Again-to-school season is usually a irritating time not only for lecturers and college students, but additionally for fogeys. One of many key challenges that oldsters face every year is having to buy faculty provides for his or her kids, comparable to pencils, pens, notebooks, and folders, and looking for precisely what they want in busy shops, which can have restricted choices.
Lemont-Bromberek Mixed College District 113A in Illinois has made this course of a lot less complicated for fogeys with a custom-made faculty provide equipment program from College Specialty.
The SchoolKidz program permits dad and mom to purchase a single faculty provide equipment for every of their kids on-line, utilizing a easy order type. The kits include every part their baby must be profitable for that yr, as specified by the college’s lecturers.
Not solely is that this an enormous time saver for fogeys, however it could actually additionally turn out to be a extremely profitable fundraising device. If a college or district PTO chooses to make use of this system for fundraising, they’ll designate how a lot additional to cost dad and mom for every equipment—and this extra income goes again to the PTO to profit the college and college students.
For the 2025-2026 faculty yr, CSD 113A participated within the SchoolKidz provide equipment program, which additionally had a simultaneous fundraising part, with nice success. As a result of funds raised, the PTO was in a position to give a refund to the college and even offered additional kits for college students whose households couldn’t afford provides. In a district the place one in 5 kids comes from low-income households, this helps stage the enjoying subject and ensures that every one college students can be profitable.
PTO President Jordan Smuksta calls the SchoolKidz program a win-win-win for fogeys, kids, and colleges. “We hear on a regular basis from dad and mom how nice this system is,” she notes.
How the Program Works
CSD 113A is a public Ok-8 district with 4 colleges serving simply over 2,500 complete college students. The district has been collaborating within the SchoolKidz program since 2018.
The method begins every spring, when lecturers put collectively their lists of college provides they need every baby to have for the next faculty yr. From these lists, the PTO works with College Specialty to place collectively custom-made provide kits for every grade stage.
“The kits include every part that youngsters want, from glue sticks and binders to headphones,” Smuksta says.
Utilizing free promotional supplies offered by College Specialty, the PTO then publicizes this system amongst dad and mom. The instruments to assist market this system embody a pattern show equipment, posters, yard indicators, mother or father letters, social media posts, and reminder flyers.
Mother and father order the kits for his or her kids on-line. College Specialty gives 4 different-sized equipment containers, color-coded by grade stage, to accommodate practically any provide record.
The deadline for ordering is in June, and the kits are shipped over the summer season—making certain that college students have the provides they want on day one of many new faculty yr.
Working with College Specialty on this system has “been really easy,” Smuksta says. “They ship us a timeline for selling this system and reminders for fogeys. We take that data and blast it out to households via social media and our district’s messaging app, ParentSquare.” The promotions embody a hyperlink to the web ordering web site, she notes, which “makes it straightforward for households as properly.”
Taking the Stress Off Mother and father
With no minimal orders required and no contract charges or penalties if the kits aren’t offered, there isn’t a threat to colleges in providing this system. However the rewards are great.
Taking part within the SchoolKidz program ensures {that a} vital variety of college students will arrive on the primary day of college with every part their lecturers have requested for, with out requiring dad and mom to endure the trouble of back-to-school procuring.
“This takes the stress off our dad and mom at a busy time of the yr,” Smuksta says.
This system additionally provides the district’s PTO with a major quantity of income. A few of this cash is invested in workers appreciation initiatives, and a few is used to offer faculty provides for kids whose households can’t afford them—eradicating this burden from lecturers and making certain fairness.
“College Specialty’s customer support representatives are fabulous to work with,” Smuksta provides. She concludes: “I can’t say sufficient in regards to the firm and this program.”
