Classes with Supply Fees

At Forging Paths, each child or student is asked to bring basic, age-appropriate supplies from home. A detailed list can be found in the handbook under Teacher & Student Expectations. There are also bins in the hall with additional shared supplies like construction paper, watercolors, rulers, and other miscellaneous art supplies. We can purchase some items to add to our art bins or an occasional special item that is class-dependent if requested and approved by the treasurer.

If a teacher knows his/her supply needs will not be met with home or co-op-provided supplies, he/she can request a supply fee for the class. This fee is not collected by Forging Paths but goes directly to the teacher. The fee will be included in the class description at class registration time and cannot be raised.

We ask our teachers to carefully plan in advance to keep the supply fees as low as possible but understand that it is hard to know exactly how much to charge before the class is in process. Because of this, some teachers may aim a little high (by a maximum of $5/child). We request that teachers refund all leftover supply fees evenly between families on the last day of the term.

Class fees are to cover all materials needed for the class, with nothing additional provided by the students or co-op (unless it is a normally supplied co-op material). This includes, but is not limited to:

• Actual materials used in the class
• Food, including things like cake & cookies that need to be baked before co-op
• Prep materials
• Tablecloths or other table and/or floor coverings for messy classes

A teacher may also ask members of the co-op to bring in used containers (like empty soda bottles or shoe boxes, TP rolls, etc.)

If you are teaching a class with a supply fee and go over your budget, you may not request supplies be purchased or brought in from home by the students. Many of our families run tight budgets and plan which classes their kids may take accordingly. Please plan your fees and budget before suggesting or offering to teach a supply fee class.