For almost two years, Donna Wojcik has worked a second job as a bartender at North Hill Gameday Grille to help cover the cost of purchasing earbuds, vinyl for a Cricut machine and “Fun Friday” supplies for her seventh-grade classroom.
Wojcik expects to spend at least $3,000 on school supplies throughout the school year.
“We each do extra things in addition to teaching so that we have funds to provide things for kids who don’t come to school with what’s on the list,” said Wojcik, who teaches world history at NIHF STEM Middle School.
Six miles away, Stephanie Zende has secured hundreds of dollars to fund her third-grade classroom at I Promise School. How? By sharing its needs on an Amazon classroom wish list, Clear The List (designed to support teachers’ wish lists) and other digital spaces. Zende may never meet some of her online supporters.
At North High School, Wyatt Daulbaugh, a ninth-grade world history teacher, doesn’t keep track of the many folders, highlighters and pencils he buys. But when his students need items, or he needs something for an upcoming lesson, “I just do it and go get it, find it, pay for it.”
The trio of Akron educators are examples of teachers sharing and sacrificing to invest in the students they serve.
Akron teacher ‘lucky enough to have a spouse that has never batted an eye’
For decades, teachers from Akron to Arizona have covered the cost of extra classroom supplies for the betterment of their young pupils. Today’s teachers leverage TikTok and other social media platforms to showcase their classroom wins and needs.
- Harper Niblett shows off her freshly decorated fourth-grade classroom as a first-year teacher.
- Kayah Roper hosts an annual video tour of her English Language Arts classroom, which includes a peak at its green plants.
- Lupe Bautista’s high school classroom tour includes a glimpse of a pink hangout area.
Many school districts, including Akron Public Schools, provide educators with stipends, but these funds can run out quickly when purchasing supplies and snacks to foster a fun learning environment or celebrate accomplishments. In the master agreement between the Akron Board of Education/Akron Public Schools and the Akron Education Association — effective through June 30, 2025 — teachers can trade an administrative day, out of the classroom, for funds that go toward preparing their classrooms for students. A public schools spokesperson told Signal Akron some educators receive a stipend and supply allowance, depending on the grade level they teach. The amount of these funds was unavailable.
While some educators try to stay within a budget that lasts the entire school year, Denise Surblis, a kindergarten teacher at Sam Salem CLC, shares the same mindset as Daulbaugh: What her kiddos need, she provides, even if that means her personal finances may be impacted.
“I am lucky enough to have a spouse that has never batted an eye about it,” Surblis said of her husband, Ben. She spends between $1,500 and $2,000 annually on classroom supplies.
“He’s always been like, ‘If they need it, you get it.’”
Kelly Goodpasture, a third-grade teacher at Seiberling CLC, said lots of educators spend their money on initiatives that support classroom climate, such as Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, which recommends incentives such as pizza parties, trinkets such as gel pens and stickers, and field trips.
Goodpasture selected a treasure box.
If her third-grade students meet their goals, they can choose from an assortment of candy, pencils or stickers — extrinsic motivation, Goodpasture said, is important to classroom climate.
Surblis agreed.
“We do try to spend time looking for new materials and ways to really incorporate those ideas,” said Surblis, who is entering her 32nd year of teaching. “You do have to revamp when you’ve learned something new. A lot of our money that we’re pulling in is to enhance the new programs that we’re getting. We’re trying to make it better.”
What other items find their way into the Amazon and Walmart carts of Akron’s educators?
Students in younger grades often enjoy designated snack times to break up long mornings, food that Karen Prayner, a first-grade teacher at Windemere CLC, said a lot of teachers purchase on their own.
Classroom support from supporters they may never meet
Some educators enjoy financial support from local organizations.
Oak Hill Presbyterian Church, located in Akron’s Ellet neighborhood, adopts Windemere CLC each year, donating backpacks, school boxes, crayons and other items.
Zende, who teaches at I Promise School, has had luck with her Amazon wishlist. She shares her digital wants and needs with family and friends, checking it throughout the summer to see what supplies have been purchased.
Her school also provides essential learning supplies for students.
“I Promise is really lucky that the Lebron James Family Foundation provides most of the notebooks, glue sticks, scissors, pencils. We constantly have those items,” she said.
Savvy shopping teachers never say no to a good sale. For example, this year’s annual sales tax holiday took place Aug. 1-14. Ohio sets aside a series of days that consumers can purchase items priced at $500 or less without sales tax.
That’s a lot of mood lighting, accent rugs and fidget spinners. How else can teachers lessen the cost of yearly school supplies?
Educators who teach K-12, as well as instructors, counselors, principals or aides, can deduct up to $300 of expenses — think books, computer equipment, participation in professional development courses and other supplies — from their income taxes.
Taxes aside, Wojcik, said the benefits are worth the financial sacrifice. Her decision to take a second job wasn’t just about paying for school supplies. But it has helped her purchase items she said are needed.
Said Wojcik: “We’re all working together trying to get the next generation to be productive citizens.”