as well and parents are notified via the system (and teacher too) when it gets under $5. Teachers at their school were warned not to ask for lunch money and to leave it to the cafeteria to sort out if a child can't pay for lunch. they provide them with a lunch..just not the same "paid" lunch or something. I always keep $10 or so in my girls' accounts in case they ever forget their lunches (they don't eat school food) just to be on the safe side.
I believe that the warning on the container refers to keeping it out of their reach so that they do not ingest it. I definitely keep it in a supply closet out of their reach, give instructions on what they are allowed to do with them (touch their desks only, obviously), and supervise them as they do it. I have never felt unsafe in doing so, but to each his own and obviously if your administration has told you not to, then it's a big no-no. But...sheesh. I think this might be a case of protecting kids to the point of not allowing them to develop common sense.
Maybe it is different in your state, but we are not allowed to have anything in our classrooms that does not have a Material Safety Data Sheet. Sorry, but the outside chemicals you are bringing into the classroom without the product being pre-approved, I would not risk it. Who becomes at fault if the student has an allergic reaction to some type of cleaning material you bring in? Or if they happen to touch their eye and it becomes irritated? Sorry, but I am not putting my students in harm risk, nor will I put my job on the line. I was simply making mention that you might want to check with your district as many of them have safety regulations they must follow from the state.
I may have missed this, but I would say a packet of those erasers that go on top of your pencil or a big pink eraser (I found those got picked at).
It is district policy where I teach. Our district handbook is online on the district's website. We are required to read and sign a statement saying we read and understood the district's policies.
Eek! I'd better look into this more! I had parents donate tons of clorox wipes. If I can't use them at school, I'm sure I can use them at home.
