Students prepare for first day of school

They've got the supplies and schedules -- and a slight case of anxiety.

It's not unusual for students to be a little nervous about their first day at school, especially if it means starting class in a new building, with new faces and new teachers.

Bart Pittmann, 12, already knows about the daily routine that comes with being in school, but he's not sure about the homework that awaits.

Pittman will be a seventh-grade student at Central Junior High School.

"I'm worried there will be more work to do," he said. "I'm not sure what it will be like."

But he's had some pointers and advice from his older sister, Candice, who will be a senior at Central High School. He knows which teachers to look out for, and what classes to take as electives. And he can offer similar advice to his younger sister, Sadie, who starts sixth grade.

One of the classes Pittman is looking forward to is band during second hour. After performing with the Bengal Beat at the Middle School, Pittman was selected for the junior high band. He plays percussion.

But being in band also means some extra work in practices and maybe less time for homework. It also means some extra expenses.

Getting ready for school can be a bit unnerving for parents too. Many spend $100 or more for supplies like backpacks, paper, notebooks and pencils. And getting ready for school can get expensive if you have more than one child to buy for.

"As a single parent it gets hard," Linda Pittman said. There are some things she cannot do because of financial constraints. And then there are some things she won't do, like buying supplies when book bags or folders from a previous school year are still usable.

Brenda Shupert spent $96 buying backpacks and school supplies for her four children, and that was after she made them sort through what was left from last year and could be used again.

The three younger children, Abby, Austin and Andrew, each got new backpacks for school in addition to their necessary supplies. Abby starts first grade, Austin starts fourth at Clippard Elementary and Andrew will be in the seventh grade. Aaron will be a junior at the high school.

On average, Shupert says she spends $60 per child when including backpacks and supplies. She knows that there will be additional items to purchase, especially since Aaron and Andrew are both involved in extra-curricular activities.

There are always sports physicals and gear, and this year the family is adding music equipment since Andrew is learning trumpet.

"The first two or three weeks, they come home with notes just about every day" asking for collections for parties and field trips and other school events, Shupert said.

"Each year I dread back-to-school because there's always some other fee to pay," she said. Shupert said she'd rather pay a one-time fee to the schools for the supplies so that everything would be in the classroom and ready to go for the first day.

But her children like shopping for their supplies.

It took each of them some time to find just the right backpack. Abby chose a pink one with plenty of zippers and pockets for carrying everything from drink bottles to CDs.

Andrew and Austin both chose satchels with a flap, which should make getting in and out of their bags much easier. "I had a hard time finding the right color," Andrew said. His bag in orange and black fits the school colors.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126