School Supplies Cost Teachers, Too

The cost of school supplies hasn't only been tough for parents; it's tough for teachers as well.

"I spend approximately $500 at the beginning of the school year and approximately $500 throughout the rest of the year," said Patricia Johnston, a math teacher at William Wirt Middle School.

Many teachers spend money out of their own pockets each year for classroom supplies. But despite the personal expense, it's a gesture that comes from the heart.

"I want to make sure my students have what they need," Johnston said, adding that if they all start with the same tools, they can thrive.

"The school system provides schools with funding needed for school supplies," said Darrell Pressley, a spokesperson with Prince George's County Public Schools. Pressley also added teachers do not receive stipends for classroom supplies.

But when funding ran out to send the entire CSTEM (Communication, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) team to a challenge in Houston, Stacey Montgomery, Media Specialist for William Wirt Middle School, stepped in to help.

"They worked so hard, I had to take all of them," she said. Montgomery added some area elected officials helped out as well.

Sarah Alexander, a music and choral teacher at William Wirt, said she has also spent a lot of money on her classroom this year, but hadn't tallied up the total just yet.

She painted her classroom and paid for that out of her own pocket.  She also purchased a set of cooperative games that help teach music theory and reading music.

"It makes daily lessons easier," she said. "I'm absolutely willing to do it because it works. If it helps the kids learn, I'm willing to do it.

Montgomery agrees. If it's best for the kids, "That's all that matters to me," she said.