When getting ready for school, don’t forget the 3 ‘Ps’ – pens, pencils, paper

With kids going back to school Monday, there are lots of options out there for your child’s school supplies. Who better to ask for some education than the head honchos themselves?

Principals from Butterfield Elementary School, Desert Winds Middle School and Maricopa High School, and teachers, shared their best recommendations for school supplies this year.

Most of them agreed basics are better. Notebooks are especially the most important because they’re easy to tote and keep everything together.

“I’m always surprised how many high school students stop bringing the basics to class, like pens, pencils and paper,” said Heather Abel, an arts teacher at MHS. “Please, parents, make sure your students have these basic supplies when coming to school.”

They’re easy to buy in a variety of styles. Walgreens has some of the cheapest starting at 99 cents for a one-subject spiral.

Pencils are another unpopular item (because pens just seem so much cooler) that’s simply necessary for school, particularly in math class where kids may need to erase mistakes.

“Pencils always seem to be in short supply,” said Edward Turner, a MHS math teacher. “Many students resist using them.”

He also warned high school students against using a cellphone calculator in class.

“They need to be proficient with features typically found on a scientific calculator,” Turner said. “Besides not being permitted in class, cellphone calculators are inadequate for most math classes.”

When it comes to other technology, USB sticks and headphones will come in handy for classes with strong computer-based instruction models, said Desert Wind Principal Yvette Harpe. They’re also useful for bringing essays and homework assignments back and forth from the library to home.

Walmart sells 8GB flash drives, which is plenty for a semester’s-worth of work, for about $10. It’s best to find something with a secure cap so the flash drive doesn’t get damaged in a backpack.

Even though such items as iPads and personal laptops are still banned from classrooms, they can be useful at home. After taking notes by hand during school, students can transfer notes using apps like EverNote to keep them organized. Plus, rewriting notes can help kids remember what they learned.

“No single piece of technology is the best,” and “none” is the most obsolete, Butterfield Principal Janel Hildick said. “The more students are exposed to, the more well rounded they become.”

Some teachers also are looking forward to implementing online-sharing programs into their classes.

“I am looking forward to experimenting with Google Docs and Twitter this year,” said Kelly Menefee, a MHS English teacher. “I think my classroom website will be extremely beneficial in keeping students well connected.”

The teachers also recommended parents encourage their children to bring a positive can-do attitude to the new school year, and provide their children a full stomach.

“Breakfast would be the No. 1 supply for success in my classroom,” said George Kotselas, a history teacher at the high school. “Students who focus on their stomach pains struggle to pay attention. If they bring their A game, I will get them pencils and paper.”