Beyond Bake Sales School fundraising: A non-stop campaign The big business of school fundraising A wish list for school supplies One teacher's shopping list A new strategy: Creating school foundations Donations now pay teachers' salaries Alumni support at the core of one foundation's success Audio Blaha lists some of the things she bought Blaha describes her husband's reaction to her spending Blaha is asked why she hesitates to ask parents to buy supplies Blaha says schools' budgets for supplies are inadequate Blaha says the public is unaware of the dire straits schools are in Photos Julie Blaha and supplies Respond to this story Talk about this story in the MPR News Forum Submit a commentary Help us cover this story

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One teacher's shopping list
by Mark Zdechlik, Minnesota Public Radio
March 15, 2004

Julie Blaha, a middle school math teacher, shows a portion of the classroom supplies she has purchased with her own money for her seventh and eighth grade students. (MPR Photo/Mark Zdechlik)

Julie Blaha teaches seventh and eighth grade math at Jackson Middle School in Champlin. Blaha has kept track of the amount of money she spends out of her own pocket for supplies for her students. In 2003, she spent $844 on classroom supplies. Here's a rundown of her expenses. Blaha spoke with MPR reporter Mark Zdechlik about why she spends her own money, what she uses it for, and whether there's a better way to buy enough of what she says her students need. To listen to her comments, use the audio links in the right column.

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Julie Blaha's school supply expenses: 2003

•2/23/03: $30.80 -- Activity supplies
•3/15/03: $9.57 -- Illustration book
•3/28/03: $5.06 -- Laminating
•7/24/03: $12.87 -- Calendar, book covers, magnets
•7/24/03: $78.00 -- Laminating
•7/24/03: $14.35 -- Homework punches
•7/28/03: $4.79 -- Borders
•7/28/03: $32.05 -- Tape, shelving, peg hooks
•7/30/03: $11.99 -- Games
•7/30/03: $109.52 -- Games and puzzles
•8/4/03: $98.27 -- Materials for projector stand
•8/4/03: $38.34 -- Wallpaper for bulletin boards
•8/17/03: $72.00 -- Toner
•8/19/03: $24.95 -- Materials for game pegboard
•8/24/03: $26.24 -- Laminating, brads
•8/24/03: $24.44 -- Magnets
•9/1/03: $12.77 -- Apollo 13 DVD
•9/6/03: $23.23 -- Emergency copies
•11/1/03: $20.22 -- Sign language CD
•11/13/03: $18.06 -- Markers
•11/13/03: $29.16 -- Hard hats
•11/24/03: $69.23 -- Books
•Several: $78.20 -- candy

TOTAL: $844.11

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