Approved Materials

ACCEPTABLE

✅Non-sectarian educational curriculum that benefits the student's course of study and is on grade level

✅Basic, hands on learning materials appropriate for the student's grade level (Math manipulatives, movable alphabet, etc)

✅Economy, grade level appropriate calculators (up to $150 for secondary students)

✅Digital downloads

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Sectarian materials

❌Rocket engines and kits

❌Drones

❌Non-grade level material without Principal approval

❌No food or kits that include edible ingredients

❌Yoto Players/Tonies & accessories

ACCEPTABLE

✅Basic, economy-grade supplies appropriate for the learner's grade and course of study

✅Limited amounts of material suitable for a single project during the semester

✅Basic, economy-grade paper for art projects (card stock, colored paper, construction paper, media paper, and similar, quantity not to exceed an amount that can be used during a semester)

✅Basic, economy-grade portfolios used to hold and organize work

✅Basic art easel under $100

✅Paper trimmer (slide cutter)

✅Light Box for Tracing under $25

✅Drawing Tablets under $50

✅Low Temperature Glue Gun and Low temperature Glue Sticks

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Excessive amounts of yarn, felt or other similar material that is not approved for a project

❌Excessive quantities of supplies (art paper, glue, paints, markers, etc.)

❌Origami Paper Kits

❌Carving knives or knives in general

❌High Temperature Glue guns or other heat tools (wax melter, woodburning, etc.)

❌Paper cutters (guillotine-style)

❌Personal keepsake items (diaries with locks, scrapbook albums, etc.)

❌Ready-made clothes or jewelry

❌Makeup

❌Tie Dye/Clothing Dye/Soap/Jewelry/Slime Making Kits

❌Knitting/Diamond/Rhinestone Kits

❌Macrame Craft Cord/Kits

❌Engraving/Wood Burning Kits

❌Perler/Fuse Bead kits

❌Cricut and cricut accessories (vinyl, heat transfer paper, etc.)

❌Spray (aerosol) paints, sealers, or adhesives

❌Easels for display use

ACCEPTABLE

✅Musical CDs, DVDs, videos, etc. may be requested if appropriate to the learner's course of work 

✅One basic, economy-grade musical instrument per learner under $200

✅Portable keyboards under $200

✅Portable electronic drum sets (fold-up)

✅Folding sheet music stands under $50

UNACCEPTABLE

❌CD/DVD Players

❌Musical instrument stands or music furniture (benches or seats). 

❌Standard drum kits

ACCEPTABLE

✅Basic equipment to engage learners in physical education activity (balls, jump ropes, etc.) 

UNACCEPTABLE

❌PE equipment that is personal in nature (bicycles, baseball bats & gloves, tricycles, golf clubs, helmets, ice skates, skis, swim gear, yoga mats, etc.)

❌PE equipment that is known to cause a higher rate of injury (scooters, skates, slacklines, skateboards, rope ladders/climbing ropes, swings, gymnastics equipment, etc.)

❌Hardballs (baseballs, softballs)

❌PE equipment that is not basic  (plasmacar, pogo sticks, spooner boards, stilts, T's for baseball, etc)

❌Items too large or heavy to be transported after it is put together or cannot be disassembled and used again. (e.g. Full sized basketball hoops)

ACCEPTABLE

✅Basic, economy-grade school supplies for learning (binders, crayons, glue, markers, notebooks and notebook paper, pencils, pens, rulers, etc)

✅Printer ink or toner - (2) black/(1) color ink cartridge per semester

✅Basic, economy-grade sharpeners under $40

✅3-hole punchers under $40

✅Basic, economy grade laminators under $40

✅Copy paper: 3 reams per learner per semester max (cannot order full year allowance in second semester)

✅Economy grade staplers under $25, staples

✅Multipurpose printers under $150

✅Art easels (basic easels are acceptable to order; display easels are not approved) $100 max

✅Chalkboards and whiteboards up to 3' x 4' $150 max

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Furniture (desks, chairs, tvs, etc)

