Last minute supply runs: Cumberland County teachers stock up
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- With just one week left until the start of a new school year, Cumberland County teachers are joining parents in a last-minute push to gather supplies and prepare classrooms.
Pre-K teacher Natasha Molten of Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School was among those checking off her list at School Tools, a local educational supplier on Raeford Road.
"I am here for some border and actually some tape for my name tags for school," Molten said.
As the first day of school approaches, stores such as School Tools are seeing a notable uptick in business.
Sabrina Garrett, a sales associate at the store, said, "We know that our teachers need us. They need their supplies, from the bulletin board kits to the pencils to everything, something small."
Garrett noted that foot traffic has increased by about 20% as the countdown to the new year continues.
Molten, who has taught in the district for 13 years, said shopping local helps make the back-to-school rush more manageable.
"I love Amazon, but to actually go in-store and know that, OK, this is here and they have a variety of items that I could choose from, I love it."
The preparations extend beyond basic supplies.
Molten added, "I'm just really excited about making a difference this year."
For her, that means creating a welcoming environment for students. With only a week left before her classroom fills with students, she admits she still has some work to do.
"I have been here in the last, probably last week I was here also shopping and probably spent maybe a tad too much than I should have," Molten said. "But I was getting posters and all different things, too."
Staffers at School Tools begin preparing for the rush months in advance.
"Around February, March, we start getting massive, like, in stock. So we can start putting things out. So we have everything we need to provide for our teachers and the general public," Garrett said.
She also shared insight into trending classroom themes:
"Composition is very hot right now. And let me tell you, between the space and the composition is rocking. I mean, that is what everybody keeps asking."
First-grade teacher Anneila Boyce of Alpha Academy was also stocking up on essentials and decorations.
"I'm just getting some basic daily schedules and see if I can find a little bit more decorations for my classroom," Boyce said.
She explained the importance of creating a welcoming space for both parents and students on back-to-school night.
"You want to make sure that your classroom is ready for your parents to come in and for your students to walk in and say, wow, you know, you want them ready to be there," she said. "So it gets a little stressful during that time."
Like Molten, Boyce finds shopping local to be a big help.
"It's a teacher's dream to actually being here. And when I did experience it for myself, I could not stop walking up and down the aisles. I was like, I need this, I need that. Do I get this? Do I get that? So it's my way of coming here. It's very convenient," she said.
