Grrrrr . . . school fundraisers

[Chefzhat]

Please pardon me while I p*ss and moan about this issue :) My sons' elementary school PTA is driving me nuts. Here's the story:

In the fall we always have the first PTA fundraiser - wrapping paper and such. Okay, I won't send DS out to peddle in the neighborhood, but I always buy a fair amount of wrapping paper (and teacher presents - giggle). So I spent about $100.

Near Thanksgiving the kids are selling magazine subscriptions, so I buy some more.

Now suddenly the PTA is selling raffle tickets to win a car, and tickets to the Silent Auction. Said auction, where we've always had it at the school carnival, is now being held at the local country club and will cost $20 EACH to attend. And each family is required to sell five raffle tickets ($20) each for the car. Snort. Right. I packaged the tickets back up and sent them back to the school. That's the end of that, right??

Here's excerpts (not word for word) from the letter I received from the PTA yesterday:
Since you couldn't sell tickets could you at least buy one yourself? Hasn't your child ever attended a field trip? The PTA pays for that. How about Muffins with Mom/Donuts with Dad? The PTA pays for that. Accelerated Reading?? The PTA pays for that. We know some parents are unable to volunteer in the classroom and assisting with the fundraisers is a great way to get involved. We are hoping to be able to replace our fundraisers with this one large fundraiser - so please help us out.

Oy. If I wanted a ticket, I would have bought one before I took my unsold ones back into the school and not had to suffer the dirty looks I got.

If you want to replace all the fundraisers with this one you should have told me that before I spent $200 on the other ones.

You've got some nerve giving me the "some parents don't help out speech" - the amount of time and money I've spent on that school is beyond belief.

I just wrote a check for the ONE SOLITARY TICKET I'm going to buy and sent it back to the school, and it was all I could do to not send in a letter detailing my grievances. OMG. I'm so glad to be almost done with Elementary school!

Whew. I feel better . . .

Debie

[Laura]

You are better person that I am. Unfortunately for us, fundraising didn't stop with elementary school. Even HS has had them for DD's activities: DECA, Dance Team, Track.

[Becky13347]

I second that!!

I am exhausted already by school fundraising. My oldest is in 2nd grade and the other 2 aren't even in school yet! I feel like this is ridiculous (and I used to be a public school teacher) It is to the point of being out of control. Get the budgets in order. I can't imagine this life sucking fundraising going on much longer and still bringing in $$. I am already revolting. My DD started the year with 4, yes 4, fundraisers. I have said we will do one in the fall, one in the spring and the Girl Scout cookie sale. Period.

[Gracie]

Oh Debie - I hear you loud and clear! I hated hated hated the stupid wrapping paper I didn't need, the Yankee Candles that were too expensive per piece, the BEACH TOWEL (no that's not a typo :eek: ) fundraiser and the holiday fair with the raffles.

But wait - it gets worse!! Now that DD is in the marching band in HS, to fund the trip to the Rose Bowl parade we had to sell:
pounds of fudge
magic show tickets (that's right up there with the beach towels!)
Silent Auction - just like yours, with admission just to get in never mind bid on things and they were expensive!
poinsettas
yard sale - this should have been fun but it was too much work - almost like moving - and we netted a grand total of $24 :eek:


And I know there's more I didn't think of. The only thing that directly affected each kid's Pasadena account was the yard sale, so my cost for Erin went from $1600 to $1576. Everything else went to the cost of transporting the instruments and uniforms and other miscellaneous behind-the-scenes costs.

So it doesn't end once they leave elementary school! :D

Loren

[Becky13347]

I didn't realize that my daughter's public education was going to cost us a fortune! :)

[DebGo]

make an appointment and talk with your principal. keep it simple. tell her your frustrations. it would help if you had a somewhat itemized list of all the things you have spent money on so far this year. i'm talking classroom supplies, things for the teacher as well as fundraisers.

one school i taught in surveyed all parents and decided to get rid of all fundraisers in leu of a $30 donation per child per year. most parents were happy to not have to sell the other "stuff!"

if you are so inclined, attend a pta meeting and sit and listen.

fundraising is a frustrating venture, even for us teachers@!

[Escher]

one school i taught in surveyed all parents and decided to get rid of all fundraisers in leu of a $30 donation per child per year. most parents were happy to not have to sell the other "stuff!"


:cool: Sometimes, it's just easier to pay. I know my time is more valuable than the amount of money fundraising generates. This is a good idea.

