The Oasis - A spot for FORT parents

[hepcat]

Those kindergarden lists are surprising. They don't provide kleenex's in schools anymore? I have no idea what the headphones are for - how do you match them up to whatever equipment they want them for?

If you've got a Target, AJ & VJ, last year their school supplies were dirt cheap, like a pack of crayons for $.35. Good luck. I am dreading kindergarden, but I have one more year to go.

[VeeJay]

I was wondering why crayons weren't on my list. It has to be a typo. I think I'll buy some just in case.

Spegs, here in Illinois kids do go a full day in kindergarten. That's one of the reasons I'm having some severe anxiety.

It tells on my list what kind of jack for the headphones to get. I think maybe they're for the computer. Who knows?

[Unklescott]

But at first I want him to go it alone for a while to get used to it without Mom around.

You sure it's not the other way around...for Mom to get used to him not being around?

[VeeJay]

You're probably right Unk.

[Unklescott]

Now I see why my mother got such a chuckle out of me when I went through this. Y'all are just too darn cute. Remember, I was a single dad who had custody of his kids when they were 4 and 6.

[veejer]

Target, Walmart and Meijer usually have the best prices for school supplies around here. If there is something that you think your child will need more of, get it now, as the prices go up drastically after school starts.

About the tissues, the teacher will collect all the big boxes and set them out one at a time.

Headphones???? Probably for the computer.

Markers - get WASHABLE!!!!!

Scissors - Fiskars are well worth the extra money.

Label EVERYTHING.

Remember, I was a single dad who had custody of his kids when they were 4 and 6.

Wow!! My dear husband would have been clueless.

[dagwood]

I know people are probably going to permanently ban me from this thread for what I am about to say, but when my daughter started Kindergaten last year I didn't have to buy any supplies. The school supplied everything. A few times during the year the teacher asked for napkins or paper towels for snacks and the kids took turns bringing the snacks every day, but that's it.

She is starting first grade on the 23rd and I am sure I will get a list then.

[scarlett530]

Ah, yes. School supplies are fun. Definitely one of the things I'm not looking forward to as a future teacher. I do know that around here, schools in lower income areas are supposed to get funding to supply everything so teachers can't ask for supplies. I also know that budget supplies are often the first to get cut, I've heard of some teachers getting as little as $50 for the entire year to furnish supplies for the classroom. I also know that when I worked as an assistant, by the end of the year, we (teachers) were literally begging supplies (crayons, glue sticks, etc) off of each other, because there were simply no more in the school budget to be had. I'm sure that even with the crazy supply list, those teachers are spending quite a bit of their own money to supplement supplies. I have already resigned myself to the fact that, like most teachers I know, I can look forward to several thousand a year coming out of my own pocket to furnish things for the classroom. Just to answer the burning question, the kleenex, paper towels, etc. that teachers ask for will be put up and brought out as needed in the classroom. They probably don't expect everyone to send them in, it's one of those things you just ask for in hopes that a few nice parents will contribute. As for the headphones, I'm clueless. We often have outbreaks of head lice (I know, *shudder*) in local elementary schools, so we are very adamant about kids not sharing anything that goes near their heads. That's the only reason I can think of that each child would need their own.

PS--I went through kindergarten trauma big time with my son, he was fine, I was a wreck. By the time my daughter was in 1st, I was very much thanking the powers that be for the public school system that gave me blessed free hours in the day to get things done. Has anyone ever seen that commercial with the happy parents skipping through the school supplies with "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" playing in the background? My absolute favorite current commercial is the one with Alice Cooper, where the little girl says, "I thought you said school was out forever?" and he says, "Nice try, but the song actually goes, 'school's out for summer'."

[scarlett530]

In the spirit of back to school, and letting our littlest ones go, I found this poem recently.

WHOSE CHILD IS THIS?

"Whose child is this?" I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile
"Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should"

"Whose child is this?" I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in
"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile
"Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school"

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door
"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the little child
"Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever."

[Tirlittan]

Has anyone ever seen that commercial with the happy parents skipping through the school supplies with "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" playing in the background?

I haven't seen that, but I have to say I like the idea...
It has been a great summer, and the boys are really getting quite independent now, but I can use a "breather."

I am going school supply shopping today, and I have lost the supply list (figures). Fortunately the teacher posted the general list on their website, but every student had two special items they were supposed to bring. I guess I have to try email the teacher what those were.
One item on the list I have never encountered: "school box". Is this just any box, or something special (can I actually find something at Walmart named "school box")? What is its purpose? To hold pens, to hold miscellanous items, or snack...?