At my first meeting with the members of the MHS School Council last September, the parents and students expressed some frustration in obtaining the necessary supplies for their classes. As a parent of two high school students, I could relate to the mad scrum at local office supply stores on the first days of school. My son, entering high school, needed a TI-83 graphing calculator. Unfortunately, so did the rest of the Metro-West. I finally found one at a local store, but I clearly remember the annoyance and thought of how we can make the start of the school year a bit easier on parents and students.
In an attempt to address the School Council's concerns, our two new Instructional Leaders, Mrs. Heller for STEM and Mrs. Rojee for Humanities, have compiled a list of school supplies for specific classes. Once you obtain your schedule (around August 15), please check the supply list. While every course and teacher are not currently on the list, there is enough information to reduce some of the school-supply stress during the first week of school. The list is a 'living document', meaning that more will be added in the weeks ahead as teachers determine the supplies necessary for their courses.This is our first foray into solving this problem. If you have any thoughts or suggestions, please leave them below.
To view the List, please click HERE or cut and paste this link into your browser window: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AquUTGcc7tSvdGt0S3hURk9OTlRIa1VMQUxva3l5b3c&usp=sharing
The issue we have run into in the past concerns the covering of textbooks. Stores sell book "socks" which seem like the simple solution, but for whatever reason, some teachers discourage their use (my daughter says that is because people weren't buying the right sizes and that too small book covers were wrecking the bindings) and only allow paper covers in their class. I dread the beginning of the school year for that reason alone. It isn't that my kids can't do the covering themselves, but it is remembering to add brown kraft paper to the back-to-school list (along with duct tape or whatever else we find to reinforce the edges to prevent the paper from tearing off within the first few weeks of use. It is impossible at times to find brown kraft paper once school starts.
ReplyDeleteIn all honestly, I don't understand the book-covering thing at all. I really question whether or not it truly offers anything as to the longevity of the textbook before they are replaced. In the schools that I have taught in, it was a non-issue. NOBODY wrapped their books. It was something that was done when my mom went to school, but that was when books had more paper-like covers. These days, most textbooks seem to be built a little sturdier with easy wipe covers. Is covering really a necessary step or is it more "tradition."
If you want to save us some back to school hassle and stress while saving us money and time, do away with book covering. If, however, it is still going to be required, be sure to add brown kraft paper and tape to your supply list.
I've always used paper bags from the grocery store for covering textbooks. They're not only free, but also more sturdy than kraft paper. Just cut it flat and turn it inside-out so the label isn't showing. Scotch tape is enough to last through the year with paper this thick, so no need for duct tape.
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