by Ned Martenis

School supplies arrived late this year, causing difficulties for teachers and administrators, according to bursar Suzanne Spirto.

Every April, the Newton schools pool their supply requests for the annual order. Companies then compete to fill the orders for the lowest cost. This cost-saving measure allows schools to buy in bulk, according to Spirito.

Articles delayed include orders from supply companies Pyramid and W.B. Mason.

Orders are supposed to arrive from four to six weeks before school starts, which is around the beginning of August. The Pyramid order arrived September 7, one day after school started, and it included index cards, pencils, tape and binders. The W.B. Mason order, one of the largest orders, contained exam booklets, record books, tissues and paper. It arrived on September 14, said Spirito.

As a stopgap measure, the school distributed supplies that it had left over from the past year, she said.

Principal Jennifer Price said that the source of the delay is unclear.