Best Value Copy Blog - EDUCATION

16 Websites Every Teacher Should Know

Mon, 04 Jun 2018 20:31:12 GMT

Teachers have the tough task of staying current on all teaching methods. One of the most important teaching methods throughout all of education is incorporating technology use in all content areas. Educators have to be providing opportunities in and out of the classroom for the students to use technology in an educational way. There are literally thousands of educational websites out there that proclaim they are ideal for helping students in different subjects. This list will help save you countless hours of searching and narrow down the field a bit more. All of these websites are free unless marked differently.

PARCC Practice Tests - PARCC testing has either just arrived for the school year in your classroom or soon will be. This will provide your students some valuable practice and have them get used to the PARCC tools and format.

Math-Aids.com - This is an invaluable website for any level of mathematics. Create extra worksheets on any math topic quickly for students in a matter of moments.

Spelling City - Easily place your weekly spelling lists into this website. Students can practice at anytime through fun games or do practice tests to get ready.

Prodigy Math - This is a free adventure game that uses math concepts for players to achieve different levels. Students love it! They will play this at school and at home. They will have to create an account to start their Prodigy journey.

Grammar Gorilla - Students can learn their parts of speech through some guidance with this site. Start them off at the easy noun and verb level, and then proceed on to the more advanced level when they are ready.

Starfall - This website is designed in an entertaining way to help students learn how to read through phonics and animations. It is free, but more content can also be added by doing a paid membership as well.

Fifty States - Your students can learn their fifty states through this animated puzzle.

Typing Club - Students need to learn how to type well much earlier than ever before. This exciting program will keep track of students’ progress as they learn how to type by progressing lessons. Students as early as second grade and as old as seniors in high school have shown great improvement with this site.

National Geographic for Kids - Students can learn all about animals, states, planets, and a variety of other things through this amazing educational website. This site alone could be a huge improvement over old textbooks in enticing students to actively learn more about Science and Social Studies.

InspirARTion - A fun website for creating works of art! Students of all levels will enjoy constructing masterpieces through this easy to use sketch and draw program.

Tumble Book Library - This site is one that requires a subscription. With that said, it is well worth it. Thousands of actual popular books are on this website for students to read or listen to. Most of the books are read aloud and involve a bit of animation. Placing one of these stories up on a smartboard will definitely entertain your class. Most of the books have quizzes created that go along with them.

Free Rice - This charitable website donates ten grains of rice to a starving country every time a child answers a multiple question problem right. They have several content areas to choose from. A very popular subject area is the vocabulary section. Students will feel good about themselves as they help rid the world of hunger with their knowledge.

IXL - This website does require a paid subscription. However, it is an amazingly thorough website that includes quality content in Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. You can try it out for free a little bit to help you decide if you would like to purchase it.

DOGO News - Think of this website as a current events must for your students. Attached to many of the kid friendly articles are videos for added learning. This site could be used weekly in the classroom since it is updated frequently with new articles.

Timed Math Drill - A simple website, but an effective one. Students can easily take timed math practice drills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The amount of time they spend on the drills can be adjusted. Think of it like like math flash cards, but with a technology twist.

the Last Website on Our List? You'll never Guess...

Best Value Copy - Best Value Copy has been in business for over 25 years, and we have learned what small businesses, individuals and organizations nationwide require: honesty, quality, low prices and fast delivery. We offer all of this online for anybody anywhere; after all nobody likes travelling and waiting in long lines at big chain or local shops, receiving poor quality and paying higher prices.

15 Things To Do After Your First Year of Teaching

Mon, 14 May 2018 07:00:00 GMT

It’s nearly time to trade your teacher bag in for a beach bag - summer’s almost here! If this was your first year teaching, here are a few tips to make you summer brighter and the beginning of your second year of teaching run more smoothly.

1) Record Success
Get a two-subject notebook. In the first section, think about all the things you loved most about this year. What went right? How would you like to expand that success into other areas? Can you recreate that success by using the same strategy in an area with which you struggled?
In the second section, record things that were less than spectacular. Be careful not to allow negativity to overwhelm you in this activity, though - just remember that even the most seasoned professionals have things they can improve upon and learn each year. Over the summer, after you’ve rested a bit, you’ll be able to brainstorm and problem-solve to navigate through troublesome areas more effectively.

