It is all to help schools hit hard by severe budget cuts.
"I feel that the public school system should supply more supplies to the teachers so the teachers don't have to ask the parents," Michael Esposito said.
At the nearby P.S. 6, the list of requested supplies is longer than ever. Typical lists at several Staten Island schools include items like paper towels, boxes of tissues, antibacterial hand sanitizer.
"As you know, H-1, N-1 is a big thing. We want to make sure our children wash their hands and are exposed to things," Erminia Claudio, P.S. 6 principal, said.
Schools are asking for things like markers, crayons; even Ziploc bags.
"My son has to buy a fanny pack. I just spent 20 dollars on a fanny pack. I think it's a little ridiculous, personally," Nina Gulemmo said.
The P.S. 6 Principal points out that the main reason the list of things children need to bring to school got so much longer is because of a basic lack of funding for supplies.
"We want our schools to be great and you want to do great things, but you know everything is the almighty dollar. I never thought I'd say that before I became a Principal. Everything is about budget," Claudio said.
More supplies also means an inconvenience for students.
"It's kind of a pain in the neck, because I have to get bigger books bags and my neck starts to hurt, but every kid has to do it," student Krista Esposito said.
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