AT THE SIDEBAR (Column) The Cost of Middle School

Friday, September 19, 2008

Page 15

AT THE SIDEBAR (Column)

The Cost of Middle School

By J’AMY PACHECO

I knew things would be different when my daughter left behind the safety and serenity of her elementary years to venture into the great unknown of middle school.

I knew this because (a) all of her pants were suddenly too short, and (b) my daughter brought home a program that is so complex that it was accompanied by an appointment book designed to help her keep track of her classes and assignments.

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for example, my daughter might attend her P.E., Literature, Math and Science classes. On Tuesday and Thursday, she would attend Chorus, Composition, Math and Social Studies. The next week, the classes that were held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday would become the Tuesday-Thursday classes, and so on. If Composition was first one day, the next time they meet it becomes second period, then third, and finally, last. Once a month, teachers even change which lunch period their classes attend.

If that weren’t complicated enough, every other Wednesday, students attend an elective “enrichment” class, and every now and then, the school throws in a mid-week minimum day to keep things interesting.

The result is that my daughter doesn’t know from day to day who she’ll have lunch with, and I never have any idea where she is or what she’s learning at any given time.

Besides the complexity, one of the biggest differences between middle and elementary schools is that in seventh grade, students have to change clothes for physical education. This means parents have to pony up for P.E. clothes which are, conveniently, available only from the school.

The fact that I had to buy P.E. clothes was my first inkling that middle school was going to cost more than elementary.

But the P.E. clothes were reasonable enough ($15) that I sprung for the $5 canvas bag in which my daughter could bring them home once they got stinky. (Speaking of which – if I’m going to calculate the cost of middle school, I should probably factor in the increase in the amount of laundry soap needed to get the stink out of those clothes.)

The second week of school, she came home with catalogues from a book publisher. Now, I’ve been buying these books through her schools for seven years, so I’m pretty familiar with what the books cost. I couldn’t help noticing that in the middle school catalogues, the prices jumped up from what I’d paid last year. Books for which I’d normally pay $4.99 were consistently $8. I thought that was pretty strange, considering the books didn’t get any bigger. Maybe they have to charge extra for a more mature subject matter, or for a middle-school perspective? Who knows.

Last week, my daughter brought home information about Picture Day. Since we give school pictures to everyone in our family, I usually buy the biggest package. In elementary school, I spent about $40 for pictures. In middle school, I quickly learned, an 8-by-10 and four 5-by-7 pictures cost me a cool $51. Yikes.

A few days ago, she brought home a flyer for a yearbook. The yearbook won’t be available until June, but if I hurry and buy now (with what I have left after books, pictures, and P.E. clothes), I can get a yearbook at the discounted price of $37. If I want autograph pages, however, it costs more. (Who, I ask you, buys a yearbook without autograph pages?) I can pay extra to have it personalized with her name and various other things. When my daughter finished selected those “various other things,” the cost of her yearbook was over $85. And the only picture of her guaranteed to be in it is the one I already paid $51 to get.

That’s not all. My daughter has been spending $1 every day to buy cold water from a vending machine. If she wants to buy a scented pencil (“smencil”), she can get that, too – for a dollar.

Those are just the “official” costs. At the beginning of the school year, I invested in four very cute mini-highlighters that my daughter could hang on her backpack. Unfortunately, somebody else thought they were cute, because they’re long gone. So, too, is the silver Tinker Bell bracelet I bought at Disney World – and that a “friend” admired – and took. Since my daughter doesn’t want to make a stink, and therefore, an enemy, it’s just another unexpected middle school cost.

No question about it – middle school is costing me: money, jewelry, and peace of mind.

At this rate, I’m going to need a second job for high school. Or therapy – I’m just not sure which.