2) Schedule Personal Appointments and Summer Professional Development Courses
Summer is famously the time for all teaching professionals to do everything else in life they’ve put off for the previous 9 months - medical and dental checkups, car repairs, home repairs - you name it. Try to call and schedule appointments as soon as you can, before summer begins, so that you can get in before the “teacher-rush”.
Professional Development summer courses are generally a district requirement. The quicker you register and claim your spot, the more likely you are to be able to choose the topics that really interest you.

3) Start Packing
This is a great time to clean out all the lockers, cubby holes, boxes, and cabinets you’ve been piling things in all year. Throw things away, give things away, and organize according to need throughout your year. Take note of all your changes before the actual end-of-the-year packing really begins.
Pro-tip! Many schools hand out a “checkout list” that tells you the things you are required to complete before leaving for the summer. If you’ll be returning to the same school next year, make a copy of this list and file the copy so that next year you can start working on it a bit earlier, if you choose to.

4) Paperwork -
Even if you’ve neglected it all year, now is the time to keep up with that gradebook and paperwork! Get it done so it doesn’t get overwhelming later. Ask around and see what other paperwork may need to be done as the end of the year draws near. End of the year certificates and awards, documents needed to be completed or turned in, and the updating of files and records kept by the school are just a few of the end-of-the-year things for which you may be responsible.

5) Plan for Improvement -
Go back to that notebook for a brief glance - not to solve anything, but to pick three areas - and ONLY three - in which you want to improve before next year. Find books and resources on those topics for light reading and studying. Gather your supplies (and put them away until at least the third week of summer).

6) Continue Packing -
   Now that things are more organized, it’s time to start collecting containers and decide where things will be stored over the summer months. Begin with packing things that you are finished with for the year, but remember to ask your administrators if your classroom will be used over the summer break for summer school or other classes. If your room will be used, there may be things (that were purchased by the school or district) that the visiting teacher will need.
   You never have to leave your own personal things in your room over the summer, although many teachers leave most of their things at the school. Just remember that valuable, irreplaceable things can get lost or damaged in the classroom, and districts will not usually compensate for your lost items.

7) List Needed Resources
   Mentally review your year and think of things you needed or wish you’d had during your year. Summer is a great time to shop around for bargains, browse yard sales, or make things to use in your classroom. Keep a list of things you need to buy, find, or craft. Jot down what you plan to use it for, and note roughly when in the year you will need it. That will help you organize your summer finds.

8) Copy and Laminate
If your school provides free copying and laminating, copy anything you may need the first two weeks of school and laminate all the things you plan to use to decorate before leaving for the summer. If your school doesn't provide free copying, I'd suggest BestValueCopy.com for price, quality and speed. That way, you know that no matter what the summer holds, you won’t have to worry about copying and cutting out yards of lamination the night before school starts. If there are activities and games you know you want to print or make and laminate, now is an excellent time to take care of those things as well, since you will likely have time to take care of that during the summer.

9) FILE. No, really… file.
Don’t just take your entire “file pile” and shove it straight into the back of the filing cabinet. Label folders, organize in groups, and file the things you will use again. You will be grateful you did this at the beginning of the next school year.
Also, if your computer has files you’ve created, save them all in a personal place (personal computer, upload to a cloud accessible from home, etc…) in case you get a new computer or your computer is damaged during summer maintenance. Don’t take any chances that you may lose something you really need.
Keep all student records and portfolio materials for at least two years unless everything is digital and there are multiple digital copies available, especially if the student struggled academically or you suspect an issue may come up later (possible abuse, neglect, behavioral issues, etc…).

10) Throw or Give Things Away
Teachers, especially those who work in elementary, are notorious hoarders. Don’t be a hoarder! Throw away things you know you won’t use next year, or if you just can’t completely part with it, give it to someone else.

11) Breathe. Sleep. Eat.
Summer is a great time for rest and relaxation. Pamper yourself at every opportunity and try to schedule some time away from home. Even a small get-away to a nearby town or a few days camping will recharge your batteries and help you feel that you are “reset” to face new challenges next year.

12) Prep Students for Their Next Step
   Your students are very likely to be thinking about next year, too, and no matter what age you teach, it’s very helpful to let them ask questions and talk to you and each other about what will happen next. Younger children won’t understand summer, let alone the next year, but talk with them about it anyway. After a week or so over the summer break, it will start to make sense to them.
    Meet with next year’s teachers whenever possible. Talk about the future. Plan for graduation. Dream with them.

13) Review, Review, Review
    Summarize the year with your students and remind them of all the things they learned. Set up tutoring to prevent summer setbacks for struggling students if you can and the service is available.