Let's see.... Sell 50 1$ candybars, which sends my kid (or me!) door to door for several hours for a 25$ profit (assuming they sell out), or just pay the profit myself and skip the middlemen.

Fundraising is for those without funds. It seems silly to ask parents to fundraise, as they (generally) have incomes enough to cover the expenses of a field trip, etc.

[Gracie]

Escher, you just wait! You've got fundraising times 2!! :D

Actually our fundraising started in preschool now that I think about it.

Loren

[jmarie]

OMG. I'm so glad to be almost done with Elementary school!

It doesn't get any better, the schools may change, but the plan stays the same: FUNDRAISERS.

Did you hear about this one? BRAVO to these students for sticking to their guns!

Candy strikers: Health-minded students refuse to sell sweets for school

By Karla D. Shores
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Education Writer
Posted February 3 2006


For some kids it's in one ear, out the other.

Then, there are the fourth- and fifth-graders of North Side Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale.

After being drilled for more than a year on the evils of empty calories and candy, 19 students at the school took a stand against selling sweets and salty snacks to raise money for field trips to Washington, D.C., and Tallahassee.

For more than three months, Monique Manigat's gifted class of fourth- and fifth-graders vowed not to sell chocolate bars, potato chips and hard candy because they don't want to promote what they've been taught to avoid in a wellness program offered at their school.

Who started this whole thing?

Students affably point to Daphnie Auguste, an articulate 10-year-old who rattles off the ills of sugar and fat with the polish of a seasoned dietician.

"If they tell us to don't eat junk food and then after school we sell it, that disobeys what they said," said Auguste, who hasn't raised one dollar toward her personal $455 goal. "I'm happy because people won't get fat. But I'm sad because how are we going to get the money to go on our field trip?"

Manigat said her class of 19 is in charge of the fund-raiser for 72 students who planned to go on the field trips. Manigat tried to organize car washes for her students but said businesses asked her to pay insurance for the students, something the school can't afford.

Collectively, the students are still thousands of dollars behind. Fourth-graders, who have already missed their deadline, still need $5,000 for their three-day trip in April to St. Augustine and Tallahassee.

The fifth-graders have until the end of February to raise a remaining $12,000 needed for a weeklong trip in May to Williamsburg, Va., and Washington D.C.

Out of fairness, if one can't go, no one goes, said Manigat.

"Parents are contributing as much as they can. They just don't have the means to foot the whole bill," said Manigat.

Almost 80 percent of the school's 526 students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.

The students are part of a two-year-old program called Schools of Wellness, a partnership with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation that teaches healthy eating and exercise to 8,000 students in Palm Beach and Broward counties, said Cathy Whitt, Broward County coordinator for Schools of Wellness.

The program, funded through a three-year $1.4 million grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other organizations, targets schools whose students are more prone to such health risks as obesity and diabetes.

Manigat, who is also the school's wellness liaison, said she is proud of her students for standing by their principles. None of the students protested the idea to boycott candy sales.

"They brought it up. It was their concern," said Manigat.

If her students change their minds, Manigat said she would gladly buy candy for her students to re-sell. In the past, students have easily raised about $300 a week for field trips by selling snacks, Manigat said.

But they're still not budging, so much so that they're willing to forgo their trips if they can't raise money selling something healthy or inedible.

"We could sell bracelets or rings, but not candy," said Saint Remy, a fourth-grader who still needs to raise $65 for her field trip. "We want the other kids to be healthy."

[Hammster]

One of my sons was in marching band all 4 years in high school. A couple of actually fun fund raisers were:
1. There is a local bakery in San Diego that makes the most wonderful bread and pastries. They cater to fund raisers and make it so easy to do. We just had to fill out order slips for the bread, deliver the slips and then we had a pick up date. All bread was sorted and ready for delivery. We told the parents what day pickup would be and to be there. So that was it!

2. Another one was the band director set up an Ice Cream Cart (I wish I could remember the company they used, grrrr) and each of the band members took shifts selling ice cream. Whatever they sold during the shift, they kept a percentage in an account. The shifts were during lunch, after school and some other break periods during the day.

:D

[Molli526]

Don't get me started on "FUN"draising! :mad:

They do it at DS's daycare. It is a private center, which is paid 100% by the parents - plus a $50 activity fee each year.

GRRR :mad:

In the fall, it was Little Caesar's Pizza Kits. Ok, something we eat, fair price. We bought ONE for us.

