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The SAISD Foundation is opening a new resource for teachers who often spend their own money to stock their classrooms.
Housed in the historic Phillis Wheatley High School building, the foundation’s Teacher Store opened Monday, Oct. 5 — World Teacher Day — at Young Men’s Leadership Academy on the East Side of San Antonio.
The store is the first free supply store in San Antonio, created specifically for San Antonio ISD PK-12 educators.
The store offers new and gently used classroom supplies at no cost to teachers. The foundation says the goal is to help fill gaps that aren't covered by teacher grants or school resources.
“Even though we give out many grants throughout the year, grants don't cover everything, and a lot of teachers, especially in SAISD, are still having to reach into their wallets to fill in the gaps,” said Matthew San Martin, a digital marketing specialist with the SAISD Foundation.
The foundation has provided teacher grants for 20 years, but the new store is designed to reach more educators. The foundation hopes to serve 3,000 teachers during the store's first year — nearly four times the roughly 800 educators currently served through its grant programs.
Carrie Smith, communications and community engagement manager for the foundation, said the store could save teachers hundreds of dollars.
“I would say they're going to save hundreds of dollars each semester,” Smith said. “They get to come twice a year, for right now. This is our pilot year, so right now we're just doing come in the fall, come in the spring, fill up your cart, and take back what you need to your school.”
During the pilot season, teachers can visit once during the fall shopping period and once in the spring. The store is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m.
The store's inventory comes from several sources, including H-E-B, community and corporate donations, purchased supplies and materials teachers no longer need.
The foundation also asked SAISD educators what supplies would be most useful.
“We went to a few different campuses and to their staff meetings that they would have, and we just kind of put it out there, saying if you know such a thing like this did exist, what's something that you know you'd like to see?” San Martin said. “And hands went up - markers, index cards, post it notes, things like that. So, we gathered from SAISD teachers, elementary, middle, high school, and did our best to fill it up.”
The shelves can include items such as backpacks, insulated cups, highlighters, calculators, recorders and other classroom materials. The foundation also accepts convention and meeting materials that can be reused, including lanyards, foam core, corrugated plastic and branded supplies.
Smith said the store is intended to distinguish itself from similar programs in other school districts because teachers don't have to pay to participate.
“Other school districts have stores similar to this, but there are costs involved. So, for our teachers in San Antonio ISD, it's 100% free to them,” Smith said.
The store is also designed to connect educators across generations.
During the day, trainees in SAISD's Adult Years Vocational Program will staff the store as part of a job-training program. After school, retired educators will help operate the store, including assisting teachers, restocking shelves and welcoming visitors.
The foundation says the arrangement is intended to turn the store into more than a place to pick up supplies. It can also serve as a hub for mentorship and connection among educators.
Community members can also support the program through donations. San Martin said contributions can go directly toward keeping the store stocked.
“Folks can support directly by giving a donation to the teacher store through our website at saisdfoundation.com, and we do it all for the teachers and to give back to them so that they can teach our future generations,” San Martin said.
For teachers, shopping hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. The foundation is also seeking retired educators to volunteer at the store. Volunteer shifts are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m.
The store's initial shopping season runs from October through March. From April through June, the foundation plans to focus on collecting donations and surplus materials that can be used in the following school year.
The foundation says donations can be dropped off throughout the year and are not limited to teacher shopping hours.
