Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Three months later...

Teachers submitted Purchase Orders for this year's supplies in May.

They weren't processed until a week or two ago.

I was trying to save the school some money, and instead of using our catalog found an online vendor that has lower prices. I especially relied on them for the materials that other schools expect students to provide. Binders. Notebook dividers. Notebook paper. You know, the basics

Think about the past three months. Gas prices are dipping now, but companies are already raising prices.

So my shopping cart of materials is more expensive now than it was then.

School starts next Tuesday. Hopefully, I'll be able to get this processed so the supplies will arrive to an (empty) school on Monday.

At least I didn't try to save too much money and ordered extras of many supplies. Maybe those 30 bumper binders will save enough money to help this go through.

The question: what supplies do you find most necessary for your students?

6 comments:

Jackie Ballarini said...

A writing utensil (I've given up the fight of "math must be done in pencil"), blank lined paper, a six-in-one, a graphing calculator, and some type of organizational system (I prefer the binder, but whatever works for them - as long as it isn't the papers shoved into the book method).

Sarah Cannon said...

Thanks Jackie! I should have half of the materials accessible to students during the first week, but what's a six-in-one?

Glad to know I'm not the only one who's no longer fighting the pencil fight (though I'm not going to provide students with pens).

And, finally, I've gotta admit, I used the papers shoved into the book method as an secondary organizational system plenty of times during high school and college. I don't think I realized how much I did until I let my sister borrow my Calculus book last year. Had to take out so many sheets...

Jackie Ballarini said...

Nooo... not you too Sarah! Think of the binding of your book. Think of those poor papers longing to be organized. :-)

I can't seem to find an image of a six-in-one. It's a rectangular-thingy with a protractor, metric rule, standard rule, some circles... Okay words are failing me. I'll take a picture of one in a day or two (I don't seem to have one at home, huh).

Oh yeah - I don't like the fringes on spiral notebook paper. My pet peeve. Must be loose-leaf!

Sarah Cannon said...

But the papers were organized. I knew exactly which section of the book they went with.... Though, after taking papermaking in college and learning to bind books, I have a bit more respect for the binding argument.

I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about with the six-in-one now. Not sure I ever used them. I have class sets of protractors and compasses and a handful of rulers (additional ones are in the order). What do you use the circles for?

I never liked notebooks to begin with--I don't use all the paper, they fall apart, the extra hassle with edges.... That said, if my students were bringing them in for their own use, I'd be behind them 100%.

Jackie Ballarini said...

The circle bit? Not much. It's just nice having the other features all in one.

As for my binder/no spiral fringes bits... I think my type A characteristics are showing... I'll just shush now.

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