17 July 2011

School Supply List

The high school doesn't have a specific supply list. You'd better hit the ground running and have a zillion hours to run all over creation and fight the crowds during that first week of school - good luck to ya. But here's the supply list for the local sixth graders. The warning at the bottom states it may not be complete, but this is what every student needs:

1 three hole pocket folder
8 70 sheet spiral notebooks
1 three ring cloth zippered pouch for pencils
set of coloured pencils (minimum of 8)
24 pencils
1 small package of red pens
3 boxes of Kleenex (2 for core, 1 for encore)
10 glue sticks
Student agenda (to be purchased at Schoolname for $5.00)
Spanish: pocket folder with brads, spiral notebook, 4 packages 3 x 5 ruled index cards
Art: Pencil & eraser
Computers: flash drive
Gym clothes - white T-shirt, dark shorts, white socks and tennis shoes

Bear in mind that in terms of "gym clothes," there is actually a uniform you can buy through the local sports store. If you're a poor kid whose parents tried to do the white T-shirt and dark shorts option, and if the gym teacher doesn't like you, you can be written up several times in a year and even wind up with detentions.

I happen to have bought several uniforms for Patrick and G six years ago and Elf will wear the two old ones out of the whole lot that weren't lost or stolen. Trouble is, the school has re-districted and the "blue" type of bird emblazoned on his uniform is not the correct school mascot bird any more. This school now feeds into an "eagle" mascot type of high school. Well, we'll see what happens. The shirts have Elf's brothers' names on them anyway and they are obviously hand-me-downs.

Just seeing the supply list in the store already makes me nervous. No, it's not an unreasonable supply list at all. I'm just scared that little Elf will get lost or overwhelmed and I'm not looking forward to doing my part to iron out the inevitable kinks that will happen.

By the way, I'm not buying exactly 10 glue sticks. Past experience tells me that the kid will bring all ten in and they'll be lost or borrowed or otherwise gone by October. Same thing with the "small box of red pens." I will send him to school with a half-used glue stick, one new glue stick and some old but unused red pens. They're left over from five years ago... you really DON'T need an entire box. And I'll buy some new things for standby and put them in my supply drawer for later. Four packages of 3 x 5 cards? Take one, and when we need more later I'll give it to you. I find children tend to LOSE things during the first week or so of school, and it had better not be the violin! Lose the pens, kid. It's ok. :)

1 comment:

  1. So, all of these supplies are for Elf to use?

    When the boy was in public school, we were sent a supply list like yours, but we were not to label anything. The items were all pooled, the teacher passed them out as needed during the year and labeled folders, etc..as she gave them out, so you never ended up with what you bought in the beginning of the year. We basically had to stock her closet.

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