14) Enjoy the Last Few Weeks -
These are the weeks that make education the best job ever. Summer is amazing and wonderful, but the last three weeks are the best moments of life for a teacher. Take time to write letters to your students and their families, make contact provisions, and enjoy the connections you’ve made this year. Relive the best and worst memories you’ve made together this year as a class family. Take a picture with your classes and make sure you record their names in picture order, first and last, and record the date (if you don’t, after a few years, these things will fade from your memory even if you are certain you’ll never forget anything about your first class).

15) Let It All Go
Tell your students you love them - and mean it. Say goodbye to each one specifically. Saying a deep, heartfelt goodbye helps you find closure.
As you close up your classroom, hand in your keys, and say goodbye to other faculty and staff members, take a moment to let everything sink in. Whatever happened this year is over, good and bad. Take a moment to reflect, accept, and say goodbye to your first year.
Then close your classroom door, and walk away.

Fifteen Places to Download Posters for your Classroom

Tue, 10 Oct 2017 07:00:00 GMT

Whether it is to remind students of behavioral expectations, inspire them to succeed, or teach a lesson, posters are an effective classroom tool. Students respond to visuals and, as opposed to a teacher constantly repeating the same message, the poster stands quietly ready to remind students of the information you want to convey.

Fifteen Places to Download Posters for your Classroom

Purchasing posters can be costly. However, multiple sites offer free downloadable resources. To begin utilizing posters in your classroom while leaving some extra cash in your pocket, consider checking out the following:

Teachers Pay Teachers is a web-site with a broad range of products developed by teachers, for teachers. While many of the products are available for purchase, visitors to the site can refine searches to include only free items.
A classroom is not complete without messages to inspire students to become a greater version of themselves. Find colorful, meaningful posters that will motivate anyone who enters your classroom at Venspired.com.
Teach Junkie offers 27 different poster sets on topics ranging from classroom management to writing strategies and parts of speech.
On Busy Teacher, the 66 posters are organized a couple different ways. At the top of the page, visitors to this site can quickly see links to the top ten most downloaded posters. Scroll down a little further to search all posters with the ability to refine by those most recently added, most viewed, or most highly rated.
The Kids Know It website offers a variety of educational posters organized by the following categories: astronomy, biology, history, classroom, science, health, motivational, and reading. All poster pdfs are 19” x 13” but can be printed as large or as small as you like.
Freeology offers posters on a variety of topics. The posters are neatly organized and each contains a nice description and suggestions for use.
If you are looking for fresh new inspirational posters for your classroom, check out Edutopia, part of the George Lucas Educational Foundation. While you’re there, check out the other resources this online community offers for educators.
We Are Teachers provides a number of free downloadable resources for teachers and allows visitors to search posters by grade level and topic. One downside of this site is that all the downloadable items are presented together so you have to do a little mining to find the posters. The upside is that there are many other good resources along with the posters!
“Cool stuff for nerdy teachers” is the tagline for the Ed Galaxy website and you’ll see why when you visit the site. The free posters on this site are colorful, unique, and appealing to students of all ages. There are both instructional and motivational posters here.
Reward Charts 4 Kids is unique in that it allows you to customize posters. For example, if you download the Classroom Rules poster, you can edit the text to reflect your own classroom rules. This allows you to take advantage of the great graphics while personalizing your message.
If you’re into creating your own posters, Poster My Wall is a site that includes posters as well as poster templates that allow you to create custom posters. Incorporate posters into your lesson plan, or develop a class roster with one of the many colorful backgrounds.
Common Sense Education offers some posters will appeal to middle and high school teachers. The Oversharing: Think Before You Post poster cautions students about the dangers of social media while the Legit-O-Meter helps students critically discern real news from “fake” news. The site also includes posters geared for younger audiences.
If you are looking for technology-related posters, look no further than Educator's Technology. These posters help students utilize technology for learning, researching, and studying.
If you’re a math teacher and you don’t know about Jenny Eather’s Math Charts website, you’re missing out. Click on one of the fourteen topics listed on the left side of the page to display a variety of downloadable posters on the topic. These would be great to display near center rotations, changing out specific posters based on the current lesson.
Unique Teaching Resources compiled a list of 2,000 education-related quotes and turned some of them into posters. Visit this site to view the free posters and get some educational inspiration.

