Some 1,600 students will begin in-person classes this Wednesday when the fall term starts in the Perry Community School District. Many will attend all geared up for academic success, but others will arrive empty handed.
“There are 50 or more 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 Perry schools will gratefully accept donations of these needed items from the community. She 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 backpacks, 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.”
Donations can be dropped off at the Perry Elementary School on Monday or Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a donation basket at Ben’s Five and Dime at 1221 Second St.
