Nearly 2,000 students will take up their studies when the fall term starts in the Perry Community School District. Many will arrive all geared up for academic success, but others will attend empty handed.
“There are about 40 to 50 kids throughout the school year — including kids who come in the middle of the year — with no school supplies at all,” said PCSD Community Liaison Megan Maylum. “Many students come with the affordable things, like crayons, glue sticks and markers but do not bring the more expensive items, like ear buds and pencil boxes.”
Maylum said the schools will gratefully accept donations of these needed items from the community.
“Last year we got a donation from the Perry Elks Club of ear buds and pencil boxes and went through those very quickly,” she said. “There were about five to eight kids per class who did not have ear buds.”
Maylum listed the following items as particularly needed by the young learners:
- markers
- crayons
- colored pencils
- glue sticks (not liquid glue)
- solid color folders
- scissors
- ear buds
- pencil boxes
- expo markers
- erasers (large)
- pencils
- sticky notes
- highlighters
- index cards
- 1″ binders
Because of previous generous donations of loose leaf paper, spiral notebooks and lunch boxes, the schools do not need those items at present, she said. Everything else is fair game.
“The scissors that we need are the small ones for smaller children,” she said, “as well as medium-adult scissors for the older students.”
Donors can bring items to any of the schools between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on weekdays.
“Back-to-school night is Thursday, Aug. 22 from 4:30-6 p.m.,” Maylum said, “which would also be a great time to drop off donations.”
