My step daughter is starting the 6th grade-middle school in a couple of weeks and we are looking to get her school supplies before school starts (she does not live near us and i have to ship them)
I was wondering if you all could help me decide what I needed to buy her and where the best places to go would be.

This is what i have purchased so far:
erasable pens (blue)
pencils w/sharpener
college lined paper
3 ring binder
highlighters (yellow)
binder dividers
a couple of Jonas Brothers(sp?) folders
Thesauras
10 spiral notebooks (college ruled)

I think that's it so far....please help with the rest!

__________________
-Kristi

Does her school have a website? Often, supply lists are posted on the website. My dd got her supply list with her report card. Some teachers are very particular about supplies -- I would try to find out if there is a list to work from.

__________________
Cecilia

"We must love them both--those whose opinions we share and those whose opinions we reject. For both have labored in the search for truth, and both have helped us in the finding of it."
Saint Thomas Aquinas

Why don't you just send her a giftcard? That way she can get what she needs and you don't have to pay shipping. Just an idea.

I would think the teachers prefer wide ruled paper. Any particular reason why you bought college ruled?
Some teachers specify a particular color ink pen and some say no ink pens at all. Highliters are sometimes specified as 4 different colors.
Post it notes
index cards
composition book
different color portfolios with pockets and prongs
glue stick
colored pencils
pencil bag, no boxes

You really need the school or teachers supply list to make certain you have everything to the right specifications.

A graphing calculator....that is a must. It is very expensive and sometimes the school pays for it and sometimes you must pay. But the only the school can tell you exactly what kind is needed.

But I agree with the above. It is great to have some small supplies, but I found especially in middle school, each and every teacher (every class!) needed and required different supplies. Many times there was a bookstore in the school and so possibly a gift card to the school bookstore would be good....
otherwise
really it might be the first day of class that she will find out her requirements. And then she would have to have the supplies by the next day......so a gift card to either Staples or Office Max or the school bookstore is really the best idea.

__________________

In NC, our 6th graders do not need a graphing calculator. The school provides the calculator that they use.

__________________
Shelley
blue5203@aol.com

~Mom to Andy-11/3/05 and Ryan-7/31/08~

I am going to say nix the pens, (erasable ). Find out if her school has a list already printed . I know my school does.
I provide calculators and most of what my students need.

__________________
"Madison AnnMarie " 6/13/2008

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I agree with what everyone says about really needing the school list. Without it, how about getting a couple of specialty items that she might really appreciate - a locker mirror, folders or a pencil case with her favorite show or band on it, does Victoria Secret Pink line have school supplies?, etc - and a gift card to Staples or a local store.

just a thought,
cj/

__________________
I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

My 11 yo Just completed the 6th grade, but, the school will not allow any kind of calculator till the child reaches the 9th grade. However this may not be true in all middle schools, Also her middle school now has 9 classes ( Was 8 but this year they have added a 9th class)and each teacher had their own list of supplies.
When school started last year there were only 6 classes, then in sept they added a 7th and after dec they added the 8th. So we had to buy supplies 2 extra times last school year. From what I remember on the "simple' supply list was this.

8- brad and pocket folders (2 red,2 blue,2 green,2 yellow)
6- brad and pocket folders ( 2 red, 2 blue, 2 Green)
100- # 2 pencils
20- blue pens w/ caps
10- black pens w/caps
8 -red pens w/caps
10- single subject
3- 3 subject
3- 5 subject
3-12 inch plastic ruler
2- 12 color pencils
4- 200 sheet Wide Rule lose paper
1- pencil bag ( no plastic or box types )
1- backpack ( alt ho, in Oct the school banned any type of backpacks)

For her life enrichment class she had to have the following items
3 brad& pocket folders ( 1 blue, 1 red,1 yellow )
10 black or blue pens w/caps
1 red pen w/cap
2 packs of 100-150 count index cards
and I believe she had to have paper towels and computer paper( this might of been in a different class, but I know we had to buy this.

Plus
P.E uniform ( wasn't required because they didn't have a "full gym" if was being repaired ) but it was 15.00 for shirt 15.00 for shorts, 20.00 for sweats )

Plus
40.00 school fee

Plus
If the child wanted a locker at school it was 10.00 for the year.( The school had a lot of trouble with kids being late for classes due to the time limit set on returning to the lockers ( 4 Min's locker collection ) So after my DD was late for classes 4 times, She wasn't allowed to do a locker stop and had to carry her books to classes ( 3 classes at a time ). 3 of her classes was on the backside of the school and these were the locker times alloted to them by the time she walked to the front of the school( where all the lockers are ) and then back to the back of the school the bell had already rung making her late for class. I hope this year they will allow more time as they have added now a 9th class( wonder what this class will be ?? )..

Op might I suggest you buy your 'simple" Pens, Pencil, Paper items and then wait to see if the Teachers have their own supply list ( this is if your 6th grader will change classes , all 6th graders here do change classes ), Might be worth getting these items now and holding out buying unwanted items and not be able to return said items later.

