Enroll Child in Public School = Open Wallet Please

I am just floored at how many different things we've already had to pony up for in the 2.5 months that Jacob has been in kindergarten!

Registration Day: $45 'supply fee', $33 in 'spirit wear'

Parent Night: $15 for case of writable CD's (selected from the teacher's 'wish tree')

PTO Fundraiser: $29 for crappy wrapping paper

Book Fair: $61 for books ... including a $12 book from the teacher's 'wish tree'.

Add this to my status as never-ending snack supplier, and I swear I'm being $10'd & $20'd to death!

What is with the teacher "wish tree"?? I remember NOTHING like this when I was a kid.

Am I just cheap?

I don't think you're cheap - - so much for free education.

I can probably explain the wish tree, though. I think the vast majority of teachers spend significant amounts of out of pocket money. My sister is an elementary school teacher and EVERY SINGLE teacher she has worked with in three different schools spends hundreds of dollars of their own money on school supplies - - usually $200-500. The special construction paper, personal notebooks, even classroom reading library are supplied out of teachers' own funds. Which is pretty shocking considering entry level teachers make around 35k - -and are often treated badly by the parents whose offspring they are buying all this stuff for (I don't mean you Jesher, just generally).

Anyway, it sucks you are paying so much but I bet that that teacher is paying more - - if you don't buy the CDs then she has to pay for them personally.

Hopefully your sister knows she can deduct up to a certain $ amount from her taxes each year? I think it's something like $200 for elementary school teachers?

I don't think you're cheap - - so much for free education.

I can probably explain the wish tree, though. I think the vast majority of teachers spend significant amounts of out of pocket money. My sister is an elementary school teacher and EVERY SINGLE teacher she has worked with in three different schools spends hundreds of dollars of their own money on school supplies - - usually $200-500. The special construction paper, personal notebooks, even classroom reading library are supplied out of teachers' own funds. Which is pretty shocking considering entry level teachers make around 35k - -and are often treated badly by the parents whose offspring they are buying all this stuff for (I don't mean you Jesher, just generally).

Anyway, it sucks you are paying so much but I bet that that teacher is paying more - - if you don't buy the CDs then she has to pay for them personally.

My MIL is a teacher, and she spends a lot of her own money on her classroom as well. Even things like markers, crayons, and chalk, all of which I assumed were supplied by the school, as well as additional books or 'speciality' items such as sms92 listed. I don't remember teachers having 'Wishing Trees' when I was in school, but I also know that so many schools have had to slash their budgets, and class size isn't exactly shrinking (at least where my MIL teaches it isn't).

[Stella]

When I was in high school, our cheerleading squad used to volunteer to raise money for the teachers and then help them set up their classrooms every year. They spend a lot of out-of-pocket money and so do the parents. Is there a happy medium?? (Ahem, government, hello?)

[Flynn]

Don't get me started. Really.

The bottom line is we are in big trouble with public education and education in general. Too many problems and not enough solutions.

Layered layered layered...

[Vanquisher]

Both of my parents are teachers. They do use a lot of out of pocket money, and this has actually been a source of contention in my parent's marriage. Mom teaches elementary and Dad taught high school.

Well, if there is one thing that I will never be, it is a teacher. As much as the schedule appeals to me as a mother married to a dawkter, I just can't be a teacher.

That said, the amount of money you have to shell out for public school is appalling. Field trips, classroom supplies, uniforms (yes, in our public school they wear uniforms), wish lists, fees, fundraisers. There are just things that I say no to, and I have to not feel guilty about it. I don't do fundraisers. I also am very wary about wish lists, but I do try to contribute where and when I can.

Teachers do not make enough money.

[Sheherezade]

Well, if there is one thing that I will never be, it is a teacher. As much as the schedule appeals to me as a mother married to a dawkter, I just can't be a teacher.

The bottom line is we are in big trouble with public education and education in general.

Mom says she would never recommend that anyone become a teacher.

You know, I had just recently decided to take the plunge and get my teaching certificate for middle school science. What are you people doing to me, here?!? Is this the famous iMSN tough love?

If you want to tell God a joke, tell him your plans.

[PrincessFiona]

Wait until they start coming out with the fundraising packets...then your blood pressure will really go up. They'll be luring your kids with cheezy $1 store gifts to get you to buy wrapping paper at $8 a pop etc.



Yeah, Public schools.................

kris

[PrincessFiona]

I'll get slammed...but I think teacher's make a nice living considering most of them have bachelor's degrees. :!

My son's first grade teacher from last year makes $49,000/yr. She has all holidays, weekends and summers off. She basically makes 49,000 for 8 months of work/year.

She complained that it wasn't enough because she has to take things home sometimes or plan/prepare. But....who doesn't? Her day starts at 7.30am and she is out of the building by 2.45pm.

I know many people with bachelors and master's (even PhD degrees) who don't earn that and they work 12 months of the year with 2 weeks of vacation.


kris

[SuzySunshine]

Minnesota teachers get paid very well from what I've been told.

I have a girlfriend who went to work for one of the big six consulting firms out of college but after a few years went back and got her teaching degree. She LOVES it - will never go back to corporate america and knows she is giving up a lot financially but is SO Happy doing what she's doing. Ask her again in 5 years and her thoughts may change, but she loves it now.

I think it takes a special person to be a teacher.

[Vanquisher]

I'll get slammed...but I think teacher's make a nice living considering most of them have bachelor's degrees. :!

My son's first grade teacher from last year makes $49,000/yr. She has all holidays, weekends and summers off. She basically makes 49,000 for 8 months of work/year.

She complained that it wasn't enough because she has to take things home sometimes or plan/prepare. But....who doesn't? Her day starts at 7.30am and she is out of the building by 2.45pm.

I know many people with bachelors and master's (even PhD degrees) who don't earn that and they work 12 months of the year with 2 weeks of vacation.


kris

That may be true in Minnesota, but not in Utah. My dad wasn't making that much when he retired after 30 years of teaching, and my mother doesn't make that much now, and she has a Master's Degree +.

Also, my mom was never home before 5:00, and my dad taught Driver's Education to make extra money. Further, they work a lot more days than the kids go to school. I'd say it's more like 10 months of work per year. They also get really little sick or vacation time, because it is assumed they get enough in the summer.

They have also cut way back on their health care and retirement plans.

My brother, who is a truck driver, makes more than my mom with her Master's degree who has been teaching for years.

[PrincessFiona]

Hmmm. I didn't realize that there were such huge differences by state.

[Stella]

Where I grew up (ghetto BFE, VA), teachers made a starting salary of $18K. Yeah, that wasn't a typo. Private school teachers probably made around $24K.

Here in Richmond, SO's sister has a Masters of Ed and makes $33K at a private school. She'd make more at a public school, but not a substantial amount. She's been teaching for about 4 years I think.

All that difference in a difference of about 2 hours. Go figure.

[PrincessFiona]

The first grade teacher has been teaching for 10 years, so I'm sure that is factored into it....

http://www.aft.org/salary/2004/download ... Survey.pdf

Average teacher salary for 2004: 46,597

There is an interesting chart that compares teacher salaries and 'comparable' professions (with teacher salaries being lower)...but they do a poor job of factoring in that in these comparable professions, people work 12 months out of the year...and they compare the teaching professoin to attorneys (who have to go to law school, engineers and professors {hello PhD and research until you drop }

Interesting....