Only a teacher appreciates the thought and care that goes into creating a classroom environment that is welcoming, inspirational, and visually appealing. Use these free posters to breathe new life into your classroom environment and instructional practices while taking advantage of the wealth of additional resources these websites offer.
Once you're ready to print, head on over to BestValueCopy.com and we'll handle the rest. Be sure to subscribe to our email and social media channels for weekly deals! :)

13 CREATIVE IDEAS For Organizing Your Classroom

Tue, 29 Aug 2017 07:00:00 GMT

No matter what grade it is you are teaching, one of the true secrets to being an effective, efficient and all-round brilliant teacher is having an organised classroom. While getting a room organised for twenty-plus students might seem like a daunting task, with these 13 Creative Ideas, you’ll have your classroom sorted in no time, and soon enough, the whole school will soon be asking how you did it.

1.Get yourself a kick-ass lesson planner print out

Getting yourself organised with one of the thousands of free lesson planners available online will save you so much time and effort throughout the term. Spend some time to find your favorite, print it on varying colored pieces of paper to jazz it up a little, and keep a stack spare in your drawer for planning in non-contact time, or any spare minutes you get to stay organised.

2.Start an organisation book or planner
Having a planner is crucial for anyone, but especially for teachers who are managing a large group of people, day-in, day-out. Organize your day, your week, and your term in advance, and use different colored highlighters for different types of tasks to stay on top of your to-dos.

3.Make sure all your storage containers are labelled
This is going to make life SO much easier for you. Use different colored lids for different subjects, then match the color to a label color for the type of items stored within your containers. This is great for you, and as a reference for your students when they need to retrieve something from the ‘purple box’ rather than the ‘one with the counting cubes and dice in it’.

4.Get your classroom games organised into themes for each month
Structure your term out into its months and then allocate a game for each month of the year. Use this game as an incentive for points for your students at the end of each week, with the team getting the most points receiving a prize at the end of the month.

5.Have a birthday chart printed, laminated and stick on Velcro spots
Everybody loves birthdays, but organizing a new chart each year for all of your students can be tedious. Instead of making a new one every year, make one awesome one, stick on Velcro dots, then simply make your students names and dates and Velcro them on each year. Saves making a new chart, and saves kids ‘accidentally’ rubbing off whiteboard marker written names – making sure no-one misses out on birthday cake.

6.Design free reminder slips to print out and have ready to keep parents in the know
This works wonders for both you, and the parents! Having reminder slips ready to go for each student means that no important messages, reminders or notices will go unread. Include a place to sign and a date to have it returned by, so you can fill it in for each form you send out.

7.For organizing puzzle pieces, use bright colored pencil cases and label them
This is a nice simple one that keeps the classroom organised, and brightens up your space. Much nicer looking than a clear zip-lock bag, these label and store easily, and brighten up the room, all in one go! Bonus tip – write the number of pieces on the pencil case – so you know if any are missing!

8.Color code different group work stations by having the equipment for each painted all the same color
Make this a project at the beginning of term if you like! Helps you get organised and keeps the kids feeling crafty! Start with white storage containers, and have each group paint theirs a different color. That way, each group knows to return their materials to their color station.

9.Keep keyboards clean by using post-it notes to clean up all the grime that sticks in-between keys
This is a great way to reduce grime, germs and all round filth. Great as a punishment for a naughty or distracted student, and great for you in terms of keeping your classroom looking spiffy!

10.Prepare each group table with the same equipment prior to the start of term
In order to avoid arguments and to keep students supplied with everything they need, give each group table the same number of pencils, pens, erasers, sheets of paper, highlighters…the list goes on. Use the containers from Tip #8, and fill them for each group with the same equipment. That way everyone is happy, fair and supplied for weeks to come.

11.Put labels on each of your large paper clips to keep different stacks organised for later
Use large bull clips that go over big stacks of paper and put sticky labels on each one. Then label them – ‘file’ ‘copy’ ‘grade’ ‘return’ ‘laminate’ and ‘recycle’, and use them to keep your stacks of paper organised!

12.Velcro your walls
Almost every teacher knows this, but it is a lifesaver for anyone who doesn’t. Velcro your walls at the start of the year! Assign your dots of Velcro, get prepared and then Velcro your posters, signs and hangings – ready to attach. This saves so much time with blue-tac, stick tape and other time-consuming nonsense, allowing you to have an organised, beautiful classroom for a fraction of the hassle.