P.s All schools my children attend(ed) ( 4 different schools) They can't have college rule paper. Opss forgot to add, My 6th grader had to have 5 Comp books Black and White only and it had to be the 200 sheet count book. and 1 class she had required she have 3 high lighter either pink or yellow

Op I came back to add. At my grandson's school the PTA offers a package with all the school supplies he will need for school. The cost is kind of high tho 55.00 But, the PTA gets all the money over what the supplies cost them ( I believe its 25.00 or might be 30.00 ) But, since he attends a school that goes from Pre-K- 6th grade he doesn't change class but 1 time Plus his P.E class. You might could contact the school and offer to buy her a package if you are unable to get a list of supplies, Just a thought.

wow!! this seems so overwhelming!!
Thanks for all of the ideas and I will go back out and buy some more stuff , and the correct paper
We are having custody issues with her mom so we want to make sure the items are actually purchased so that's why we are not sending GC's and $. It sure would make it easier though!

I looked on the school website and this is what it says.....

School Supplies
Having a successful year is determined by a positive
attitude toward school rules, good attendance, a sincere
effort to do your best, keeping up with classroom
assignments, and being prepared for class. The following
list includes the essential supplies. Individual classroom
teachers may require other items as well.

�� Backpack or book bag (large size to hold all books
and binder). It must be locked up in PE and never
left unattended.
�� Three-ring binder (with 6 dividers, one for each
subject, plus one assignment section).
�� Notebook paper (white, wide ruled, not torn out of a
spiral notebook).
�� Pencils (#2) and erasers.
�� Pens (black or blue ball points, not marking pens).
�� Ruler.
�� Student Handbook.
�� Textbooks.

__________________
-Kristi

I'm glad you looked at the school website. I am a teacher and each year we are asked to put together a list. The reason for the wide rule paper is that the lines are farther apart. In 6th grade most students still write large. I teach 5th grade.

I'd wait til she has the list, I hate going by the list I get at the end of the year and then this certain teacher wants totally diffrent things. My 15 year old and my 10 year old have to have certain colors for certain subjects which is so they know "I'm going to english and need my green folder" isntead of rummaging around trying to find a certain one that looks like all the rest

__________________
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Using certain colors for certain subjects does help all students find the right materials. My school has been doing that for years.

I am buying the basics such as highlighters, pencils, pens papaer, index cards etc as they are on sale dirt cheap and putting everything in a bin. With 3 kids someone is bound to need this stuff. With the 5 cent sales etc you can't go wrong. Hold off on the expensive calculators and see if really needed. It gets hard with the binders because they want certain sizes like 1 inch or 2 inch etc.

__________________

Without Health you have no Wealth!

In our area both Walgreens and Staples have some things for $.05 right now - mechanical pencils, erasers, highlighters, folders, etc. It's definitely worth checking out!

I second the idea of sending her a gift card. You will spend a good chunk mailing the items that you got, so why not just send a g/c for her to buy what she wants and needs.

I can totally understand you wanting to send "something", if that's the case. Kind of like getting a g/c for your b'day......I like to send an actual gift. If that is the case, maybe a back pack or some nifty pens and pencils with a g/c attached??? Funky erasers???

__________________
Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the easy thing.

Would it be possible to send a check to the school for lunches and the school store? If so this could be updated monthly.

Yeah hold off on the calculator my oldest hasnt needed one yet though he's going into high school so maybe this year but not yet

__________________
Books just wanna be FREE! See what I mean at:
http://bookcrossing.com

My other favorites
www.paperbackswap.com
www.wheresgeorge.com
www.geocaching.com

I can certainly understand you wanting to send the actual products. Are you certain the child will receive the box and it not be intercepted by the mom? I have heard of people returning items to the store for the store credit with the intended recipient never receiving the needed box.

I just wanted to let you know, as I see you are from NY, public schools CANNOT require parents to purchase calculators as long as they are needed for the 'educational program' (if they 'can' use them but they are not 'required' for the course, then yes, the parents has to pay for them).

This is from the NYSED website (if you go to Welcome to the New York State Education Department, just search calculators and you will be able to pull this up in full).

HTH's!
Kim



Questions and Answers Concerning
Calculators and K-12 Education

Charging Students

Can school districts require students to provide calculators needed for instruction and assessment?

School districts can require students to provide their own student “supplies”. Supplies are defined as something which is consumed in use, loses its appearance and shape in use, is expendable, and is inexpensive. Examples include pencils, pens, paper, etc. Calculators do not fall into this category and must be considered like classroom teaching materials for which school districts are authorized to levy a tax.

The State Education Department requires the use of calculators for intermediate and high school level mathematics and science assessments. To the extent that calculators are a necessary part of the educational program, the school district must provide them. Under no circumstances should students be charged for a calculator or otherwise required to purchase one in order to participate in an educational program.

School districts may purchase, and must still provide calculators, even if operating under a contingent budget if the calculators are required for participation in the educational program.

Can school districts charge students if they lose a district-owned calculator?

Yes.

Can school districts require students to purchase replacement batteries?

Yes.

Cost-effective Approaches

Can school districts use cost-effective approaches to providing calculators to students and what are some of them?

Yes. Examples might include class sets of calculators, calculators available in after school programs, etc.

Do school districts have to provide one calculator per student in all grades or in certain grades?

Districts need to provide calculators to students in the grades where they are needed for the school's curriculum. In the grades where they are necessary, sharing of calculators is appropriate provided the needs of all students can be met. However, districts must provide one calculator per student if SED has determined that a calculator is required for participation in the State Assessment. Guidance is detailed at: Guidance for Calculator usage in the Classroom and State/Regents Assessments.

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Mommy 2 5 NOW!!!
Jenna 11, Rebecca 10, Emily 8, Sarah 6 & Aidan 3