Community Chat

[lolakimono]

If you haven't read about it, there is a shortage of some "back to school" items, particularly sneakers, due to lower inventory, high demand and shipping delays.

Other high demand items are backpacks, stationery, sports equipment, laptops and tablets.

If you need to purchase for your family, you might start looking now to see what's available.

[Kachina624]

There is a shortage of microchips which has stopped production of some pick-up truck and, if it continues, is likely to affect many other devices.  They make them at the big Intel plant in my fair city.  Have no idea what the problem is. 

[Snowpuppy]

And of couse prices will increase drastically just as people who have children are getting their Advance Child Credit deposits this month.

[LindaSal]

LL Bean has backpacks available to ship right away if anyone is in need.  Agree that people need to shop early for the school year.   Good of you to remind people about the shortages we are experiencing @lolakimono.

[Lucky Charm]

I don't buy school supplies, but do buy my grandsons uniform pants, which can be purchased at almost any department store. 

I've always shopped early for them and usually buy 2 sizes since the boys grow so fast, to get them thru the school year.

Sizes were selling out before the school year was over!  I think enrollment in private/parochial schools has gone up and that's why it was harder to find all I needed.  

Plus, some public schools require uniforms.  So if you haven't gotten what you needed, better start shopping now.

[Spurt]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

There is a shortage of microchips which has stopped production of some pick-up truck and, if it continues, is likely to affect many other devices.  They make them at the big Intel plant in my fair city.  Have no idea what the problem is. 

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@Kachina624 

Thats the problem with going "high tech" in today's vehicles.... I went with a friend when she purchased her new car and the Salesman said, instead of an automechanic these days you need an IT person more to take care of problems with today's vehicles.....(BTW she did buy a good warranty plan that covers both ). 

[Spurt]

There's a non-profit here that helps kids in need and just got an email from them that there is a vast need and are asking if people have extra school supplies that they can donate including backpacks.....  Of course I sent in a monetary donation and hope they kind find stuff that can be purchased for these kids............. 

[lolakimono]

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@Spurt wrote:

There's a non-profit here that helps kids in need and just got an email from them that there is a vast need and are asking if people have extra school supplies that they can donate including backpacks.....  Of course I sent in a monetary donation and hope they kind find stuff that can be purchased for these kids............. 

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@Spurt 

I was talking to my mom last night. She is retired now, but often helps through church, her former workplace, and in the community.  She said a teacher on Next Door was asking for supplies, but that she probably had what she needed by now.  (She is in FL, so their schools start much earlier than I do).

I "schooled" her about that, because due to Covid, a lot of "community" classroom supplies are out.

I was able to remain virtual through the school year due to a health accommodation, but from seeing "the rules" and hearing about what other teachers experienced, the guidelines differ widely about what can be used, how it is to be disinfected, and what can be kept in the classroom.

In some areas, anything a student touches is quarantined for a period of time.  Some schools had A-B weeks, so anything the A kids used was set aside for a week to "air out" before they were used again.  

I explained that when I taught in middle school I had six classes, and depending on the year I had 250 students.  There is no way that I could have stored 250 individual boxes or supplies in my room, and there are kids who simply do not have school supplies. 

In elementary school, the idea of "community" supplies is that all students have equal access to supplies, so often there is a "ready to go" cup and a "needs to be sharpened" cup.  I have no idea what happened to the dirty/needs to be sharpened pencils, for example, during Covid protocols.  

We do not use lockers, but in many schools students were not allowed to use lockers due to social distancing, so it wouldn't surprise me to learn that many backpacks had more wear and tear from being lugged from one room to the next.  It's also possible that some students will need to purchase new backpacks that will fit their devices, chargers, headphones, and the other things they are responsible for bringing to school each day.  

I hope that she will check in with that teacher and see if she needs anything.

[Porcelain]

At first I thought this was referring to a shortage of items associated with BTS, the K-Pop group! 

[Spurt]

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@lolakimono wrote:

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@Spurt wrote:

There's a non-profit here that helps kids in need and just got an email from them that there is a vast need and are asking if people have extra school supplies that they can donate including backpacks.....  Of course I sent in a monetary donation and hope they kind find stuff that can be purchased for these kids............. 

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@Spurt 

I was talking to my mom last night. She is retired now, but often helps through church, her former workplace, and in the community.  She said a teacher on Next Door was asking for supplies, but that she probably had what she needed by now.  (She is in FL, so their schools start much earlier than I do).

I "schooled" her about that, because due to Covid, a lot of "community" classroom supplies are out.

I was able to remain virtual through the school year due to a health accommodation, but from seeing "the rules" and hearing about what other teachers experienced, the guidelines differ widely about what can be used, how it is to be disinfected, and what can be kept in the classroom.

In some areas, anything a student touches is quarantined for a period of time.  Some schools had A-B weeks, so anything the A kids used was set aside for a week to "air out" before they were used again.  

I explained that when I taught in middle school I had six classes, and depending on the year I had 250 students.  There is no way that I could have stored 250 individual boxes or supplies in my room, and there are kids who simply do not have school supplies. 

In elementary school, the idea of "community" supplies is that all students have equal access to supplies, so often there is a "ready to go" cup and a "needs to be sharpened" cup.  I have no idea what happened to the dirty/needs to be sharpened pencils, for example, during Covid protocols.  

We do not use lockers, but in many schools students were not allowed to use lockers due to social distancing, so it wouldn't surprise me to learn that many backpacks had more wear and tear from being lugged from one room to the next.  It's also possible that some students will need to purchase new backpacks that will fit their devices, chargers, headphones, and the other things they are responsible for bringing to school each day.  

I hope that she will check in with that teacher and see if she needs anything.

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@lolakimono 

Thanks for the info......They do follow all the appopriate  School District Guidelines....and I'll send her an email and tell her she needs to check out the CDC Guidelines as well...