Budget Crunch Kicks School Supplies Drive into High Gear

Middletown students head back to school Wednesday, Sept. 8, and there are plenty of supplies all students need, but not all students have access to them. So in hopes of getting all students off to school on the same foot, a school supply collection box has been set up at the Middletown Town Hall.

"If everyone donates a little bit, we can make sure all the students are set up to be successful and not rely so much on the teachers providing the supplies," explained Town Council member Richard Cambra, who initiated the Town Hall collection box.

Cambra, also a candidate for re-election this year, said the supplies collected at Town Hall will be brought to the schools on the first day of school. After that, donations will continue to be accepted because students and teachers will need supplies all year, he noted.

School supplies drives have become commonplace in recent years, but this year Middletown public schools are particularly squeezed as administrators work to close a $350,000 budget gap.

Across town at the School Department building and in each individual school, administrators and teachers are doing a careful inventory of every supply closet and cabinet for school supplies like never before, hoping to bridge the gulf wherever possible, one pencil and one piece of paper at a time.

Superintendent Rosemarie Kraeger so far has made no cuts to sports or after-school programs, nor has she cut funding for educational programs, but she has eliminated some district-wide central office positions and reduced some paraprofessional positions from full-time to part-time.

The reduction in school supplies was the next logical cut, so wish-lists distributed this year and donation drives are gaining more attention with a greater urgency.

Would-be donors of school supplies are asked to refer to the school supply lists that were provided by Aquidneck Elementary and Forest Avenue schools. Both lists are available here at Patch as downloadable and printable files.

Other recommendations for donations include universal supplies that are clearly needed by most students, for example backpacks, crayons and notebooks.

J.H. Gaudet Middle School and Middletown High School have not publicized specific school supply lists, but officials there said they are equally in need of supplies, given this year's budget cuts. Many teachers at both schools might also distribute their own lists for students to take home to parents after the first day of school.

Additionally, the Middletown Community Policing division has been conducting its own school supplies drive, said Lt. Robert Nutt.

The donation box in the Town Council Chambers seems to be off to a great start. Cambra noted that it cost him about $15 to fill one backpack with basic supplies, so while people don't have to spend a lot of money to help out, every little bit will certainly help students.

The Middletown Town Hall is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The donation box is a large covered chest on the back left wall of the council chambers.