Friday, April 25, 2025
Over the summer, Gatesville Independent School District created a “Resource Room,” or what it is now called the “Stinger Stash,” to benefit students and faculty and covers all five campuses.
GISD Superintendent Dr. Barrett Pollard stated, "Having an entire classroom dedicated to storing school supplies has been a great resource. When a staff member needs something, they simply fill out a request form, and we have high school students who will fill the order. It is a quick, convenient, and free process for teachers to get the supplies they need in a timely manner.”
Michelle Martin, GISD School-Community Events Coordinator, said that most of the items in the Resource Room have either been donated or she has written grants to purchase items for the campuses. The variety of items available for faculty and students is somewhat staggering...backpacks, umbrellas, binders, notebook paper, office chairs, glue sticks, dividers, bulletin boards, whiteboards, paint brushes, etc.
“I’ve set up an online ordering system, and the teacher goes in there and puts their name and classroom and then lists what they need. It sends me an email; I look at it and make sure we have the requested items. I bring the request to the Resource Room, and then students from the Transition Class at the high school come in, fill the orders, and then we get the supplies over to the classrooms,” Martin said. “Often, these are all items that often come out of the teacher’s own pockets, and the average teacher spends anywhere from $700 to $1,000 per year.”
“Anything that’s on the school supply list that students receive at the beginning of the year, we’re going to have in the Resource Room,” she said.
Martin continued, “If the community wants to donate supplies, or gently used items, that would be appreciated.”
She also mentioned that, as a school district, they are learning how to re-use and recycle certain items that can be utilized by another teacher or classroom.
Martin said that the school district’s goal, in the next three to five years, is to do away with the classroom supply lists that are handed out at the beginning of the year and to have all the supplies that the teachers and students need to come directly from the Resource Room.
She said that, in the last month alone, teachers from each of the five campuses have utilized the room and their requests from September filled five pages.
“Our vision is to continue to grow the supply room to help alleviate the cost of supplies on not only teachers but students. Michelle Martin and Pam Williams have done a wonderful job of growing this program,” Pollard said.
Those wishing to donate school supplies can call 254-865-7251, Ext. 5855.
