start of school soon, shopping for school ongoing.

[Bibbyman]

School starts Wednesday, l'm told. Mary and the girls have been shopping.  A list has been sent to every kid of what they need.  Walmart has lists from every area school posted in front of mountains of school supplies.

This evening Mary had to take them to school to get their assigned I-pads.  Every kid was issued an Apple I-pad.  That's K-12 every kid. Is that crazy or what?

[thecfarm]

Just took our 3 grands kids for thier stuff.  :D   One is in college. She asked for some of my wife's homemade soup so when she has a cold she can warm it up. Comfort food.

[sandhills]

Bibby my daughters school gave out I- pads last year for grades 6-12, crazy and what a joke.  I haven't talked to a single kid yet that ever actually used one for homework and it only took about 3 days before they were having trouble and confiscating them from kids.

[Brucer]

Funny thing. Every year when the stores send out their back-to-school sale fliers, my backlog suddenly shoots up ???.

This has been a terrible year business-wise. Couple of smallish orders every week. The back to school fliers came out last Friday and in three days I received 7 decent sized orders.

I kinda suspect it's because the sales remind customers that summer is almost over and they haven't even started that project they promised would be done before the snow flies.

[Bibbyman]

Brucer, summers tend to be slow for custom orders here too. They have been real slow coming in and going out this summer.

Talking about going back to school, the other day we were in Mennonite country and we stopped in at a farm store ran by Mennonites.  There were a couple of small boys running around barefoot. One set down nearly at my feet to listen to us talking.  I made a comment to the boy they he looked old enough to start school pretty soon.  As typical, the dad replied that the boy would be.  I continued to say to the boy, "But I bet they will make you wear shoes.". The dad again answered for the boy that no, they don't require them to wear shoes.

I didn't think to ask if they were handing out I-pads.

[Chuck White]

The thing I dislike about all of the new technology is that kids and young adults today don't know how to compose a proper sentence, they don't know how to spell and math is a joke, they cannot do basic math.  :-\

A computer and a calculator will do it for me is a common reply!  :

A few years ago my wife's daughter brought home some old test papers (12th grade English) and I looked them over and couldn't beleive what I was seeing.  I took the papers to school and questioned the teacher about all of the misspelled words and her reply was "that doesn't matter as long as she gets the point across"! 

[Bibbyman]

We get correspondence from school all the time.  Mary manages it and complains about the spelling and grammar errors she finds in them.

Many years ago Mary worked as a clerk in the school office.  She'd come home mad at having to correct the errors in the teacher's documents.   And rightfully so as the teachers were far better educated, made 3-4 times her pay and should set a good example for the students.

[red oaks lumber]

the greatest country on earth but, when it comes to academic skills or work ethic we are somewhere in the third world countries :(
oh, did i tell you i'm glad my kids are out of school? not all undereachiving is the fault of the school but, the vast majority of it is. ;)

[Bibbyman]

Mary and girls were off yesterday on one last shopping spree.   They had to have more cloths not available in our town. They dropped by the school so Mary could pay for their lunches for the quarter.   That done, the clerk pushed a document in front of Mary and said you need to fill this out. It was to qualify for reduced lunch fees.  Mary said she didn't need it because she just paid and will always pay for the girl's lunches.  The woman explained that she could pay the full price but needed to fill out the form anyway. Mary refused.  The argument went on but Mary wouldn't budge.

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

Mary and girls were off yesterday on one last shopping spree.   They had to have more cloths not available in our town. They dropped by the school so Mary could pay for their lunches for the quarter.   That done, the clerk pushed a document in front of Mary and said you need to fill this out. It was to qualify for reduced lunch fees.  Mary said she didn't need it because she just paid and will always pay for the girl's lunches.  The woman explained that she could pay the full price but needed to fill out the form anyway. Mary refused.  The argument went on but Mary wouldn't budge.

I think the schools get paid for how many of those forms they get filled out, as well as for how many students actually qualify for the reduced or free meals.

Herb

[submarinesailor]

Good for Mary. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[WH_Conley]

It's the same thing here Bib.

[Bibbyman]

It's the same thing here Bib.

I know.  A few years back the local paper had an article about the low income subsidies for school lunches. Our county on average went from about 30% to 50% of households qualifying since the recession started.  As I understand it , these statistics influence how much money the school gets from state and federal.

We'll feed or kids if we have to pack them a PBJ and hard boiled egg. They complain about the food they get anyway.

My 1-8 schooling was at a one room school.  I eat baloney or Treat one Wonder bread every day - most often with a piece of fruit.  The school finally had a refrigerator and we got milk for 2 cents a pint.  When I went to high school they had a cafeteria.  All the other kids complained.  I didn't.  They had ham and beans with cornbread once a week and roast beef with mashed potatoes also once a week.  Then only day I didn't like was Fridays when we got fish sticks and macaroni and cheese.  They finally would have some pressed ham available if you asked for it. The cooks looked at you like you were a heathen.  They could be right.

[drobertson]

My wife Christy has been in early education for 25 years, I would be careful to knock the local staff and be more likely to focus on the politicians that control the board of education, which controls the curriculum and testing procedures.  I believe the parents should be more pro-active in their children's education.  Way to much blame game going on.    david 

[thecfarm]

School hot lunches???  :  :  All we ever had was out of a box or can. Not something that I was use too at my Mom's kitchen. I did not like it all. I use to bring a bag lunch on most days. Almost as bad as the Grandkids.They won't eat my wife's homemade macaroni,but they put that Mac and cheese in a box right to them.The few times she has made that for them here,I find something else to eat. But the kids will eat mashed potatoes and chicken. They don't get real taters they claim.

[wildbill]

i did the supply shopping saturday evening.  sunday the kid and i went to the store so she could pick out a new backpack.  (i wouldnt have picked the right one)

for lunches emily packs the kids lunch everyday.  if the kid is good all week she can buy lunch on friday.  if she has issues at school or home she doesnt get to buy lunch.  i think last year she was able to buy lunch 3 times the whole year.  we are trying to correct the behavior issues but the kid comes by her attitude honest.  after all im her father and raider bill is grampa

so far there have not been computers in the school for the kids to use.  she starts first grade this year so that may change.  its nice seeing her do her homework with a pencil at the kitchen table and not on a screen

[Chris Burchfield]

My Gdaughter started 1st grade Monday.  Our school supply list ate up $100. bill.  Not counting uniforms.  SS girls shirt for $20.  Then there are jumpers and skirts.  Dang!  Back to school.   :P :P :P

[beenthere]

SS girls shirt for $20.

She playing shortstop ?

[Magicman]

We had a Great Granddaughter start to her school this week.   


 

[JohnM]

Just read this whole post...I'll stick with home schooling. ;) ;D  (it's not for everyone but we like it and make it work)

[Bibbyman]

We've been listings to the local radio station promote a "buddy bag" program.  I get that they are asking for sponsors to pay for meals for kids over the weekends when they are not in school.  The implication is their families are too poor to feed them.  If you qualify for free or reduced price lunches at school, you qualify for the buddy bag program.  They said the country north of us has 70% of the families qualified for the program.

[Corley5]

  I remember feeling bad that I didn't qualify for free or at least reduced lunches when I was in elementary school.  The majority of my classmates did.  At that time there were about 15 of us.
  My FIL was a teacher at the same school with four kids and my MIL.  They qualified but the school wouldn't let them sign up because it would make the school system look bad if one of their teachers was on assistance    Dee and her siblings had to brown bag it.  He's still POed about that.  He taught there 33 years and retired two years ago.