A year later, The Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools is collecting donations and setting up a Web site so teachers can shop online and schedule a time to pick up their orders.
"We were like kids in a candy store. We were getting excited over highlighters. These are things that we need," said Josephine Burton, a fifth-grade teacher at Spencer Elementary.
Burton picked up her order of supplies Tuesday along with her colleague Cindy Frankenfield, a second-grade teacher.
"This is a wonderful, wonderful thing for us to have because it saves us money in the long run," Frankenfield said. "These are things that the children will use in addition to things that I will use."
Tracie Griffith, a fourth-grade teacher starting her career at Heronville Elementary, said she has placed four orders on the site.
Teachers are welcome to place multiple orders, since the site is constantly updated as more donations come in from companies and individuals, foundation spokeswoman Melissa Milligan said.
Already, more than 160 teachers from 60 schools in the district have picked up free supplies, and most people have heard about the warehouse only by word of mouth, Milligan said.
One of the hurdles the foundation faces is getting teachers to understand that they really will not be charged for the items they receive, Milligan said.
"You have to convince them it's free."
Almost $40,000 in supplies have been donated so far, said foundation program director Robyn Hilger said.
The average teacher spends between $500 and $700 a year on supplies, she said.
"If you're making $31,000 a year, $700 is a lot," Hilger said.
Jordan Stephens, a new second-grade teacher at Western Village Academy, acknowledged as much.
"Teaching is really expensive," she said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