On Monday, go to school and all over the foyer - pamphlets and signs - Let the "FUN"draising Begin! Now it is cookie dough - for $14 a bucket! I can make 8 dozen, 1-ounce cookies, that taste better. They had samples yesterday - tasted *just* like the kind you buy in tubes from the grocery store. The worst part, my daycare owners are greedy and are selling the tubs at $1-2 more than the suggested prices! (I looked online)

I tossed the sheet and refuse to participate. GRRR :mad:

[beacooker]

Fundraising in preschool/daycare? For what??

[Molli526]

Fundraising in preschool/daycare? For what??


They bought a new playscape deal for the big kids playground - I think.

Maybe some new toys.

[newtricks]

Debie, that letter is too much! :eek: Do they really expect every parent to participate in every fundraiser?!? This fall when the $25.00 kids FunBook came home one week and the Wrapping paper order form came home the next week I just sent in a check for $200.00 (can you tell I felt a little guilty?) and said "this is in lieu of any fundraisers". Very well received by the way. ;)

My pre-schooler goes to a co-op so I expect to participate in lots of fundraisers there. We do a Garage Sale in the fall and a "Tricky Tray" in the spring. Those are both fun and bring the families together too. But we try not to nickel and dime the parents (Molli!) and concentrate on two biggies.

On the positive side our PTO is pretty responsive to this issue. They're doing a new event this year - Bowling night just for the parents. It sounds so fun. They're having a basket raffle, trophies, cocktails, etc. We also have some painless fundraisers. We sell grocery cards and make 5% on that. And if you have a Target credit card, they'll give 1% to the school of your choice (they make nice money off my Target problem). Boxtops, etc.

[615bride]

No school age kids yet but I teach in a private school. We sell wrapping paper every year (that I actually really like) and have a big auction every other year. I guess that's a fair amount of fundraising. That letter you got was out of line though, Debie. I'd be annoyed...

[mlynn]

I'm reading this thread with interest, since my DS is about to enter preschool. As it is, we get hit up twice a month or so--we live in a neighborhood where the elementary, jr. high and high school are all within walking distance.

I'm seriously considering enrolling DS in a particular non-neighborhood school via choice enrollment when the time comes--instead of fundraisers the PTO has decided to ask for anonymous pledges from parents at the beggining of the year. Since we'd be the ones buying all the pizza coupons, wreaths, wrapping paper, candy bars, cookie dough, magazine subscriptions and discounted tee times anyway, it makes sense for us. I realize that this isn't an option for every school--the ones that no doubt, need the funds the most. :(

[jellyben]

I think that letter is way out of line and I too am fed up with fundraisers. My DD's preschool(it also has a small elem. school) has an auction each year and this year the tickets are $75 PER PERSON!!

However, I had no idea that the PTA footed the bill for so much things I assumed were covered by the school district. We are doing some emergency preparedness at my boys' school and all that money must come from the PTA($5000). Playground equipment comes from the PTA. Advanced computer equipment(and some may argue the merits of that). Each new teacher gets a $200 grant to buy supplies. Our school district is one of the most poorly funded in the state and you would never know it by looking at our schools. We are fortunate enough to have a very affluent student population(my family NOT included!!) so the outpouring of time and money is enormous.

I am sure that many other parents feel as you do so why not bring it to the attention of the principal. But it seems like you were already quite generous so they really have no business making you(or anybody for that matter) feel guilty.

[Goin' Coastal]

It doesn't get any better, the schools may change, but the plan stays the same: FUNDRAISERS.

Did you hear about this one? BRAVO to these students for sticking to their guns!

Candy strikers: Health-minded students refuse to sell sweets for school

By Karla D. Shores
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Education Writer
Posted February 3 2006


For some kids it's in one ear, out the other.

Then, there are the fourth- and fifth-graders of North Side Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale.

After being drilled for more than a year on the evils of empty calories and candy, 19 students at the school took a stand against selling sweets and salty snacks to raise money for field trips to Washington, D.C., and Tallahassee.

For more than three months, Monique Manigat's gifted class of fourth- and fifth-graders vowed not to sell chocolate bars, potato chips and hard candy because they don't want to promote what they've been taught to avoid in a wellness program offered at their school.

Who started this whole thing?

Students affably point to Daphnie Auguste, an articulate 10-year-old who rattles off the ills of sugar and fat with the polish of a seasoned dietician.