13.Make Christmas every day!
Everybody loves Christmas, so why not make it every day? Instead of storing Christmas lights year-round, use them to spruce up your classroom! Use your old fairy lights to brighten book corners, hang over filing cabinets, and brighten up blackboards. It’ll create a great vibe and will leave you feeling cheery 24/7/365.

15 Places to Download Classroom Freebies

Tue, 02 May 2017 23:37:30 GMT

Teachers are expected to spend their own money on many classroom supplies. Year after year, classroom supplies need to be replenished, and they can get quite expensive. Teaching is the only career I can think of where we are expected to purchase not only our own office supplies, but supplies for our students that do not bring them in as well.

This is why it is so important to know about websites that offer free downloadable material that we can use in our classroom. We have to save money where we can! Teachers go into the educational field knowing they are not going to get rich, but we just don’t want to break even either. Use these websites below to help limit the amount money you are currently spending!

15 PLACES TO DOWNLOAD CLASSROOM FREEBIES

Pinterest - For those who are not familiar with Pinterest, it is not just a website where women catalog ideas about dresses, shoes, furniture, and recipes. Sure those are popular topics on Pinterest, but it is also much more. The amount of downloadable material for educational purposes is astounding. Do a quick search on school worksheets, calendars, or anything else classroom related, and you will be amazed. Whether you are a teacher or a parent, a Pinterest account should be a mandatory requirement.

Scholastic - Scholastic is a well known resource for education that has been around for many decades. Their website offers quality free downloads for all content levels. Even more impressive is the amount of already constructed lesson plans available on their site. These definitely will save educators many hours of having to create carefully well-thought-out lessons for their students.

ABCTeach - ABCTeach is a website that has two options. You can go with the free version or you can spend a bit and get a membership that will provide you with extra content. In any case, the downloads are separated into content areas, Smartboard lessons, seasonal favorites, and more.

Teacher Created Resources - Founded by a classroom teacher, Teacher Created Resources offers over 400 free downloadable lesson plans and other activities. They do offer other helpful downloads, such as interactive whiteboard lessons, but those require a membership.

Discovery Education - High quality digital content is offered by Discovery Education to all schools. Basically, they provide on their site interactive digital textbooks, virtual field trips, and informative videos that will transform your classroom into a 21st century educational experience.

Teachers Printables - Download and customize attendance charts, grading sheets, lesson plan forms, parent communication forms, school calendars, and more. Over 1,200 free printables at your fingertips!

Math-Aids - Your go to math site for free downloadable worksheets for kindergarten through high school mathematical concepts. The site is totally free because of the revenue created by the advertisements on the website. It is worth having to look at the ads for the impressive content they offer.

SEN Teacher - If you are searching for a website that offers free printables and downloads for all levels of special and remedial education, SEN Teacher is it.

Busy Teacher’s Cafe - Another website created by a teacher for all teachers. Free downloadable worksheets in almost all content areas are available. Busy Teacher’s Cafe also has checklists, rubrics, and behavior charts that you can incorporate immediately in your classroom.

Education.com - One of the leading educational websites, Education.com offers a multitude of free worksheets. Over 20,000 downloadable worksheets for all grade levels and content areas. There is also an option to purchase a membership for more content as well.

SparkleBox - Created in 2006 as a way to offer free downloadable resources for teachers around the globe, SparkleBox has thousands of printable worksheets available. They also provide an easily accessible current events/upcoming holidays section for quick resources at a moment’s notice. There are so many holidays on the calendar, it is easy to forget one now and then. This site will have your back!

Teachnology - Over 8,000 free printable worksheets are offered on Teachnology for grades K-12. They are in the process of adding more. A membership can be purchased for additional content.

Smithsonian Education - The Smithsonian is not just an amazing museum, but it is also a great additional website to add to your collection as a teacher. Lesson plans are free and informative. The Learning Lab offers digital resources to their 19 museums and National Zoo.

PBS Teachers - If a site is affiliated with PBS, then you know it has to be great. Free downloadable resources are available throughout numerous subjects. The website will keep your interest for hours!

TeacherTube - Finding suitable videos to accompany topics in the classroom can be a bit of a hassle. Using content off the internet can be a bit of a risk sometimes. TeacherTube eliminates the risk by allowing educators to share appropriate videos, documents, and pictures for free for other teachers to use.

Have any sites to add to our list? Share with us in the comments, below! :)

Author: Ryan Crawley

7 Classroom Hacks to modify your learning Environment

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 16:19:24 GMT

Change In the Classroom

Still making changes to your student's learning environment?

