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School Supply Lists

Birney practices communal pooling of supplies so that every child in the classroom has the same basic items. Having the same supplies for everyone cuts down on distractions in the classroom. We encourage families to keep the super-nifty rhinestone-studded pencils and hologram folders at home to make homework time special and send the reliable basics to school. 

Items that classrooms always need are:
  • white printer/copy paper
  • facial tissues
  • cleaning wipes
  • sharpened pencils
  • glue sticks
  • dry erase markers
  • Scotch tape
Classroom teachers ultimately determine whether supplies will be held individually or pooled communally in their classroom. This varies from grade to grade and teacher to teacher within that grade. Generally, as students get older and more responsible, they are given more control over individual supplies, so kindergarteners bring nothing but a backpack to school while fourth and fifth graders can keep track of their own earbuds and microfiber cloths.

In past years, some families have expressed frustration that donated supplies are not consumed by their child's classroom. The lists we publish come straight from the teaching teams and every effort has been taken to make them accurate. Any supplies that you donate which are not used in your child's classroom are pooled in a communal supply room; they are not unappreciated or wasted.

If it is important to you that your donations are used in your child's classroom, please wait until the first week of school to talk to your child's teacher about what specific supplies he or she needs before purchasing classroom supplies.
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