Wow, what a clever idea!

Hi, I’m Cathy Adams, Vice President of Merchandising for Discount School Supply.
The Merchandising Department at our company is responsible for selecting and developing the products that appear in the Discount School Supply catalogs. Although my talented team works hard to bring new concepts to our catalogs throughout each year, I am often amazed and thrilled to learn how talented teachers find ways to use our products beyond our original ideas.

Recently, while visiting a preschool, I noticed that one of the teachers was using our Step-A-Stones (STEPSTN) in a most creative way. This product is actually designed to encourage gross motor and balance skills. It includes 6 sturdy, plastic, flat-bottomed “buckets” (these are the stones) that are each 5” high. The “stones” are connected by an adjustable rope running from one little bucket to the next. To use Step-A-Stones, the teacher places the 6 stones, flat side up, in a straight line or in a curve. Then, as a balancing activity, children can step from one “stone” to the next.

However, this teacher was using the 6 stones as sensory stations! She had turned the “stones” upside down so that they looked like bowls instead. Each bowl was filled with something different. She placed rice in one, cotton balls in another, instant snow in another, and so on.

I thought, “Wow, what a clever idea!” There are so many ways to create different learning experiences using these 6 inverted stones. What about burying plastic letters or numbers in each stone and covering them with rice or sand? Or how about teaching sorting skills by hiding various colors in the bowls and asking the children to find everything that is red?

Seeing this sensory station idea in use illustrated for me once again that teachers are some of the most resourceful people I know. They are not “functionally fixed;” they may read the “directions,” but then they go in wonderful directions of their own. Their clever ideas and creativity keep learning fun and encourage children to stay engaged. I hope you will take a second look at Step-A-Stones and share your ideas with me. Thank you!

Coloring without Cruelty... for the Vegan Kid in all of us

Hi there. I’m Amanda Morrison and I am an Inside Sales Rep here at Discount School Supply. I am also a Vegan (A vegetarian who eats plant products only, especially one who uses no products derived from animals, such as fur or leather).

I was looking at our website one day and noticed this really great section that listed all of our common Allergen Free products.
It got me thinking “I wonder if any of our products are Vegan?”
So, with a little research and asking the right questions of the right people, I got a resounding YES!
Most of our Colorations® brand paints are Vegan as well as some of the BioColor® paints.

Our Vegan paints are:

• BioColor® Fluorescent Paint
• BioColor® Paint
• Colorations® Liquid WatercolorTM Paints
• Colorations® Simply Washable Tempera Paints
• Colorations® Colors Like Me® Washable Multicultural Paint
• Colorations® Activity Paint
• Colorations® Fluorescent Activity Paint
• Colorations® Sparkle Activity Paints
• Colorations® Metallic Activity Paint
• Colorations® Washable Glitter Finger Paint
• Colorations® Washable Finger Paints
• Colorations® Colored Puffy Paints
• Colorations® Make It More Paint Additives

The Colorations® No-Drip Foam Paint is not Vegan, but you can make your own Vegan foam paint by combining Colorations® Liquid WatercolorTM with the Vegan shaving cream of your choice (there are some out there).

“What makes Colorations paints better than any other paint out there?” I can give you my opinion:

1. The range of colors alone will boggle the mind. It runs the gamut from your regular colors, to neons, metallics, cool colors, pearlescent, skin tones and of course, glitter!!!
2. Most of it is washable (which is a huge benefit if your kidlets are free-spirited with the paintbrushes, as I have a tendency to be myself).
3. It’s Vegan so you know that no animals were harmed in order to bring you such great paint!
4. The bottles are all recyclable. We have to take care of Mamma Earth and recycle!
5. All of the paints I have listed above are made here in the USA
6. You don’t have to be a kid to use it, seriously! I have the Colorations Liquid Watercolor® and BioColor® paints at home. I use them in various artsy/craftsy projects, and I am far far from being kidlike any more.

This is just one of the many reasons I love working here and being part of the Discount School Supply family. It is refreshing to work for a company that not only believes in their products but genuinely cares about the people using them as well, not to mention the planet we live on.

Paint away, I say… have fun knowing that the paints listed above on your brush, paper, fingers…or whatever strikes your fancy…are cruelty-free and Vegan…and ENJOY!

