Products needed (and not) for back-to-school

According to the 2008 Staples Back-to-School Survey, parents surveyed ranked getting school supplies as one of the most high-stress shopping occasions, second only to selecting holiday gifts.

Adding to the stress, we're sure, is choosing between all the cool and kitschy products mixed in with the No. 2 pencils and loose leaf paper.

But are these items necessary — and useful? Or are they a waste of money? Finances are a major concern in the current economy. In fact, a quarter of moms and dads are using a portion of their economic stimulus check for back-to-school, according to the National Retail Federation.

We took some of this year's hot (and, in some cases, new) supplies to South Colonie Central School District teachers Dan DeMarco and Nicole Ryan to find out if these products are worth the money.

Terracycle Drink Pouch Pencil Case

What it is: Your standard pencil case made from reused drink pouches and with a zipper closure.

Where we found it: Office Max

How much?: $3.49

Teachers say: They were as excited about this pencil case as one of their students would be about the latest game for Nintendo DS.

To start, they ask their students to have a soft pencil case, which fits in their lockers and desks more easily than the hard plastic type, and this case fills the order. They'd prefer some kind of large hole or tag that would allow the case to be hung on a ring and clipped to a desk, but they thought the case proved sturdy and conveyed a great lesson about recycling and reusing materials.

Four pencils (out of five)

The Original Book Socks

What they are: An alternative to wrapping books in brown paper bags, these fabric covers come in assorted novelty varieties, including scratch-n-sniff, color-changing and jumbo-sized.

Where we found them: Office Max

How much: $3.99-$4.49

Teachers say: They know Book Socks and similar fabric book covers well, and DeMarco hopped up to grab some of the school's textbooks to demonstrate the problem they often see with them.

Because textbooks come in all shapes and sizes, the fabric book covers don't always fit properly, and often are so tight around the binding that they damage the book. To fix this, DeMarco cuts into the fabric around the binding to relieve the pressure, but he and Ryan said they'd prefer students use homemade brown paper covers instead (for an online how-to, visit http://timesunion.com/moms/).

They thought the scratch-and-sniff and color-changing versions had the potential to be a big distraction until the novelty wore off, and said that in the past, the kids have been known to use the fabric covers as hats and footwear.

Two and a half pencils

Staples Problem Pad

What it is: A whiteboard that fastens into a three-ring binder. It's aimed at allowing kids to take quick notes with a dry-erase marker, and eliminates the need for paper when they want to figure out tough division problems.

Where we found it: Staples

How much: $3.99