Shop early, embrace used supplies: Tips from Williamson Co. parents to prepare for school

Jennifer Haile likes to shop early.

Katy Street thinks ahead, changing bedtimes long before the first day of school.

And Laura Coons starts shopping for school supplies at home.

Together, these Williamson County mothers know how to get ready for a school year.

Ready. Set… Learn!

Approximately 42,000 students — from tiny tykesto tall teenagers — are preparing to walk through 50 public schools in Williamson County next Friday for their first day of school at Allendale, Edmondson, and Walnut Grove elementary schools, Sunset, Thompson's Station, and Legacy middle schools, Franklin, Centennial, and Independence high schools... And so many more.

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At Franklin Special School District, over 3,200 students in kindergarten through the 8th grade will walk through the doors of the district's eight schools on that same day.

What do they need to prepare for a fantastic school year?

Before Laura Coons shops, the mother of three starts by organizing supplies she has at home. Think zipper three-ring pockets, composition notebooks, Ticonderoga pencils, etc. from years past.

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"No shame in my game," she said. "I will pack those suckers and send them in if they’re on the supply list!"

Jody Wallace recommends supply boxes often offered by parent and teacher groups. Gathering all the supplies, Wallace added, ended up being the same price or cheaper than bargain shopping — with less stress.

"That being said," she said, "if your budget is super tight, I know all the wonderful teachers we have in our schools will absolutely make allowances and help every child get what they need.

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"For older kids, they end up not needing much of anything at all besides a few binders or notebooks that they'll want to pick out themselves anyway."

Joy Patton, a former high school teacher, thinks it'd even be smart to wait until after the day to buy most school supplies.

"Teachers will pass out a syllabus, and students will have a much better idea of what they need," she said.

Some added tech, like a stylus or personal headphones, could also be helpful to go along with their school-issued Chromebook, she added.

This fall, Kristen Helou will have a junior in high school and a freshman in college. So the supply boxes aren’t a great fit anymore.

But Helou said it’s always safe to pick up a couple of binders, pens, pencils, highlighters, 3/5 subject notebooks, and notebook paper.

"I was in Walmart today and they are fully stocked, which is not usually the case by the tax-free weekend," she said. "(I) bought what we thought we would need, but saved the receipt. Will gladly return binders or big spirals if not needed."

Iman said she’s made the mistake of waiting until the last minute to shop.

Chaos, she recalled it. No more.

"It is better to do it when the supplies are plentiful and the parents are not panicked," Iman said.

Street, meanwhile, is looking forward to her sixth grader adjusting to his school time bedtime.

"He is my fighter when it comes to going to bed," Street said. "I’m excited to try this late start Mondays and see how it affects getting my younger one to school."

Patton, who is not only a teacher but also a mom of four, echoed this.

"Think about building some routines for your kids," she said. "What does the ideal morning look like? Having predictable routines creates safety for your student, and sets their brain up to learn. It also helps me as a mom not to get so stressed in the mornings.

"Everyone wins!"

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: These Williamson County parents know how to get ready for school