Northwest ISD's Education Foundation has tried to help teachers with the mid-year supply slump for some time now. Even with the pandemic behind us, they've kept it going with Neffie, a free resource store and library on wheels that serves more than 900 teachers.
Kevin Barrey is on the hunt for notebooks. The Leo Adams Middle School science teacher is running low on supplies and usually has to make a mid-quarter run to stock back up.
"I'm getting journals from my kids, so a lot of them don't, haven't brought them yet, and we're six weeks in, so just supplies to help them be more successful in the science class," said Barrey.
During the pandemic, we were there as they opened a school supply store in their office, where students and teachers could come and get free school supplies to help with at-home learning.
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"We're not just looking at like your starter back-to-school pack. We're looking at things that teachers need for the kids in the classroom to play games, to make learning fun," said Jennifer Burton, Executive Director, of Northwest ISD Education Foundation. "One of the things we learned, one of the last deployments of Neffie that we had, was that even our middle school educators are taking whiteboards and having the kids raise them over their heads. They're playing games or learning, you know, essential things in the classroom to be successful on tests."
The only problem is Northwest ISD is huge, stretching from Trophy Club, all the way west of Rhome, that's 234 square miles. It's not always easy or practical for their teachers to come to a central spot to get supplies. That's where Neffie, the supply truck's name, comes in.
"Really the goal was to make life for our educators easier, and so it's not easier for them if they're driving to us 30 minutes away from their campus and then back at the end of the day. So why not take the store on wheels?" said Burton.
Carter In The Classroom
Focusing on unique things school districts are doing to help children succeed.
The district packed up the supplies, bringing them to campuses across the district, and parked right outside making it easier for teachers to come out during their lunch or free periods, quickly stock up, and head back to work.
"I was able to get rulers and pencil sharpeners as an art teacher, I don't have a lot of the same needs as other classroom teachers, but it's really awesome to have the ability to go through and still get things that I can use in my class," said Shelby Klasel, an art teacher who visited the mobile store.
Neffie plans to visit various campuses around Northwest ISD through the school year, but teachers can always visit the brick and mortar store for free supplies as district headquarters.
