Walmart Launches Teacher Discount Program

BENTONVILLE -- Walmart announced Monday it intends to offer teachers nationwide 10 percent back on school supplies during its upcoming Teacher Appreciation Week.

Walmart officials and employees from the Bentonville Supercenter dropped in on an orientation session for Bentonville School District teachers to make the announcement. They also surprised those teachers with gift cards and shopping baskets full of school supplies for their classrooms.

At A Glance

Discount Details

Teachers who shop at Walmart stores during its Teacher Appreciation Week will be eligible to receive a Walmart eGift card for 10 percent back on nearly 15,000 products.

Teachers who buy school supplies between Friday and July 31 should visit www.walmart.com/tea… by Aug. 15. There they can register receipts by entering their school information and receipt transaction codes. Savings on eligible items will be delivered on a gift card via email within 14 days.

Source: Walmart

Steve Bratspies, executive vice president of general merchandise for Walmart U.S., told the teachers the retailer works hard to serve teachers' needs and is committed to helping them as much as it can.

"But we realize that's not enough," Bratspies said.

Teachers in the United States spend an average of $1,000 preparing their classrooms for each new school year. About half of that money comes from their own pockets, Bratspies said.

Walmart's Teacher Appreciation Week is Friday through July 31. Teachers who buy school supplies at Walmart during that time will be eligible to receive gift cards equal to 10 percent of their purchases. It's the first time Walmart has offered such a deal.

The people attending orientation Monday were new teachers and counselors at Bentonville's R.E. Baker and Elm Tree elementary schools. Both schools are on the School District's nontraditional calendar. They start classes Aug. 1.

Leah Whitlow is launching her education career as a second-grade teacher at Elm Tree -- the same school she attended as a student. She found out she'd gotten the job last Tuesday.

Whitlow was elated by the shopping basket of supplies she received, along with a $25 gift card. The basket included crayons, binders, notebooks, paper and boxes of Kleenex. She said she'd already spent "a pretty penny" on school supplies.

"There's so much that goes into creating a classroom," Whitlow said.

Jane Cornell will be a counselor at R.E. Baker after working part time for the Springdale School District. She also was pleased to receive the supplies.

"We aren't given gifts like this very often," Cornell said.

She said her supplies will go mainly to those children who otherwise couldn't afford them.

"Every time I go to Walmart I'm throwing (school supplies) in my cart because there's always a need," she said.

Alia Berg, training coordinator at the Bentonville Supercenter, was among several employees who distributed the baskets to the teachers. They wore blue T-shirts that read "Walmart (heart symbol) Teachers."

Berg has three children in the School District. Their teachers are like their second families, she said.

"I'm ecstatic to be able to participate because I see the need the teachers have," Berg said.

Besides announcing the teachers' gifts, Bratspies also presented Superintendent Michael Poore a $1,000 gift card for the district to spend on school supplies.

NW News on 07/22/2014

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