❌Home office equipment such as a fax, copier, phone, scanner, television, and/or a DVD/Blu-Ray player

❌Lap desk

❌Backpacks/Bookbags

❌Glass dry erase boards of any size  

❌Rolling dry erase boards

❌Cork Boards/bulletin boards

❌Glue guns 

❌Cleaners

❌Drums for laser printers

❌Paper cutters (guillotine-style)

❌Printer Labels, label makers, label tape

❌Binding machines

❌Pushpins, tacks

❌Packing tape

❌Stationery

❌Lamps or lights

❌Laser Cutter

❌Storage containers or organizational items (large or small items, file cabinets, file boxes, hanging file folders, etc.)

❌Excessive quantities of school supplies

ACCEPTABLE

✅Chromebooks are ordered through the Excel Technology Department.

✅iPad (See here for details)

✅Multipurpose printers under $150

✅Basic, Audio Headphones ($30 max)

✅Basic, economy-grade microscopes ($100 max for K-8, $150 max for grades 9-12)

✅Camera for high school learner taking a photography course

✅Basic input devices (keyboard, mouse) combined under $30

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Laptops or tablets ordered from community providers other than Excel Technology Department

❌Home office equipment such as a monitor, fax, copier, phone, scanner, television, CD player, and/or a DVD/Blue Ray player

❌Computer hardware, such as USB cables, chargers, adapters, external drives, etc. for computers not owned by the school

❌Computer software upgrades for non-school-owned computers and tablets

❌Software: Microsoft Office/365, Adobe

❌Internal computer parts

❌Accessories: Flash drives, speakers, webcams, earbuds, camera lenses

❌Yoto Players/Tonies & accessories

❌Home/personal assistant devices (Amazon Alexa, Dot, Echo or Google Home)

❌VR Goggles

ACCEPTABLE

✅Basic educational building kits/sets (LEGO, K’nex, etc) up to $150 per year, if curriculum is not included. Refer to UNACCEPTABLE  for disapproved themed building sets.

✅LEGO sets over $150 must be ordered from LEGO Education (Mindstorm, WeDo, SPIKE, etc) and include curriculum. Limit $400/year for Lego sets with curriculum.

✅Seeds - basic and economy grade (enough for a single project) $25 max per learner/year. No more than $100 seeds per family per year.

✅Basic gardening tools (must not be sharp, hazardous, or otherwise unsafe for student use)

✅Basic composters, sprouting trays, plant label sticks, and small pots

✅Basic Coding Robots under $100

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Hydroponics 

❌Pre-grown plants

❌Clothing Items: gloves, aprons, or any wearable accessories

❌Outdoor furniture/structures

❌Greenhouses/sheds

❌Kits with edible ingredients

❌Fish tanks, aquariums, or pet cages

❌Gardening equipment & supplies (including chemicals, acidifiers, inoculants, manure, fertilizer, weed killers, insect repellents)

❌Themed building sets (LEGO, K’nex, etc). Examples: Marvel, Harry Potter, DC Comics, Star Wars, Hello Kitty, Barbie, Disney, etc.

❌3D Pens/Printers & Fillament

ACCEPTABLE

✅Basic, economy-grade equipment that may be needed for a learner to participate in a specific course they are enrolled in (evidence of need must be shown to the Teacher of Record)

✅Basic, age-appropriate educational games (phonics or math fact board games, etc.)

UNACCEPTABLE

❌Items that are too large or heavy to be transported after it is put together or cannot be disassembled and used again.

❌Clothing/costume items such as gloves, aprons, or any wearable accessories

❌Batteries

❌Flashlights, headlamps, or book lights

❌Eye Glasses/Blue Light Glasses

❌Kitchen supplies (appliances, equipment, pots/pans, and other household items.)

❌Personal keepsake items (diaries with locks, scrapbooks, etc)

❌Power tools

❌Toys

❌Trampolines

❌Weapons and other dangerous items (arrows, darts with sharp points, knives, or poisons)