What supplies do you really need for K-12?
Are you someone that gets overwhelmed with school supply shopping before the start of each school year? Or are you someone that could camp out on the supply isles and loves braving the last-minute rush of excited parents and students crowding the isles at the store?
Eliminate the guesswork when shopping for school supplies.
If your child is in elementary school, chances are the school has an already determined school supply list that has been printed and dispersed for students and parents to use while shopping.
Take advantage of back-to-school sales and tax-free holidays.
If your student is in middle school or high school, you probably will have to wait until schedules are given to students on the first day of school.
Each teacher will likely tell students what is required for his/her class after the initial class meeting. It is a good idea to send a simple notebook with your student on the first day of school so he or she can write down the supply lists and class fees as they become available.
Even if you do not have your supply list before school starts, you could still afford to pick up a few of the basic, streamlined school supplies that go one sale during the summer.
Pens and pencils are always a good idea. You do not have to splurge on expensive, trendy pens or pencils that probably have erasers that may only smudge the paper or colorful ink that spills out of the pens. Stick with the basics.
A bottle of glue or glue sticks usually go one sale during summer, and chances are your child will have a project to complete during the upcoming school year that will require glue.
Lined paper, either college or wide ruled, is always a good idea. Younger grades will utilize the wider ruled paper to allow room for mistakes and erasures, and the upper grades usually use college ruled paper for essays and lecture notes. Extra paper should be stored at home and refilled as needed in student folders and binders.
Colored pencils and crayons tend to make the supply list every year. When they get marked down to mere change, it would be a good idea to get a few packages to keep at home to replenish your child’s supply throughout the year.
Spiral-bound notebooks can have multiple uses. If the notebooks have the perforated edges that allow the sheets of paper to be torn out, these notebooks can be used as a quick paper stock when needed. Notebooks can be used for a daily homework log also.
Stock up on printer paper and ink cartridges for your home printer. Middle and high school students may use this more than your primary and elementary grades, but with the shift toward technology, having the resources to print at home may be a good idea.
A stapler and paper clips will come in handy when something needs to be attached or bound.
Look into your school’s backpack regulations to see if it must be clear, mesh or if a rolling backpack is even permitted. Students have to carry textbooks, binders, notebooks, etc. to and from school every day, so make sure that the backpack is sturdy and dependable.
Here are a few extra supplies that may be suggested: construction paper, manila paper, index cards, highlighters, three-ring binders, binder dividers, a portable flash drive, a graphing calculator and combination locks.
Students should make arrangements to have computer access whether at home, friend or relative’s house, or at a local library. Students may be asked to type a document or research a topic and will need access to a word processor and the Internet.
School uniforms should also be researched before the first day of school. Make sure brand, style and colors match the school’s dress code if uniforms are enforced.
When the tax-free holiday dates are released, be sure to mark your calendars and plan a fun weekend to prepare for the upcoming school year. Scout deals and enjoy shopping for school supplies with your child. Make it a memorable experience.
– Brittney Trahan
