Stocking Up on School Supplies

For many students in San Mateo, the first day of the school year is just around the corner.

So whether your student is starting his first day of kindergarten, headed to high school for his senior year or is somewhere in between, chances are he will need to report to school with school supplies.

While school supply lists often vary from school to school and sometimes within the same school, there are definitely some items that seem to make the cut no matter the school.

Almost all schools now recommend a backpack for your student, regardless of grade. Many schools say no to backpacks with wheels, as these backpacks often have trouble fitting into lockers.

The school supply list below is not intended to be a substitute for the actual list issued by your child’s particular school, but buying the items on these lists, especially during a back to school sale, will put any parent in a position of being that much closer to getting all the items their student will need to start the school year off right.

Kindergarten

Baby wipes (1-2 packs)

A pair of children’s scissors

Glue sticks

Bottle of white school glue

Hand sanitizer

Ziploc bags (gallon-size)

Tissue (2 boxes)

Disinfectant wipes

First Grade

#2 pencils

Baby wipes

Composition notebooks (2)

Crayons (24 count box)

Eraser

Ziploc bags - sandwich size  (1 box)

Hand sanitizer

Highlighters

Children’s scissors

Tissue (2 boxes)

Washable markers (1 box)

Disinfectant wipes

Second Grade

#2 pencils (pack of 24)

Pocket folders

Baby wipes (1)

Composition notebooks (2)

Crayons (24 count)

Ziploc bags (gallon size)

Glue sticks (10)

Highlighters (2)

Loose leaf notebook paper (2 packs - wide ruled)

Scissors –blunt tip

Spiral notebook (2)

Tissues (2 boxes)

White school glue (1 bottle)

Disinfectant wipes

Third Grade

#2 pencils

Colored pencils (1 box)

Erasers

Post-it notes

Tissue (2 boxes)

Glue sticks

Ruler

Loose leaf paper (2 packs – wide rule)

Hand sanitizer

Disinfectant wipes

Fourth Grade

#2 pencils

Post-it notes

Erasers

Tissues (2 boxes)

Glue sticks

Loose leaf paper (3 packs – wide rule)

Hand sanitizer

Ziploc bags (sandwich size)

Printer paper (2 packs)

Disinfectant wipes

Fifth Grade

#2 pencils

Post-it notes

Erasers

Tissue (3 boxes)

Loose leaf paper (3 packs – wide rule)

Black and blue ink pens

Red ink  pens

Hand sanitizer

Ziploc bags (gallon and quart size)

Folders

Printer paper (2 packs)

Disinfectant wipes

Middle School

Three ring binders 2 or 3 inch

Set of subject dividers

1 folder with pockets

Loose leaf paper

5-6 Composition notebooks

Tissue (1 box)

#2 pencils

Pencil pouch

Pencil sharpener

Red ink pens

Highlighters

Folders, prongs and pockets

Rolls of tape

Packs of blue and black ink pens

Colored pencils

Graph paper

Compass

Protractor

White out tape

Post-it notes

Printer paper

Ruler (metric and standard)

Dictionary

Calculator (will vary with math class taken, maybe scientific)

Book covers

Flash drive

Fine point Sharpies

Stapler for home use

Erasers

High School

Three ring binders  2 or 3 inch

Set of subject dividers

1 folder with pockets

Loose leaf paper

8-9 Composition notebooks

Tissue (1 box)

#2 pencils

Pencil pouch

Pencil sharpener

Red ink pens

Highlighters

Folders, prongs and pockets

Rolls of tape

Packs of blue and black ink pens

Colored pencils

Graph paper

Compass

Protractor

White out tape

Post-it notes

Printer paper

Ruler (metric and standard)

Dictionary

Calculator (will vary with math class taken, maybe scientific)

Book covers

Flash drive

Fine point Sharpies

Stapler for home use

Erasers

The following retail stores are good places to find school supplies - , , , , , and .