The new school year may very well be upon us, but as a company that does printing for teachers, we understand that a classroom is never truly finished, nor is it meant to be. So long as school is in session, the class’s environment will continue to transform. After all, a classroom is nothing more than a small ecosystem full of educators and students feeding from the resources gathered there. Both parties act as catalyst in a classroom’s environmental change, with the goal of attaining organization left mostly to the ecosystems educators, as students would be better classified as “well-intentioned” parasites.

With a curriculum full of projects stretching nine months, it isn’t hard for classrooms to develop into environments resembling wastelands or tiny islands in organizational paradise. These 7 classroom hacks were gathered with an idea in mind of keeping your parasites --I mean students organized, and keeping you sane through all of this year's changes.

7 hacks to modify for your learning Environment

1. Use duct tape to Transform boring cardboard boxes into colorful storage bins. Get creative with the designs!

http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/2012/06/duct-tape-fun.html

2. Paint old tin cans and re-purpose them as supply holders.

http://www.sandytoesandpopsicles.com/craft/back-to-school-homework-caddy-tutorial/

http://www.designimprovised.com/2013/08/file-cabinet-makeover.html

3. Tired of looking at that ugly filing cabinet? Use chalkboard paint to give it more edgy.

Great for leaving notes!

http://www.classroom20.com/forum/topics/10-of-my-favorite-classroom-organization-hacks-for-teachers

4. Create a fun magnet board by pushing two filing cabinets together. Try attaching fabric and boards for more style.

http://nerdyteacherconfessions.edublogs.org/2010/08/15/quick-update/

5. Use shoe-racks to create extra space in the classroom.

6. Hang a Home depot nail apron from chairs to make a extra storage for workbooks and assignments.

http://nerdyteacherconfessions.edublogs.org/2010/08/15/quick-update/

http://info.marygrove.edu/matblog/8-more-classroom-organization-hacks-for-teachers

7. We may have some bias here... Use chalkboard paint on an old table top to make a drawing station.

Bonus Tip!

www.bestvaluecopy.com

8. Once you have your new classroom resources ready to go(whether they're free resources, paid for, or designed by you), it's time to print! Print classroom materials online with Best Value Copy to save lots of time and money! Be in the know!

Do you know any clever classroom hacks you'd like to share? Leave links in the comments.

Spending Trends In Education This year

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 04:43:46 GMT

Teachers Finding Ways To Save

With a new school year just around the corner many teachers in the US are finding themselves doing more than just writing lesson plans over the summer. This summer, much like recent others, teachers across the nation are finding themselves searching for new ways to supply their class what they believe are “necessities” needed for a well-rounded educational environment. Things that the schools don’t supply teachers with themselves, necessities that districts continue to cutback on . Often, in fact -- a whopping estimated 87% of the time, it is the teachers themselves that come out of pocket for these classroom supplies. So, the next time you’re gazing across the hall at another classroom, just remember the old adage...

The class is always greener on the other side.
$$$

source: adaoptaclassroom.org

Sure, there’s a chance that the class across is the hall is guarded by a teacher well aware of Best Value Copy, and has planned ahead this year, utilizing online printing to save a good chunk of their classroom budget. But, what about the rest of the budget? How else will teachers save on resources needed to feed the young minds of America? That's a question educators have been asking all summer.

In a national survey conducted by Adobtaclassroom.org 91% of teachers said they spent their own money on supplies and instructional materials for their students. Here is an estimated breakdown of just where that budget is going.

Teacher Spending:

Classroom Material - $186
School Supplies - $268
Instructional Material - $491

So, why aren’t teachers getting more funding? Is it really that much more expensive for school boards? Here’s a look at part of Florida’s Funding For School Districts plan for 2016- 2017