"If they tell us to don't eat junk food and then after school we sell it, that disobeys what they said," said Auguste, who hasn't raised one dollar toward her personal $455 goal. "I'm happy because people won't get fat. But I'm sad because how are we going to get the money to go on our field trip?"

Manigat said her class of 19 is in charge of the fund-raiser for 72 students who planned to go on the field trips. Manigat tried to organize car washes for her students but said businesses asked her to pay insurance for the students, something the school can't afford.

Collectively, the students are still thousands of dollars behind. Fourth-graders, who have already missed their deadline, still need $5,000 for their three-day trip in April to St. Augustine and Tallahassee.

The fifth-graders have until the end of February to raise a remaining $12,000 needed for a weeklong trip in May to Williamsburg, Va., and Washington D.C.

Out of fairness, if one can't go, no one goes, said Manigat.

"Parents are contributing as much as they can. They just don't have the means to foot the whole bill," said Manigat.

Almost 80 percent of the school's 526 students are eligible for free and reduced lunch.

The students are part of a two-year-old program called Schools of Wellness, a partnership with Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital Foundation that teaches healthy eating and exercise to 8,000 students in Palm Beach and Broward counties, said Cathy Whitt, Broward County coordinator for Schools of Wellness.

The program, funded through a three-year $1.4 million grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other organizations, targets schools whose students are more prone to such health risks as obesity and diabetes.

Manigat, who is also the school's wellness liaison, said she is proud of her students for standing by their principles. None of the students protested the idea to boycott candy sales.

"They brought it up. It was their concern," said Manigat.

If her students change their minds, Manigat said she would gladly buy candy for her students to re-sell. In the past, students have easily raised about $300 a week for field trips by selling snacks, Manigat said.

But they're still not budging, so much so that they're willing to forgo their trips if they can't raise money selling something healthy or inedible.

"We could sell bracelets or rings, but not candy," said Saint Remy, a fourth-grader who still needs to raise $65 for her field trip. "We want the other kids to be healthy."

I read in the paper the widow of Dr. Atkins donated $16,000 to the school. Thought they should be rewarded for their good sense!

I feel extremely fortunate the elementary school my DDs attended had a policy against door to door selling. Not only did my girls not have to go door to door for anything, I was never afraid to answer my doorbell! The school had a very active PTA that had a couple of fundraisers a year - the main one was a huge craft fair in the fall. Parents were asked to volunteer for that by working it, baking for the bake sale they had with it, etc. But the one fund raiser supplied about 90% of the $$ needed for the year.

[SDMomChef]

Ditto, ditto, ditto to all the comments!! I am tired of fundraisers - and my kids are only in 1st grade and kindergarten! Between fundraisers for boy scouts, girl scouts, soccer and school, it is just ridiculous. I am proceeding as Escher mentioned - just giving checks and skipping buying things I don't need or pushing these things on my neighbors, family, friends and co-workers.

The PTA does provide many things that should be paid for by the school district, but it is not, so fundraising, in some respects, is a symptom of the underlying problem of school funding. So, until that gets fixed, I don't think fundraising is going away anywhere in the near future.

[krhm]

[QUOTE=DebGo]
one school i taught in surveyed all parents and decided to get rid of all fundraisers in leu of a $30 donation per child per year. most parents were happy to not have to sell the other "stuff!"[QUOTE]

Our school just voted on this (almost 800 students and only 113 survey replies, but that's another topic :rolleyes:). 67% of the respondees said that they would support a flat fee instead of fundraisers, so I'm really, really hoping that they will make the change next year.

I don't mind going to the school carnival and having fun, but selling the gift wrap, buying overpriced magazine subscriptions and cookie dough...that's just a waste, in my opinion. Fortunately both DDs teachers have understood that we were just giving a check and not selling anything, but some of my friends have had teachers get snotty when their kids didn't sell, because the class wouldn't win a prize or a party or something.

[Andrea_2]

Here's excerpts (not word for word) from the letter I received from the PTA yesterday:
Since you couldn't sell tickets could you at least buy one yourself? Hasn't your child ever attended a field trip? The PTA pays for that. How about Muffins with Mom/Donuts with Dad? The PTA pays for that. Accelerated Reading?? The PTA pays for that. We know some parents are unable to volunteer in the classroom and assisting with the fundraisers is a great way to get involved. We are hoping to be able to replace our fundraisers with this one large fundraiser - so please help us out.

Wow! That is ridiculous! I don't think I would've been able to resist sending a response to that!

