Just mailed in the oldest child's registration...why on earth am I paying a $10 fee for "Private PE"? Because I pay money for my child to participate at a competitive level in a sport that qualifies for a PE waiver, I should pay $10? My school wouldn't think of such a thing. That and charging to change classes.....though I am not totally opposed to that concept.

OMG Amy that takes the cake!!! I figure that by the time we pay for books and pay fees and the such it will cost around 1000 to attend a public school. Full price for all of the books for my freshmans classes is 450.

I knew the books would be pricey. It's more like college than public school. I was suprised by that fee though....I think you are right though. By the time I pay all the fees, books, athletic fees, school supplies, and Booster membership stuff, it should round out to about $1,000. Man-o-man, what is wrong with this picture!?!

Could it be the towel fee?

If you are not taking PE why would you have to pay a towel fee?

I am just curious, has anybody looked into Amazon or other sites for HS text books? What about the used book store in GE, do they have any used HS books? I think that will be an avenue that I persue in a couple of years.

I was thinking the same thing...anyone????

The only problem with buying on-line is that the book list is not yet available.

I have bought texts for myself on half.com at very good prices. Unfortunately the final- updated- list of books does not come out until I believe August 6th or so then with shipping you can't be sure to get it in time for the first day of class. It may be a good way to get that 2nd copy for at home.

I went to the west site and looked at the text list from last year and tried to find the books on half.com.
I was not successful in finding all books but here are the ones I found...

Spanish 2....Realidades 2 2004 edition $64, but there is a 2007 edition ($83.95)so who knows if they are going to go to that...I would assume yes because you probably can't get the workbooks to go with the 2004 edition. I bet that is pretty close to what West will be selling them for.

Bioilogy Honors- Biology Exploring Life 2006- used price $95- New $115. Again I bet this will not be significantly different from the prices at West.

The math book for Geometry is from 1998 and I could not find it on half.com- It is a state loan book, but it would be nice to have a copy at home if I could get one inexpensively.

I found the World History H book but it was out of stock. I put in a pre order with a max of $10 just to see what will happen.

It would be easier to find them if I had the ESBN number.

I have bought West textbooks online - but wait until after the sale. They really do have a lot of used books and the prices aren't that bad. I used amazon.com and picked up a second home copy of some textbooks. Also, there are some classes where the book is provided -ex. Geometry, but we bought an extra copy. That World History Honors Book weighs a lot. For a few extra dollars you can buy an extra copy online for classes with a lot of reading at home - no excuses then for not studying either! I heard the book list will be posted online August 4. They will run out of used for many classes, so decide in advance if you'll wait to buy online or go ahead and buy for full price.

Thanks I will look at Amazon- A friend saved a few books for me and I will buy those from her- but wouldn't mind a cheap copy to supplement- especially for the heavy items.

Nyah nyah nyah I told YOU so. Okay maybe not YOU, but last year when I enrolled my freshman I was just ASTONISHED at the fees and was kind of pooh-poohed on this board.

I, too, have a child in a competitive sport so we waive gym and i just don't understand that 10.00 at all. And when they tell you you will get a credit for the books...I spent over $250.00 on books last year, and that was without having to buy EVERY one on the list because we owned some of the novels, and my credit for sophomore year with all of her books turned in is $90.00.

I have been checking the site daily for the new book list but they publish it pretty late. But I am going to try to buy as much as I can online this time. I did some comparisons against last years list and there is enough of a price difference to make it worth the time.

They do have the book lists for the honors English courses. Generally I have found that we already own many of the books, but I also think there is a lot of chick lit on these lists.

Also, driver's ed is $250.00. The state says that the schools are supposed to charge no more than $50.00 but can get special permission to charge more. I am not quite sure where they got the special permission.

I guess it's time for me to start attending the school board meetings, if my family is getting so you-know-what by this district I want one of the board members to at least blow me a kiss.


Mrs144
Formerly hinmitee or something like that but i forgot it all and just re-registered.

How is it that in the Glenbards you buy books but in other suburban districts they are borrowed? The list comes out and I will be checking on line. The books for English I thought were classics.

How will we be able to tell when the list is updated. The 4th seems like an odd day to have it up as it is a Saturday.

I don't know when the list comes out, it just says "is will be out soon." I also can't believe that no one has really questioned this in years prior, I have gotten the attitude, "that's the way it is in Glen Ellyn." I have heard rumors that if you work the book sale you get a discount. Perhaps the assistance programs are generous, my guess is they would have to be.

Last year's sophomore book list included The Bean Trees and The Joy Luck Club (you can still find the 2006-2007 book list on line). I run hot and cold on Kingslover but definitley do place Tan in the "chick lit" category. The rest of the novels are classics.

As to publshing the list, I think they push the date as much as they can. If I see the list go up I'll put a message up here and paste the link, if that is okay.

Thanks-
I will let you know if I catch the new list. Where on the list does it say which year it is for? I did see that the updated list would be posted soon according to the website, but heard that it would be available August 4th The prices listed on last years list are lower than the suggested retail. I did hear about working the book sale can get you better deals on used books, but that week I am also helping with Hadley round up. If I would have known this earlier I may have worked at West rather than Hadley.

York charges the full price for books too. You get 70% of the value back at the end of the year if the book is in good condition. So, the prices for books aren't shocking to me - I was expecting it. It's actually the stupid stuff - like the $10 for "Private PE" that just does not make sense to me...oh well!

I'll watch for the book list though - if I can get the books cheaper somewhere else, I will.