Top 6 Classroom Essentials Your School Can't Live Without in 2023

Schools have been faced with a lot of challenges in the past year and priorities have shifted and budget reallocated to handle these changes. Many districts are now looking forward to the new school year and deciding what their needs will be. When it comes to the classroom, there are some tried and true products that are still a necessity as well as items that have become the "new normal". 

That's where we come in. We want to make it easy as possible for facility managers, school administrators, and maintenance personnel to figure out what they'll need, where to find it, and how to order. In this article, we share our top six must-have classroom essentials you can order online. 

 

1. Whiteboards and bulletin boards are essential classroom tools

Whiteboards are an essential teaching tool in the classroom. We offer a wide variety of wall-mounted stand-alone boards as well as printed graphics boards. There are also portable whiteboards, double-sided boards, fold-out whiteboards, or whiteboard-bulletin board combos. If you have chalkboards in your classrooms and you are looking to convert them to whiteboards, then you have several options. Retro-fit your chalkboards to whiteboards with one of these three options: screw-on boards, glue-on chalk-to-marker skins, or self-adhesive chalk-to-marker skins.

Bulletin boards are ideal for displaying students’ artwork, posting important information, hanging maps, or any other important items you need on display in your classrooms and hallways. We have a wide variety of sizes, colors, and materials, including cork and fabric and aluminum and oak frames.

 

2. Cork display rails make it easy to show off student work and projects

Cork Display Rails are an easy-to-install, affordable, and attractive way to display school projects in the hallway or the classroom at any school. SchoolFix® Cork Display Rails feature superior construction, made from an Aluminum channel or Plastic channel. The durable Vinyl-blended Cork Tack material remains flexible in accepting tacks or staples even after years of use.

Easy to install, screw the 92" long sections into the wall or above the whiteboard with attachment screws and anchors, or install with foam infused double face tape. The sections can be adjoined together to create any length. Aluminum splice caps and end caps are included to finish the installation professionally. Choose 1", 2", 3" or 6" wide sections, with popular Blue, Burgundy Green, or Charcoal colors, plus Natural Cork colors are available. Map Hooks, Flag Holders, and Projector Brackets are available to slide over the Aluminum channel.

 

3. Coat racks, hooks, and hangers help keep classrooms organized

Keep school classrooms organized with coat racks. Choose from hook rail style that can easily hold coats and backpacks, or coat rack with hooks or hangers and additional storage shelves. Install single hooks anywhere you need them, or find replacement hooks and hangers for your existing coat racks and hook rails.

Our top-selling Hook Rails are an economical solution when you need to hang several items such as coats and backpacks. They are available in 36”, 60”, or 92” lengths. The sturdy Aluminum Backing Rail attaches directly to the wall and provides 10 Double-Prong Hooks per 92” section (Hooks included). Sections can be easily joined together to create any length, perfect for hallway or classroom coat and backpack storage. Choose from Anodized Aluminum finishes, with strong Plastic or Aluminum Hooks available. Includes Aluminum Splice and two End Caps with each 92" section.

Our popular Wall Mounted School Coat Rack Shelf and Hook Unit is available in either single or double shelf Aluminum Tube Coat Racks with Hook or Hanger options available. Large Capacity Portable Folding Coat Racks are a popular option for classroom coat storage, with easy and portable set up and break down.

 

4. Virco™ brand classroom furniture for easy collaboration or separation

Virco™ is a popular school furniture brand that offers lightweight student desks for easy manipulation, or desks with unique shapes to easily facilitate any arrangement.  Virco® Zuma Brand single-student desks feature adjustable height legs, available in unique shapes, are lightweight for easy arranging, and come with or without a book box. 

Built for ergonomic comfort and strength by an American company that has proven themselves time and time again in the educational furniture industry, look no further than Virco™, America’s leading manufacturer and supplier of furniture and equipment for K-12 schools. The iconic Virco® 9000 Series Stacking Chair design is proven popular by having literally millions of units being used in schools worldwide. This popular chair features heavy-duty Nylon based chair glides that work great on any flooring surface, from hard tile to soft carpet, to help make maintenance and cleaning easier. The four-leg chair's efficient design allows for multiple units to be stacked on top of each other for efficient and stable transportation on a cart or stacked away for storage.

 

5. Increase safety and stop the spread of germs with Sneeze Guards

Keep students and staff safe when reopening your school with sneeze guards. These transparent dividers or partitions act as a shield to stop or slow the spread of viruses in your building. Available for student desks, workstations, cafeteria tables, as well as, stand-alone shields for offices or countertops where staff and students interact.

Durable Corrugated Plastic Sneeze Guards are our most popular choice for school classroom desk use. The folding design is made from durable Corrugated Plastic, with three large viewing windows to allow a large sightline. These are some of our most popular designs because they are durable, easy for students to transport between classrooms, fold down for easy storage, and are stable on the desk or table when set up. The stabilizing feet hold the Sneeze Guard in place and can be secured to the desktop or left unsecured.

 

6. Promote a healthy classroom with easy set-up hand sanitizer stations

Make it easy for students and staff to sanitize hands. Classrooms are where students and teachers spend the majority of their time during school hours. If your classrooms do not have handwashing facilities, consider adding no-touch, automatic hand sanitizing stations, or touch-free tabletop dispensers.

A customer-favorite, the SchoolFix® Hand Sanitizer Post Station features a durable 2” Steel Post design that will not flex under pressure or abuse. The Stainless Steel Sanitizer Jug Shelf Bracket incorporates a Top Ring to securely hold a standard 6" diameter Gallon Hand Sanitizer Pump Jug. The Stainless Steel Sanitizer Gallon Jug Bracket can also be wall-mounted, with no post, to create a more permanent Sanitizer Station.

Getting your school prepared for reopening during a pandemic can be daunting, however, with the right tools it can be done successfully. Review your plan and follow this product guide to find what you need for a safe opening next fall.

We hope you found this guide helpful. To learn more about solutions to common school maintenance concerns please visit the School Fix® Blog, or explore our collections of products we have everything from locker parts to parking lot barricades or bathroom partition hardware.