http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7601/urlt/fefpdist.pdf

"School boards may set discretionary tax levies of the following types: (1) Current operation – The Florida Legislature set the maximum discretionary current operating millage for 2013-14 at 0.748 mills, pursuant to section 1011.71(1), F.S. School boards may levy an additional capital outlay millage not to exceed 0.250 mills pursuant to section 1011.71(3)(a), F.S., in lieu of levying an equivalent amount of the discretionary current operating millage. (2) Capital outlay and maintenance – School boards may levy up to 1.5 mills as prescribed in section 1011.71(2), F.S. and may share a portion of the levy with charter schools for expenditures identified in section 1013.62(2), F.S. Section 1011.71(2)(a)-(j), F.S., authorizes school boards to expend the funds raised by the 1.5-mill capital outlay levy for the following: The educational plant – Costs of construction, renovation, remodeling, maintenance and repair of the educational plant. This also includes the maintenance, renovation and repair of leased facilities to correct deficiencies. Expenditures that are directly related to the delivery of student instruction – Purchase, lease or lease-purchase of equipment, educational plants and construction materials directly related to the delivery of student instruction. Conversion of space – Rental or lease of existing buildings or space within existing buildings, originally constructed or used for purposes other than education, for conversion to use as educational facilities. A new school’s library media center collection – Opening day collection for the library media center of a new school. School buses – Purchase, lease-purchase or lease of school buses or the payment to a private entity to offset the cost of school buses pursuant to section 1011.71(2)(i), F.S. Servicing of payments related to lease-purchase agreements – Servicing of payments related to lease-purchase agreements issued for any purpose under authority of prior enactments of this law. Costs associated with the lease-purchase of equipment, educational plants and school buses may include the issuance of certificates of participation and the servicing of payments related to such certificates. Only three-fourths of the proceeds from this millage can be obligated to lease-purchase agreements, unless the lease-purchase agreements were entered into before June 30, 2009. Equipment, computer hardware and enterprise resource software – Purchase or lease of new and replacement equipment: enterprise resource software applications that are classified as capital 3 assets in accordance with definitions of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, have a useful life of at least five years and are used to support district-wide administration or statemandated reporting requirements; computer hardware for school district electronic learning management systems. In addition, section 1011.71(5), F.S., authorizes school boards to expend up to $100 per unweighted full-time equivalent student from revenue generated by the 1.5 mill capital outlay millage levy for: (a) The purchase, lease-purchase or lease of driver’s education vehicles; motor vehicles used for the maintenance or operation of plants and equipment; security vehicles; or vehicles used in storing or distributing materials and equipment. (b) Payment of the cost of premiums, as defined in section 627.403, F.S., for property and casualty insurance necessary to insure school district educational and ancillary plants. As used in this paragraph, casualty insurance has the same meaning as in section 624.605(1)(d), (f), (g), (h) and (m). This means that casualty insurance may only be for burglary and theft, glass, boiler and machinery, leakage and fire extinguishing equipment and elevators. Operating revenues that are made available through the payment of property and casualty insurance premiums from revenues generated under this subsection may be expended only for nonrecurring operational expenditures of the school district."

Who's Paying The Bill?

Does spending count as a trend to you? Well, it does for teachers, and as much fun as decorating a new classroom and buying things like Kleenex may be, spending is a trend teachers wish would just die already. Think about it, what is the actual cost of that beautiful room across the hall -- the one with the little tidbits of knowledge on the walls and all the name tags on the desks, those workbooks, that extra cool new assignment, and that last minute study guide...it’s all coming from somewhere, but if it's not "directly" related by the district's definition, chances are it's not in the budget this year.

In a similar situation this summer, Chicago Public Schools principals received preliminary budgets that reflected massive spending cuts for the coming school yea. The district believes they may result in a major impact on Chicago classrooms this upcoming school year. Classrooms that have already been trying to get adjusted to recent budget cuts.

There’s no telling when and if things will change for school districts like those listed, but what teachers can do, and what they have done, is something deeply rooted in a teacher's foundation, and that’s plan ahead. In summation, share more this year. Share information with teachers, join a community, or follow along here on this blog, whatever you do, find information that saves and pass on the knowledge.

Be in the know.

The 2016 Teacher Olympic Games

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 04:20:18 GMT

Alvin Thomas

The Countdown

Have you seen your first back to school commercial yet? Trust me, they’re coming with a force stronger than a 1st grader at the pencil sharpener...

Typically, it doesn’t need to be any certain time of the year for commercials be unwarranted, but back to school commercials have the ability to evoke what I like to call the “the cringe effect”. It’s that thing you do when you see something that makes your shoulders rise and your lips do the Donald Trump. That thing -- no matter, after about my 3rd or 4th back to school commercial, I always begin to get this type of feeling. It’s the back to school feeling, and it’s as if every commercial is winding down this invisible counter that’s been going off since late June, but let’s be real -- it’s always been there.

