Comments on: HPISD Wrap Packs. Pretending it’s More Convenient and Less Expensive.

By: expat

expat — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:43:16 +0000

@neal
“me llama Juan”

that is as far as Mrs. Moore got with us back in the 70′s.

By: MGBHstar

MGBHstar — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:10:29 +0000

I would agree that having the wrap packs, even if they don’t have everything needed, is tremendous convenience. After spending $300+ ($100 of which was the req’d TI graphing calculator for AlgII) with my 2 HS’ers and braving the crowd at Office Depot on Monday night, I’d gladly spend a little more to have someone shrink wrap it all for me.
Alternatively, why can’t the HS teachers/departments post class supply lists during the summer? Even DISD does that. I saw plenty of folks out the week before school started at the brand new WallyMart on NW Highway with lists in hand buying stuff. I also noticed that all of the office products stores had sales running that conveniently ended the day before school started. I could have saved some $$ if I could have shopped early.
Also, when my older kids where at the HPMS, they could go put their wrap packs in their homerooms when they picked them up. Can they not do this anymore.

By: mainzer

mainzer — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 20:14:06 +0000

First off, I think that the original post was less critical of what the PTA is doing in providing the wrap packs, but of the fact that they claim it is less expensive when it isn’t necessarily. It would be nice if there was also a list of what is in it readily available so that parents could chose to make the purchases themselves. Some prefer the convenience and some would prefer the cost savings of using some items from home and some new items purchased with a coupon…. As for the claim of convenience, it does tarnish the convenience to not have a way to include the electives. If we have to go to office depot to make purchases for electives then adding in the other stuff just isn’t THAT much more convenient.
As for the band and orchestra requirement. In my opinion 9 weeks of meeting every other day for 45 minutes isn’t enough to learn enough about an instrument to make it work the time, effort and $ of the rental. I would prefer that my child chose either band, orchestra or choir to try and to have enough time with the subject to actually learn something. I know that the time spent in music was a complete waste in our case. Part of that was that it just wasn’t enough to get something out of it, part of it was that there are just too many kids in the class and part was the lack of musical DNA. I really prefer the way that it was done in private school for my older child. In 5th grade, he had to take fine arts and which art was up to him. In high school, he also had a fine arts requirement and made a completely different choice and got a lot out of it. He is even less musically inclined than the child that I sent to HP, yet he can read music and has a basic understanding of keys and the mathematical structure of music. He also has a much better technical understanding of the visual arts than my child who is actually talented in art. For me, the bottom line is that my child did not learn much in 5th grade fine arts at HP, she did not enjoy it and it cost more than it had to cost.

By: Cat

Cat — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:20:22 +0000

Wrap packs are a fantastic time saver. Wish they had them for High School. Don’t care if they cost a little more – saving the time is so worth it! Anything to avoid the Office Depot shopping trip!

Can’t believe anyone is complaining about the 9 week rotation of band and orchestra! Some of us are so non-musically inclined that this would be our children’s only opportunity to be exposed to an instrument. Some kids choose band only because the LOVE Mr.White – He makes these kids want to be in band.

By: UPDad

UPDad — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:53:23 +0000

So after reading all these comments, I’m still not clear. Is the Wrap a requirement? It does sound convenient, and when my oldest starts 1st grade in a couple years, I’m sure I’ll be happy to take advantage. But it also sounds like it could be expensive, especially buying things you already have or end up not actually needing, and if it is an option, I could see us opting out after a couple years once we are more familiar with things. Doesn’t seem right that it would be required, so I’m wondering if it is, or if it is just a convenient service the district offers.

The band thing surprises me though. An “opportunity” is to have the CHOICE to sign up for band and sample it. When it is REQUIRED, that is no longer an opportunity. I’m guessing everyone has the opportunity to join the cross country team or the chess club when they get to middle school, but it is not required (nor are the fees associated with it.)

By: Jen

Jen — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:32:29 +0000

Disclaimer – I don’t have any children, but the service the school is offering sounds pretty darn convenient. I’m definitely impressed with the current set up.

However, it does sound like there are some minor improvements that could be made to the OLR to make things even better, such as allowing individual teachers to add their extra requirements into the database and then append those extra items and cost (including additional field trip plans) to each kid’s wrap pack and OLR payment. That way each kid’s wrap pack is customized for their specific schedule and the annoying extras go away. Seems like an easy win for next year.

By: E

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:18:08 +0000

Loved the wrap packs! Last year for high school we waited in a mile long line at office depot for needed supplies. Also, never realized until I had one kid in private school … how organized and streamlined the HP online registration is! From my kid at private school … I get email from the nurse to print out forms, email from carpool person to fill out forms, then just the general online registration, etc. Then I have to print off and turn-in!!! Not to mention private school activity fee if your kid plays a sport …. think it was $500 or more and don’t get me started on tuition! One kid almost equals my tax bill for HP! Oops … forgot I paid $500 again for uniforms this year (but love them!). Oh … my kid’s at Shelton … it’s not a luxury it’s a must! P.S. We had to rent instruments last year, too, but the company didnt come to the school …. we had to drive there to order, pay, and return it! MIS makes it much easier!

By: callie

callie — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 15:21:08 +0000

i like the wrap pack and would have a fit if it went away. i do think it would be a nice touch to have the stuff delivered to the classrooms. maybe some kids could get community serivce hours for that? i have friends in suburban district and they are given al ist that requires going to 3 different stores, standing in long lines, lugging 50 lbs per kids into school and spent way more than we did. then you turn in what you have purchased and the teacher will pass out supplies as needed. you dont get back the exact supplies that you bought. so you may have purchased nicer items for your kid but they may get the cheapo stuff someone else bought.plus your list includes more supplies than your kid needs so supplies will be purchased for the kids that cant afford them.

By: DemBones

DemBones — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 14:10:47 +0000

@mk. Office Depot maybe? Though with school funding cutbacks, some teachers may be asking for tools to do their own repairs.

By: mk

mk — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 13:43:38 +0000

I was in Home Depot yesterday and they said that the checkout lines over the weekend in preparation for the 1st day of school were at least 20 minutes long, so I’ll take the convenience of the wrap pack over that anyday. That being said, they do seem pretty dang pricey when you consider that they don’t include a big binder or book covers. Agree too that I’d rather be paying $500 to HPISD than paying private school tuition, but I only have one child to ante up for. I’m sure for parents with multiples, even the HPISD fees can be a strain.