Some schools set dress codes to help prevent distraction, bullying and other student issues, so check with your school to find out theirs. Uniform requirements are often very specific, so be sure to adhere to the rules or you will risk your child being sent home or face disciplinary action. Depending on the dress code, students will need jeans, dress pants, shirts and shoes or dresses/skirts for special ceremonies, short- and long-sleeved shirts, closed-toe shoes, belts and jackets, sweatshirts or sweaters. Try to find zip-up or button-up long-sleeved items so your child can remove the item if he gets hot. Many schools have policies prohibiting hooded items, open-toed shoes or midriffs. Stay away from clothing with inappropriate material such as profanity, racial slurs and alcohol logos. Your child also will need clothes and athletic shoes for physical education class; however the school may require specific uniforms.
The specifics for each class may vary, but there are a few standard items that are on most supply lists. Most eighth graders will need a backpack, No. 2 pencils and/or mechanical pencils, a hand-held pencil sharpener, ballpoint pens, highlighters, spiral-bound notebooks for each class, a pencil/pen bag, loose-leaf paper, a ruler, a large eraser, a calculator, a protractor and a package of 3-by-5-inch index cards. More advanced students may need a graphing calculator as well.
Staying organized can help your child perform at his or her best. Typical organizational materials include three-ring binders, pocketed folders and three-hole folders, a calendar, a small notepad for homework assignments and two combination locks for regular and physical education lockers. Consider investing in a small planner with a calendar that can double as a place to write down homework assignments.
Most students are required to at least have access to a computer for reports, and some schools even require that students have their own laptops. Your child likely will need printer paper and ink cartridges throughout the year. Other items to consider include a pouch for money and identification cards, a stapler, a three-hole punch, reinforcement rings, textbook covers and a reusable water bottle.