Our School Supply Letter

Each year we do a communal school supply list.  Here is the letter parents receive to explain how it works.  This poem is also attached to the letter. We do this because in my many years of education, students not having their supplies at school has been a major source of anxiety for kids. We don’t know why some kids don’t have a pencil or their paper, etc. Some don’t have it because the parent can’t afford it. Some don’t have it because they are still kids and just forgot!  Being fussed at because a child does not have a pencil contributes to the stress of a school day.  A child could have so many other worries to think about. Our school seeks to be a place where we try to alleviate as much stress and worry from the child as possible, so that they can just be about the business of ENJOYING SCHOOL, learning, growing, exploring, and being at peace. Here is a copy of our school supply letter:

Good Morning Everyone!

One of the greatest distractions in school is kids running out of their supplies.  We really want them to be able to focus on their school experience, so instead of having an individual supply list, we ask that parents purchase supplies that can be shared with the school community.  We take these supplies and store them in the resource room and give them out as kids need them.  We found that by doing this everyone always had what they needed, and the school saved a great deal of money on supplies last year.  Here is a list of items we would like families to purchase for the school:
*THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE ALWAYS NEED IS COPY PAPER!!!
1. pocket folders
2. college rule notebook paper
3. wide ruled notebook paper
4. dry erase markers
5. pens (blue and black ink)
6. pencils
7. stick glue
8. construction paper
9. drawing paper/drawing pads
10. manila folders
11. Let me say it again…copy paper (lots of copy paper!)
12. disinfectant wipes
13. hand sanitizer
14. spiral notebooks
15. composition notebooks
16. crayons
17. non-toxic markers
18. color pencils
19. paper clips
20. scissors
21. facial tissues
22. rulers
23. 3 ring binders
24. index cards
25. notebook dividers
26.  Hanging file/crate
27. Hanging file folders
28. sticky tacky puddy (for hanging things on the wall)
29. permanent markers
30.  staplers
31. staples
32. masking tape
33. combination locks
34. any arts and crafts supplies
35.  staples gift cards (especially to buy the printer ink)
36.  calculators
37. golf pencils
38.  clear scotch tape
39.  decorative stickers (kids love getting rewarded with a sticker)
40. plastic pencil cases/box for holding pencils, pens and other small supplies
*or anything other items you feel would be useful to the school community

Our desire is for the school to be a place where kids do not fear because they ran out of supplies, but they can go to any staff member and get what they need without being penalized.  Attached is a poem that I love and expresses some of the anxiety kids go through in a school day. I know that many of our students come from families that are able to provide everything they need, but sometimes every kid comes to school without the supplies they need. We also do have families that need this communal support (several students are on financial need scholarship).  The goal is that we want school to be a place where each and every child EQUALLY feels that their needs for the day can be met and they are not spotlighted when for any reason they don’t have the supplies they need. Please feel free to send your child to school with their personal supplies (I know how much some kids like to just have their own stuff), but I pray that every family will contribute to this communal school supply list. If each person gives a small amount of each item on this list, then we will be well stocked for the year.  Blessings to all of you!