Stuff the backpack/stuff the bus drives already - Page 3

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@CelticCrafter wrote:
Last year our library and the small branch on the other side of the township held a school supply drive that was an epic fail due to the library staff.

We had a lot to donate, boxes full of notebooks, pencils, etc.

The small branch told us they weren't participating and wouldn't take anything we had to donate.

The main branch wouldn't let my husband have use of a rolling cart to put the stuff on to bring it into the library. Well, because it was heavy boxes, more than one or two - he didn't give it to them. We found another organization to donate it to.

They want people to do good but then won't offer the least bit of help bringing the stuff into them.

We won't do it again.

@CelticCrafter

Wow! That was simply poor planning, and poor service. It is almost like the drive was forced on them and the employees didn't want to participate, and made it hard for people to contribute. What a waste, and such bad public relations for them.

Mominohio · ‎08-08-2010

@SahmIam wrote:
No, nothing like this is starting early in my area.

My county doesn't end school until 6/24. Currently, a box of crayons is $3 at Walmart. First week of August, when the school lists come out, that price drops to 45 CENTS. Now, if you ask me to donate stuff now, I'm not paying full price for it...sorrynotsorry. Therefore, no donation from me. I don't know too many folks who would happily pay far more for something knowing the price will be much less in 8 weeks.

As for supplying schools with stuff....answered that once and as I recall, the thread got poofed after it got REAL ugly. So, no comment.

@SahmIam

That was one thing I was getting at. It's so early, and the cheap supplies and low prices aren't available yet, so I'm guessing very few people are going to go out and pay full price for supplies. I didn't do it for my own kid, I'm not going to do it for charity. I always waited until the back to school sales, and bought enough for all year (and more).

I don't know who thought people would be going out and getting things at full price right now!

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

@Mominohio

I don't know if the drive is based on actual school dates in each state OR it's a national fill the bus drive.

Kids here are out of school end of May/early June. They return in late or mid August.

I haven't heard advertisements for it as yet, but, our community collects all year for it & for seniors needing toiletries.

Our school supply ads will start (if I recall right) in July with no sales tax days.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@DJs mom wrote:
As a parent of a 4th grader my son has so much school supplies at home and I am always buying facial tissues, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes for his teacher throughout the year. Once the end of year comes I realize how much surplus of supplies my son has. I could see where asking for donations at the end of the year would be beneficial. I would donate all of the supplies he didn't use and then buy him new ones before the start of the next school year.

@Mominohio

Sort of in the same vein as what @DJs mom wrote, as kids graduate (or move from elementary/middle or middle/high) there is the great locker clean out. We used to collect any of those usable supplies that they did not want to take with them (partial notebooks, paper, coloring supplies, etc.) and collect them for those who needed supplies so that they didn't get tossed.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@Sooner wrote:
What I don't understand is why kids need so many art supplies? The lists I see are absurd with so many colored markers and specific things and papers etc. Do you really need to start with all new stuff every year? Are we teaching waste and excess to kids? Couldn't it be simplified?

I wonder how they have time to do anything but organize and color at school. Where do they even keep all this stuff and just as all the stuff we have at home and have, it takes a lot of time and effort to deal with it.

I think that Marie Kondo lady needs to come to school. I think some repurposing, some paring down and some calm would help everyone.

@Sooner

I can answer this. From the elementary perspective, I know that the classroom supplies get "pooled" so that it becomes a community resource. The teacher may have stations or centers, or containers in a grouping of desks where the supplies are kept. They ask for specific items (brand/count) for a few reasons. One, each student who uses the supplies has the same item, so no one has to use the Target crayons instead of the Crayola crayons, and no child is made fun of or singled out for what they do or don't bring in. The second reason is that teachers know which items perform. I have purchased/received supplies that have not performed well. They constantly break, bleed, clump, etc.

This is what I bought at the beginning of the school year for my HS department.

I had to go to seven stores in the area for the BTS supplies, as well as order online. We have seven department members, and there were ZERO supplies remaining from last year. At this point in the year, we have about 15 boxes remaining, and that is because we are doubling up (I share classrooms with other teachers) to be able to finish the year. I will likely get this amount again next year, if I am able to scour the sales, because if I can get crayons for $.25 with my own money, that is a better "deal" than using our small budget to pay $3.99 for those same crayons at Office Depot when we have to order through them.

lolakimono · ‎03-29-2012

@Ruby Laine wrote:
It’s early in my nearest large city, too, @Mominohio. It started last week. In my smaller town it will start about the middle of July.

Elementary teachers will buy supplies out of their own pockets for students who do not have what they need. Instead of Stuff the Bus, I buy supplies (and Clorox Wipes) and drop them off at a couple of local schools. I know a couple of teachers and check with them first to see what they need most.

By doing it this way, I know supplies will go to students who need them. Teachers go through cartons of Clorox Wipes during the year, so I take those, too.

@Ruby Laine

Where I work, things like Clorox wipes and tissues cannot be purchased with school money, as they are not considered materials of instruction. They directly benefit the students, who are the main consumers, but we cannot order them.

DJs mom · ‎06-06-2012

Just yesterday my son came home and said mom, we are using our last box of tissues, can you buy us more for our class. I have 4 Origami shelves in my basement that I keep stocked with stuff (paper towels, toilet paper, soap, laundry soap, etc.) so I went in the basement and grabbed 2 boxes of facial tissues and told him to give them to his teacher.

DJs mom · ‎06-06-2012

@lolakimono wrote:
@DJs mom wrote:
As a parent of a 4th grader my son has so much school supplies at home and I am always buying facial tissues, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes for his teacher throughout the year. Once the end of year comes I realize how much surplus of supplies my son has. I could see where asking for donations at the end of the year would be beneficial. I would donate all of the supplies he didn't use and then buy him new ones before the start of the next school year.
@Mominohio
Sort of in the same vein as what @DJs mom wrote, as kids graduate (or move from elementary/middle or middle/high) there is the great locker clean out. We used to collect any of those usable supplies that they did not want to take with them (partial notebooks, paper, coloring supplies, etc.) and collect them for those who needed supplies so that they didn't get tossed.

@lolakimono at the end of the year I can't believe all of the stuff my son has left over. Also some of his school books he may have only used a couple of pages, so I tear them out and donate anything he has left.

Ruby Laine · ‎05-25-2016

@lolakimono wrote:
@Ruby Laine wrote:
It’s early in my nearest large city, too, @Mominohio. It started last week. In my smaller town it will start about the middle of July.

Elementary teachers will buy supplies out of their own pockets for students who do not have what they need. Instead of Stuff the Bus, I buy supplies (and Clorox Wipes) and drop them off at a couple of local schools. I know a couple of teachers and check with them first to see what they need most.

By doing it this way, I know supplies will go to students who need them. Teachers go through cartons of Clorox Wipes during the year, so I take those, too.
@Ruby Laine
Where I work, things like Clorox wipes and tissues cannot be purchased with school money, as they are not considered materials of instruction. They directly benefit the students, who are the main consumers, but we cannot order them.

Exactly, @lolakimono. And teachers have enough to buy with their own money. I take the school secretary a gift bag, too, with B&BW sanitizers, pens and pencils, and sticky notes and notepads. They have tough jobs!

lynnie61 · ‎04-28-2010

I will purchase for the drive once the special pricing kicks in. .15 or .20 for notebooks. I will also check out office max clearance shelves all year. I watch for deeply discounted Backpacks at kohl’s, Walmart etc. Last year colored envelopes/ folders/pencils etc. Many items under .50/cents. Add some of these items to the school supply drives. I try not to get upset but it’s hard to watch the drives on the local news. There are so many needy groups and it bothers me when very very expensive Cadillac’s and BMW’s are driving by for the free backpacks. And teachers spend their own money so all kids have supplies. Some people can’t afford food, clothing and utilities and some schools require the kids get a $50 supply list to help contribute at the beginning of the year. Some just can’t afford that. It feels good to give.