Oh, how they wished they had done it sooner.
Gina Schumann, of Lecompton, reads over a school supply list with her children, from left, Kassidy, 2, Dylan, 8, and Wyatt, 11, at Wal-Mart. Friday saw parents finishing up - or just getting started on - their back-to-school shopping. Lawrence schools start Wednesday and Thursday.
Moms, dads and kids from across the region flooded school supplies aisles at Wal-Mart on Friday, battling the crowds as they hunted for notebooks, rulers and glue.
"You wonder why you didn't do this at the end of the year to avoid these crowds," said Gina Schumann, a Lecompton mother.
It's the end-of-summer routine shared by many schoolchildren who face the start of a new school year. Lawrence schools start Wednesday and Thursday.
Schumann pushed a cart with children Wyatt, 11, Dylan, 8, Jessye, 5, and Kassidy, 2, milling around her.
Kassidy, in pigtails, sat in the child's seat, bending a pink folder over her head. The crew moved at a snail's pace down the aisle picking out items, Schumann referring to a long list of needed supplies.
"We'll get through this somehow," she said.
For the kids, it's a fun shopping bonanza. For parents, back-to-school shopping can be stressful.
"You always think there'll be something left over (from the previous year)," said Angie Barnett, of Perry. "There never is. They always need something new."
Nearby stood Jackie Moyer, 8, who scanned the racks while her dad, Tom Moyer, looked on. He, like the other moms and dads, wielded the trusty supply list.
Paul Hunt, Director of Resources at the Ballard community Center, left, helps Melissa Wood, Lawrence, right, with forms for school supplies. The Ballard Center offers school supplies at no cost based on income and other needs.
"I'm excited about getting a new teacher at school," Jackie said.
Lori Markley, a Baldwin mother, had to sift between 12 different options for folders with her daughters Cassidy and McKinley.
"When I was a kid, you could get a red folder," Markley said. Now "you can get Sponge Bob. You can get all kinds of characters."
Parents and kids also stopped by Ballard Community Center, 708 Elm St., on Thursday and Friday to pick up supplies. The center offers free items to families who qualify. About 250 children benefited, said Chip Blaser, the center's vice president.
There was a back-to-school buzz at the center as well.
"They all seemed excited to get their supplies and start up and see their friends," Blaser said.
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whosaid (anonymous) says…
I bought supplies for my 3 school age children. If you include backpacks (not expensive ones either), I spent almost $175. It doesn't help that the school requires only name brand products. Obviously, there is not a realization that there are poor people in Lawrence. It has gone so far that the list now says that Crayola watercolors are only "acceptable", but Prang is preferred.
I am not sure why the lists are so specific, but if someone thought it was the way to avoid maybe the poorer children being singled out because they did not have name brand supplies, then someone is just plain dumb. This is teaching our kids that only name brands are acceptable.
Also, the list wanted each child to have 2 fine point "blue" dry erase markers. Well, I couldn't seem to find any store that sold them packaged this way. Most stores sold them in 4 packs of assorted colors, a pack usually contained one blue marker. Each of these packs cost about $4.50. So, if I wanted to send my children to school each carrying 2 fine point blue dry erase markers, I would have had to bought 8 packs at $4.50 each. Sorry, I am not spending $36 plus tax. They have black dry erase markers and for some reason I bet they will work just fine.
Now, if I add this headache with the fact that I have to spend $336 in fees just to send my children to public school, I am officially highly stressed out about school this year.
You would think it is over, but it is not. I opted to pay may children's school fees in 2 payments. I am almost positive that the fee sheet stated that the first payment would be taken Sept. 1st and then the other around the middle of Jan. Well, tadaaa!! My bank account already has a $168 authorization on it this morning from Lawrence public schools. Thanks to that surpirse, I will have a good time just trying to feed my kids this weekend.
Thanks Lawrence and Kansas for your fine public school system!
whosaid (anonymous) says…
Macon47--I don't see how the mother of three is whining by stating that the supply list is long, that the children always need something new every year, and that they will get through it somehow. You must have a skewed perception.
There are many lovely people who work hard, have families, and are not rich. Your answer is to deny poor people the wonderful gift of having a family and children to love. I have four children. My husband and I work very hard to provide for them. They have a lot more than I ever did growing up and really do not know what it is like to do without. Do we have a lot of money? No. Are my children loved? Yes. They have everything thing that they need and more. Even with this, things aren't always easy. Yes, shoveling out $343 right before school starts is enough to impact us. This does not include school clothes and shoes, haircuts, and luch money. In your mind, becuase this isn't easy for us, I shouldn't have had kids. Brilliant! In my mind, people who go through life without concern and understanding of others should not have kids.
Gwynmael (anonymous) says…
About those blue dry erase markers---responding to local consumer demand the OfficeDepot in Lawrence has specially packaged 2 blue fineline dry erase markers for $1.98.
Thankfully!
whosaid (anonymous) says…
Darn...must of bought mine too soon. :(
punkrockmom (Nikki May) says…
Dang, I wish I'd have seen those. I'm sending a pack I found that was 1 blue, 1 black. Either way, I just wonder who makes the list. I've only talked to one teacher and she said she has no input. Anyway, my point is that I don't think that all the teachers even have dry erase boards in the room. And what are they doing with 40 dry erase markers? I'm wondering if they are for the teachers or the students?
Basically, I wish each teacher would have their own list. For example, last year, we were asked to bring 4 pocket folders. 1 was used, 1 was given to another student (I know not a huge deal, but still), the other two came home unused. Did we need 4 folders? No, we needed one.
trueninetiesgirl (anonymous) says…
i think they have people get way to much stuff i have put four kids threw elementry. and they always came home with unused supplies. the schools put them in a bucket and every one in the class might use yours and the teachers dont care. i never really ever bought name brand anything why pay for the name. i told teachers if they didnt like it then go buy it for my kids. thay shut up really fast.
merrill (anonymous) says…
I read where Rich Minder also experienced these same problems and would like to figure out what's going on...
Perhaps the school district could make arrangements with office depot to supply the students with the specifically requested materials at a super reduced rate for the business or think the the county should add 5 cents to every soda pop sold throughout the county to support economic growth and designate the entire amount to pay for school supplies,which the schools will furnish, and athletic programs.
Then add on $25 to every moving violation which cannot be forgiven. DUI add on $100 and DUI involving accident $250. This could help finance support school district art,music and Vo-Tech programs.
All of the above revenues go INTO the classroom.
trueninetiesgirl (anonymous) says…
merrill that sounds great but what about all the unpaid tickets that the state has out now that are unpaid. and just think the state would find some other place to us the money any way they always do.