Hi everyone! My name is Danielle Wolfe and I am a Buyer for Discount School Supply. I am lucky enough to buy for several categories: Math, Science, Manipulatives, Blocks, Legos, Puzzles and Inspirational.

When my son was in middle school, I decided to home-school him. This was a very difficult decision. People home-school for many different reasons. My son had lost focus and I felt that working one-on-one with him would help him to realize the importance of his schoolwork. This was a somewhat controversial decision at that time as I was very involved in his school and in PTA.

I was lucky enough to find a state-run program that allowed me to home-school, but also to meet all applicable educational standards. I wanted to be sure that my son would be able to reenter school at any time and would have all the necessary credits. In this program, we met once a week with a teacher who would supervise Matthew’s progress and ensure his success. Matthew also played team sports and maintained his school relationships to continue his social growth.

Matthew received boxes of textbooks and other materials from the state, but I really wanted him to have the best experience possible. I searched for projects and equipment all over the internet. I purchased an amazing microscope with lots of blank slides. We studied tide pools and rivers, taking samples and examining the results.

We followed a routine everyday. Matthew always completed his state curriculum in daily increments, just as if he were still in a classroom. But because I had the time to devote to just one student, we built science projects, studied Shakespeare, played Geography Jeopardy for hours, learned Spanish, made creative treats in the kitchen and, best of all, we travelled.

My husband travelled all over the country as part of his job and we went with him. Instead of just reading about American History, we walked all over Boston and Philadelphia, visiting the places mentioned in his textbook. We love horse-drawn carriages and most major cities have them to hire. Riding in the sunshine, listening to a well informed guide and allowing my child to interact with history was an experience that I feel has changed him as a student and as a person.

My son’s education has always been extremely important to me, and I thought that home schooling would be beneficial to him, but I had no idea how it would benefit me. I had always been involved in Matthew’s school, but our relationship blossomed during our time together. The adolescent years can be difficult, but we spent so much time together, it was impossible for him to withdraw.

My son is now a Senior in high school. We placed him in a private school when he was a Freshman. One of the reasons we chose this particular school was its open attitude to our home-schooling experience. I am proud to say that when Matthew left public school, he tested at an average level. When he was tested for admittance into his new school, his test scores had improved so dramatically that the counselor rechecked his scores.

We have the additional benefit of communication. Throughout high school, Matthew has always been open to talking with us. Let’s be honest-- he is still a teenage boy. I do get the occasional grunt as an answer, which I then need to interpret. But I know that I made the right decision to home-school because the foundation for our communication is there.

I know that there are parents out there who have struggled with this decision. I also know that it can be a controversial one. I would love to hear your stories and would be happy to answer any questions about my experience. My experience is also one reason why I really enjoy working in a company that creates products to support the education of young children – whether those products are in the hands of teachers or of parents.

Fun With BioColor® Paint

My name is Whitney Younglove and I work in the customer service department at Discount School Supply. It’s my job to take phone calls and help customers with their orders.

My favorite product that Discount School Supply offers is the BioColor® Paint. I have 2 nephews who are 5 and 4 years old, and they look forward to doing art activities with me every Saturday morning. Every art project we do consists of using a BioColor® product from Discount School Supply. Their favorite project is to make BioPutty®. We pour about 3 cups of the BioPutty® solution into a glass bowl. I then have them pick 2 colors of BioColor® paint. We squirt about 2-3 tablespoons of each color of paint into the solution, and then they mix it around with their hands for about a minute. Once the paint solidifies into putty, they love playing with it. I used to be a teacher, and I know how messy kids can be with paint; however the BioColor® cleans up off our table with warm water and soap, and I always find that it comes right off the kids’ hands. I always do put smocks on the kids to protect their clothing.

