Again-to-school season could be a demanding time not only for academics and college students, but in addition for fogeys. One of many key challenges that folks face every year is having to buy college provides for his or her youngsters, reminiscent of pencils, pens, notebooks, and folders, and looking for precisely what they want in busy shops, which can have restricted choices.
Lemont-Bromberek Mixed Faculty District 113A in Illinois has made this course of a lot easier for fogeys with a custom-made college provide package program from Faculty Specialty.
The SchoolKidz program permits dad and mom to purchase a single college provide package for every of their youngsters on-line, utilizing a easy order type. The kits comprise every thing their youngster must be profitable for that yr, as specified by the college’s academics.
Not solely is that this an enormous time saver for fogeys, however it will possibly additionally turn out to be a extremely profitable fundraising instrument. If a college or district PTO chooses to make use of this system for fundraising, they’ll designate how a lot additional to cost dad and mom for every package—and this extra income goes again to the PTO to learn the college and college students.
For the 2025-2026 college yr, CSD 113A participated within the SchoolKidz provide package program, which additionally had a simultaneous fundraising part, with nice success. As a result of funds raised, the PTO was in a position to give a refund to the college and even supplied additional kits for college kids whose households couldn’t afford provides. In a district the place one in 5 youngsters comes from low-income households, this helps degree the enjoying area and ensures that every one college students can be profitable.
PTO President Jordan Smuksta calls the SchoolKidz program a win-win-win for fogeys, youngsters, and faculties. “We hear on a regular basis from dad and mom how nice this system is,” she notes.
How the Program Works
CSD 113A is a public Okay-8 district with 4 faculties serving simply over 2,500 complete college students. The district has been taking part within the SchoolKidz program since 2018.
The method begins every spring, when academics put collectively their lists of faculty provides they need every youngster to have for the next college yr. From these lists, the PTO works with Faculty Specialty to place collectively custom-made provide kits for every grade degree.
“The kits comprise every thing that youngsters want, from glue sticks and binders to headphones,” Smuksta says.
Utilizing free promotional supplies supplied by Faculty Specialty, the PTO then publicizes this system amongst dad and mom. The instruments to assist market this system embody a pattern show package, posters, yard indicators, mother or father letters, social media posts, and reminder flyers.
Dad and mom order the kits for his or her youngsters on-line. Faculty Specialty provides 4 different-sized package packing containers, color-coded by grade degree, to accommodate practically any provide listing.
The deadline for ordering is in June, and the kits are shipped over the summer time—guaranteeing that college students have the provides they want on day one of many new college yr.
Working with Faculty Specialty on this system has “been really easy,” Smuksta says. “They ship us a timeline for selling this system and reminders for fogeys. We take that data and blast it out to households by way of social media and our district’s messaging app, ParentSquare.” The promotions embody a hyperlink to the web ordering web site, she notes, which “makes it simple for households as effectively.”
Taking the Stress Off Dad and mom
With no minimal orders required and no contract charges or penalties if the kits aren’t bought, there is no such thing as a danger to colleges in providing this system. However the rewards are large.
Taking part within the SchoolKidz program ensures {that a} vital variety of college students will arrive on the primary day of faculty with every thing their academics have requested for, with out requiring dad and mom to endure the trouble of back-to-school procuring.
“This takes the stress off our dad and mom at a busy time of the yr,” Smuksta says.
This system additionally provides the district’s PTO with a big quantity of income. A few of this cash is invested in employees appreciation initiatives, and a few is used to offer college provides for kids whose households can’t afford them—eradicating this burden from academics and guaranteeing fairness.
“Faculty Specialty’s customer support representatives are fabulous to work with,” Smuksta provides. She concludes: “I can’t say sufficient in regards to the firm and this program.”