My son is still in daycare, yet they are constantly sending home stuff about various fundraisers. We spend an outrageous amount of money already at this place, so I refuse to spend anything additional amount beyond the excessive amount they already charge us. He only goes four days a week (maximum), and goes for only half days on two to three of the other days, yet they still charge us the same as the kids that attend five days a week all day. I have never noticed any new equipment or improvements in the two years he has been going there, so I think they are just being greedy.

[colleency]

http://images.ucomics.com/comics/cl/2006/cl060209.gif

[donleyk]

Colleen! Thanks for posting that. I tried to do it but I am lame at that sort of stuff. I LOL when I saw it today. How appropriate!

[Lillith]

My school does a ton of fundraising too. However, all of the proceeds are not kept strictly for school use. We have fundraisiers for needy families in the neighborhood, last year for the tsunami victims, this year for the hurricane victims. What pi$$es me off are the teachers/staff who solicit everyone in the building to buy Girl Scout Cookies, Passover/Easter Candy, candy bars for their son's/daughter's lacrosse or soccer or football - or whatever team, on and on and on.

[funnybone]

There have been similar threads and I have posted in the past how I am thrilled that my son's school did away with fundraisers this year and opted for "write a check" instead. They had a questionaire go out last year and the majority voted for this. Perhaps this is something your school can do as well.

[tbb113]

There have been similar threads and I have posted in the past how I am thrilled that my son's school did away with fundraisers this year and opted for "write a check" instead. They had a questionaire go out last year and the majority voted for this. Perhaps this is something your school can do as well.

Just curious...are the revenues the same? Fundraisers (especially items you can sell to total strangers and auctions) seem to bring in a lot of money. I wouldn't think you would get 100% compliance on the 'write a check' and therefore might not bring in as much money as before.

[funnybone]

Just curious...are the revenues the same? Fundraisers (especially items you can sell to total strangers and auctions) seem to bring in a lot of money. I wouldn't think you would get 100% compliance on the 'write a check' and therefore might not bring in as much money as before.


Well, they didn't want us to sell the fundraisers door to door, and since we have no family here, and our friends have kids that go to the same school, our family contribution is higher from the check. Also, I think we only needed a minimum of about $40 from each child (or family perhaps) to match what they used to make in profits. I gave more than that for my one son. They are just under 600 kids in the school. In our schools case, they are getting close to 100% compliance as the people at the school all come from the same neighborhood and it's pretty affluent. I don't know how it would work in lower income areas.

[tbb113]

I don't think $40 a family would come close to replacing the fundraisers here :(

Here is the blurb about the auction this weekend (I'm not going to attend). It looks like they are hoping to raise in excess of $10,000 in one night. Plus we do the magazine sale as well as a fundraiser. okay, I just did the math...maybe $40.00 a family would work

WHO ISN’T UP FOR A ROARIN’ GOOD TIME?
I’m looking forward to seeing every one of you at our Annual Dinner/Dance/Auction/Casino Night on Saturday, February 11, at the Blackhawk Auto Museum!

Your Auction committee has put in many hours of work to make sure that you all experience a most entertaining evening. Do you like eating good food? Dancing? Playing games? Solving Puzzles? Shopping? Laughing with your friends? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you will have a ball at this affair. And you’ll leave with the wonderful feeling that you have contributed to your child’s schooling in a very significant way!

Where do the Auction funds go?
This year, our most pressing need is in the area of Technology, so all of the funding this year will be used to make sure that your students are working with current computer programs, on equipment which is up-to-date,. functional and in good repair.

Our most pressing needs in this area are:

upgrades on the computers in one computer lab to accommodate our new Yearbook software.
Replacements for all the (old) computers in the other lab.
Funding for our Tech Aide position to keep our campus computers and computer labs maintained and in good repair
A $10,000 budget for Tech Repairs and Maintenance.

Through your contributions at this auction, whether by purchasing a ticket, bidding on an auction item, or donating a service or item, you are directly benefitting your child. Every student in our school uses school computers, appears in our yearbook and videos, and uses the computer labs.

Our CW Parent Community has always come through with their amazing generosity, and every CW staff member wishes to extend his/her sincere appreciation to each one of you. We are truly blessed to work with people who understand the value of education, and are willing to contribute their time and hard-earned money to ensure that our children receive the highest quality education.