Another project my nephews enjoy doing with the BioColor® paint is to make ornaments for holiday gifts for their teachers. The plastic ornaments come in ball, star and heart shapes and are such fun to make for kids of all ages. The ornaments actually open and come in 2 parts. I give each of my nephews an ornament, and have them open it up. I let the kids pick out 2-3 colors of BioColor® paint, and we squirt about 2 tablespoons of paint in each side of the ornament. I then take the two sides of the ornament and close them tightly together until you hear a click. I put a few pieces of masking tape around the ornament, and then I let the kids tap the ornament all around to get the paint spread inside. Once the paint is distributed throughout the ornament, I take the masking tape off, open the ornament and blot out the excess paint onto newspaper. I let the ornaments lay open on the newspaper for 48-72 hours to allow the paint to dry and then re-click the two halves back together and the project is complete. I have found the gold BioColor® and silver BioColor® work great for this. Also, the Colorations Make It Shimmer are a great addition to these ornaments.

I would highly recommend the BioColor® paint for any age level. I think the greatest achievement for children is to do things on their own. These projects are both so easy, and I have personally seen my nephews feel so proud of their artwork. Feel free to shop around for the items I have talked about in the Discount School Supply catalog or at www.discountschoolsupply.com. If you have favorite BioColor® activities that I can try with my nephews, I would love to hear them! Thanks!

Practicing Good Health Habits - Tips from Discount School Supply

Hi. I’m Caron Pearce, Director of Human Resources for Discount School Supply. Part of my job is to provide support and information to our employees. Recently, I have been very focused on keeping our staff informed about the availability of regular flu vaccine this year and also about the new vaccine for the H1N1 Virus or Swine Flu. Our company traditionally provides flu shots for the staff each fall. This year we will provide the H1N1 vaccine as well when it becomes available. I hope that all of you are contacting your doctors, hospitals or local health authorities to get information about inoculation programs in your area.

We are also paying special attention to keeping hands and surfaces clean. We have made more disinfectant soap and wipes available to the staff in the office at Discount School Supply. That’s easy to do and it helps to keep good health habits top-of-mind.

In addition, we have made a list of all the products we offer that can be used to create a cleaner environment. Some of them promote more hand-washing by teachers and children. Some of them encourage better hygiene by using disposable covers or sheets. I include the list here for your convenience. You can find information about these items in the Discount School Supply catalog or online at Discount School Supply.

Of course, I must stress that none of these products will eliminate the risk of flu, but one useful step we can all take is to become very aware of keeping communal areas clean and to wash our hands frequently.

Hand and Face Wipes
Germ X Hand Sanitizer
One-inch Rest Mat
Two-inch Rest Mat
Toddler Cot Sheets
Latex Gloves set of 100
Germ Free Baby Changer
Germ Free Changing Pad
Changing Table with Sink
Changing Table Paper Roll
Kiddie Station Diaper Changer with Portable Sink
1 ounce Steramine Quaternary Sanitizer – 100 Count
Pureworks Surface Spray
Pureworks Liquid Soap
Pureworks Foam Sanitizer

For Hands-Free Portable Sink Usage:
Premier Portable Adult Sink from Ozark River
Preschool Portable Sink from Ozark River


Thank you for being a Discount School Supply customer and for letting us be of service to you, your staff and the children and families in your program.

Get the Most for Your Money From Discount School Supply

Hello, my name is Calista White. I am a member of the Inside Sales team here at Discount School Supply. One of my favorite things about my job is getting to know customers and helping them to make the most of their money. In my three years with Discount School Supply, I have met many dedicated teachers, directors, and child care coordinators.

As a sales representative, I get to talk to people every day. As I work with a customer through a new center opening or a back-to-school order, we get to know each other a little bit. We talk about our families, pets, vacation plans, etc. I firmly believe that developing this kind of relationship with our customers helps us do the best possible job we can for them. Plus, it’s good fun.

Helping all of these wonderful men and women who teach today’s children gives me a great sense of satisfaction. I may not be directly in the classroom, but I can assist each teacher to get the right supplies necessary at the best price possible. I can help them stretch those dollars. I love knowing that our customers are pleased with our service, pricing, and products. It means they keep coming back to Discount School Supply when they have a need, whether it is for wiggly eyes or paint or shelving units or changing tables.

Working at Discount School Supply gives me what I call the “warm fuzzies.” It’s that bubbly feeling I get when I know our customers love Discount School Supply. I am glad to be able to share a little of my experiences as a sales representative and I hope to continue developing relationships with such splendid people for quite a few more years to come!