Say it 3 Times "Back to School"

By the 3rd time I’ve even heard the words “back to school” on a day where it’s 80 degrees or more outside, it’s as if I begin to put together this montage in my head; prepping for a new year. This is the beginning of a new year! There’s New Year, and then there’s Back to School/ Football Season. So, here I am, prepping, the same as thousands of Educators and students, athletes and fans across America. To get a good visual of my level of energy at this time, just picture Rocky Balboa at 5am staring down the hull of a blender. It’s the heart of the champion. It’s game time! It’s crunch time! This is “Teacher Olympic Games”.

The Teacher Olympic Games are happening now through the end of August. This is the time of the year when teachers are giving it 100% and they’ll be at 110% by the time the first bell rings. We at Best Value Copy are in your corner!. We’re here to lighten the load with our back to school deals event, The Teach Olympic Games! Follow along on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter for deals on printing and freebies!

Let the Games begin!

Teacher Olympic GAMES:

100m Hallway Dash
200m Schoolyard Dash
4x100m Budget Relay
Olympic Desk Lifting
Olympic Chair Lifting
ETS Hurdles
PTA Hurdles
Principle Pole Vault

Events & Deals can be found on Best Value Copy Social Media
@bestvaluecopy

Join our Olympic Village for special deals made specifically with teachers in mind.

Back to School Shopping Or Christmas in July?

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 04:00:00 GMT

Alvin Thomas

Ahh, school supplies! School supplies are the things on the back to school list that you wish you didn't have to spend money on -- but since you do have to spend money on them, yours might as well be awesome! I don’t think it’s as much an egotistical thing, as it is realizing that this is when you have the chance to pick a large variety of the things that will assist you in this years development! Why would you pick anything less than the things that make you feel great?

Right, that's exactly why so many teachers end up getting there printing needs fromBest Value Copy, online. However, it seems that almost anytime I frequent the mall in the early weeks of August, I'm guaranteed to see atleast one student trying on multiple items of clothing while their personal Back to School butler/maid holds Macy's bags filled with what I'd like to assume are #2 pencils and loose leaf paper...

Let’s face it, back to school shopping is the real Christmas in July; slightly displaced or not. Whether it’s new shoes, a Spider-Man bookbag, or the Crayola 150 count crayon tower with the protection case and crayon sharpener, back to school shopping can feel pretty good and blame the student. You don’t get the Crayola 150 count crayon tower with the protection case and crayon sharpener just because you think you might be the next crayola Picasso if given a chance -- with the right set of tools of course, but also, because things can easily be lost in classrooms!

In any case, whatever the reason, it may just feel like Christmas. It also feels nice knowing you have 8 expendable shades of blue in a room full of borrowers (better to give than receive) with inquisitive minds and mostly good intentions.

Yes, things are most definitely cheery and bright while teachers prep (workshop) for the school year printing lesson plans, worksheets, workbooks, study guides, and sometimes even fun mazes just because it’s awesome when you get to your desk and see one of those in the morning! Don’t tell me you’re not going to bust out a crayon and finish that maze.

TI-84s were nice in 2010 but how many students have a tablet on their back to school shopping list for the 2014 school year?

If you’re an educator or a parent we’d love to hear what it is you’ll be printing this school year for the students on your naughty and nice list? ;)

Post your response in the comments section below.

Are You Ready For The New School Year?

Thu, 30 Jul 2015 07:00:00 GMT

Alvin Thomas

School school-school school school school-school...I can’t wait for the school year to start up, again! Each year, the start of school means that students around the country are challenged to learn in different ways. Ways that will help expand their way of thinking so that they can someday learn how to solve problems faster and more creative than any generation before them. That’s what’s about to happen again all across this country, and I am so excited for it!

Still, as excited as I am, I’ve got to be reasonable in some fashion. After all, having school be right around the corner doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be able find ways to enjoy these last few days of summer to the dry bone. In fact, it means quite the opposite. It means, you should probably find a beach or some tranquil place somewhere and layout for a little R&R. You know, throw the ball around a little -- if you get my drift. Summer won't last forever, despite any plans by Phineas and Ferb

Enjoy the rest of your summer, teachers of america. We’ll be here for you, before and after the first bell rings.

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Spending Trends In Education This year

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Teacher Spending:

Who's Paying The Bill?

The 2016 Teacher Olympic Games

The Countdown

﻿Say it 3 Times "Back to School"

﻿Teacher Olympic GAMES:

Back to School Shopping Or Christmas in July?

Are You Ready For The New School Year?

Say it 3 Times "Back to School"

Teacher Olympic GAMES: