Schools
District 158: Changes To School Supply Lists Save Parents Money
School officials said "uniform supply lists for each grade level" is meant to "really trim down to what is needed for learning."
HUNTLEY, IL – District 158 families who have already headed out to do their back-to-school shopping may have noticed they spent a lot less this year. School officials are hoping that's the case. The district worked with its schools' leaders to try to find ways to cut on costs for its families’ school supplies.
School officials said they ended up finding ways to bring families between an estimated 23 and 58 percent in savings in school supplies, according to a news release from the school district.
“We challenged our principals to get together, see how they could put our families first, and develop uniform supply lists for each grade level that would really trim down to what is needed for learning,” said Chief Financial Officer Mark Altmayer. “We continue to be the 2nd-lowest spending unit district in the Chicago area, and we are always looking for ways to reduce the financial burdens on our families and taxpayers.”
Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- For more news sign up for the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch newsletters and breaking news updates and follow the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch Facebook page
The district also worked with schools to identify opportunities for cost efficiencies in bulk ordering some common supplies and providing those for our families. Items now being supplied by schools include glue sticks, highlighters, thin markers, rulers, dry-erase markers, facial tissue, plastic storage bags, anti-bacterial wipes, post-it notes, and 3-ring binders.
The prices below represent last year’s costs vs. this year’s costs and are based on school supply packs offered through Educational Products Inc., which are offered for sale through PTA and PTO groups each summer, according to the news release.
Find out what's happening in Algonquin-Lake In The Hillsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Costs will vary for families choosing to purchase supplies individually.
- Kindergarten: $53 to $22 (58%)
- 1st: $62 to $27 (56%)
- 2nd: $51 to $32 (37%)
- 3rd: $50 to $22 (56%)
- 4th: $44 to $22 (50%)
- 5th: $51 to $22 (57%)
- 6th: $41 to $28 (32%)
- 7th: $46 to $29 (37%)
- 8th: $39 to $30 (23%)
View the full school supply lists for Huntley 158 schools below:
Photo via Shutterstock
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
