What gadgets and supplies will be in your kids’ pencil boxes this year?

I have no problem buying extras but I do not feel it is right to force someone to buy supplies for other kids or for the school teachers. If it only amounted to $20 for school supplies maybe I wouldn't complain as much, but I spent over $120 on one second grader. As far as PTA or PTO meetings, I went when my daughter was in K and 1st and the only thing they EVER talked about was getting donations, or selling things but we were never told wht the money was for and anytime I would ask or voice my opinion on something I would be met with glares as if I just said "hey! let's burn the school down!"

Maybe the ones that are doing the most complaining should attend the school PTO or PTA meetings. At our school they allocate money as it is voted on. Everything is voted on and majority rules. The teachers are expected to pay an ungodly amount of their own money on school supplies. Some of you wrote in with outrageous school supply lists but for the most part our teachers only ask for what is needed for immediate use. And if some of us can afford to do a little more then do it. I took one of my daughters friends with us when we went shopping and supplied her with mostly everything on her list. So it cost me an extra $20.00, but I know I helped her mother out a great deal by doing that. Plus we shop smart. whenever there is a good sale we buy extra's and save them or donate to the school. Walmart and staples all the time have great sales. This week alone staples has pencils and rulers FREE instant savings, can't go wrong there. There was a limit of two packages (8 pencils per pkg.) per person but the kids went through the line too. Glue sticks for 20 cents who can't buy 1 extra package. Give the teachers a break. I know for a fact in our school they spend a lot of their own money on our children.

peacenut-Like I said I will only send a few of the requested itemsd at a time and when she runs low I will refurnish them, I know that there are going to be children that do not have the supplies they need, but the school should not have the right to demand parents buy extra for these children, they also have a donation center at the school for supplies, the way I see it is I can not afford to donate extra when I am already buying extras....It frustrates me to no end.

jgirlmom-good for you. That is excessive! When I had to buy supplies for the first time for my own kids, I was shocked at the cost. I came back, told my coworker and together, we cut our requested school supply list down to the barest bones. Even with my class of 3rd graders I can't imagine needing that many notebooks. I do try to stress less paper use in class and often pull out scratch paper for quickie quizzes that require a written or scribbled answer or fast calculation. I also write my child's name on everything, even the things they don't want me to.