Teachers are finding all kinds of ways to source the school supplies they need STORY Marjie Ducey
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maha Mercy math teacher Christine Gonderinger once asked for graphing calculator emulator software for her computer. A bit nerdy, she admits, and when nobody responded to that item on her school supply wish list, she rigged up a solution. Usually, she’s asking for things like binders, rulers and Clorox wipes. This year, she’d love to go big with decorations. “There’s not a lot of positive vibes in my end of the building,” she said with a laugh. Amazon wish lists are making it easier for teachers to post requests for the extra things they need in their classrooms, and it’s even easier for parents to respond with a click of a button. “I definitely saw it a lot last year and I have a feeling those are going to return,” Gonderinger said. “I think everything has kind of turned digital. It’s just easier than having to go to Target. Teachers have started to realize that and parents have started to realize that it’s easier for them to contribute.” Facebook is another source. A few years ago there was a push for people to adopt teachers who needed help with supplies, said Angelica O’Brien, a first grade teacher at Holy Name School. But neither method ensures that teachers are getting everything they ask for when they put out a supply list. Omaha Public Schools teacher Noelia Weber says she’s planning to re-use as many supplies as she can this year so she doesn’t have to do one. “It’s always my family members that help out, and I don’t want to ask them to get things for me,” she said. A thermometer and a voice amplifier were asks last year that came in handy during the coronavirus pandemic. She preferred buying her own cleaning supplies so she could purchase what she liked. Many teachers don’t do wish lists, either because they receive funds from their school or because they don’t want to overburden already financially strapped parents. At St. Robert Bellarmine, parents give a set amount to the Home and School Association, which then divides it up between the teachers. At Holy Name, a spring fundraiser helps raise money for
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August 2021
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