[funnybone]

Oh, the school still has monthly Market Day which they make money on, as well as an annual Winterfest where the make even more money as well. This one check replaces the need to sell wrapping paper and cookie dough at the same time the sports teams tend to sell as well.

[Aubergine]

there's no easy answer to this. it's a horrific situation. i always, but always, refused to sell over-priced stuff (like the wrapping paper) to people who didn't need nor want it. and things have escalated to the point where some people are being beseiged by requests at every turn.

part of what frustrates me is the total lack of imagination in most of these cases. for example, i'd love it if my neighbor's kids said, "we're having a nothing-in-return fundraiser." i'd just give them $5. and be glad to do it. 50/50 raffles are a good bet for everyone, but one rarely sees them. school carnivals, raffles, pizza bingo, bake sales, car washes -- fund-raisers where the only outlay is volunteer/donations (vs. purchasing and peddling Cherrydale crap) make sense to me, because the profit is 100%.

the one fundraiser i used to get fully behind was the 2x/year Scholastic book sales, because everyone benefits, including the school classrooms and library. i bought a ton of books, for gifts as well as for us.

part of the very real problem nowadays is that gov't funding for education, at all levels (fed-state-municipal), has been cut (or redirected) to the point that PTO's now provide the $$ for things that used to be either gov't funded, or else nonexistent (like computers).

you may not like to hear this, but if you're that p.o.'d, join the PTA/PTO. get involved! around here, meetings are usually 1-2 hrs. once/month. make your voice heard! there's an old saying, "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

p.s. it does lessen considerably as they get older...

[tbb113]

I don't remember fund-raisers for sports but my memory might be fuzzy on this. At least at the HS level, the cost of playing any sport is $215. So, I paid that for Michael to play football and just ponied up the $215 for him to do track and field. There is a huge athletic booster fundraiser once a year (auction, dinner type of event). They raise HUGE amounts of money to help the atheltic program (new track, new equipment, etc)

Football's fundraiser was to sell advertising space in the program (produced with Cheer) either to businesses or families.

Track and Field is doing a fund-raiser for the first time (trying to sell 'gourmet food' items with the school's logo.

We passed on both of them.

[Chefzhat]

you may not like to hear this, but if you're that p.o.'d, join the PTA/PTO. get involved! around here, meetings are usually 1-2 hrs. once/month. make your voice heard! there's an old saying, "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

p.s. it does lessen considerably as they get older...

I am a member - which makes the letter I got even more silly.

[Aubergine]

I am a member - which makes the letter I got even more silly.

i am sorry that i skimmed over that; i got caught up in my own rant. but, so, you're not friendly with any other the other committee members? i mean, was it a select few that drafted this letter? just curious, 'cause we had a wierd situation here where the PTA was a bit of a clique, but i joined the committee, went to meetings, and did make my voice heard. it wasn't easy.

did i miss the entire point? was the letter sent to only you? must've been. well, skip the last part of my post; i still stand by the rest of it, and i'm sorry for being ignorant about your position vis-a-vis them. i read your post earlier, and then thought about a reply, but i should have re-read it.

suz

[funnybone]

I don't remember fund-raisers for sports but my memory might be fuzzy on this.

Actually we don't have them here, but when we lived in PA, the fall sports, not related to school, had fundraisers. So the football players, cheerleaders and soccer players all competed with one another at the same time the schools had theirs as well. It was ridiculous.

[clairea]

Debie, that letter would have sent me over edge! I hate all of the fundraisers that require kids to sell things, as I won't allow my kids to ask friends/neighbors/relatives to buy things. Since we can easily give money otherwise to the PTA, I usually don't buy anything (except the wrapping paper, which I will actually use).

I do appreciate all of the things our PTA pays for, which at my children's school includes a full-time art and music teachers, many of the books available in the media center, a full-time school nurse, lots of classroom resources, field trips, etc. -- lots of things you think would be provided by a public school district but aren't. . I am grateful for all of those things, and I donate money at the times and in the ways I am willing/able, and I also give untold hours to help make the school a better place. $30 or $40 dollars a family wouldn't come close to providing this, but we are fortunate to live in a district where many families are willing and able to donate a lot more.

Our PTA gets most of its funds through an annual "dues and donations" drive. We do have a silent auction every other year, tickets are usually around $50 I believebut we have never gone. The explanation that I have been given for the fundraisers is that they are held for 2 general reasons: (1) to raise money for a specific purpose (eg we just had a readathon to raise money for the media center, or (2) to give children/families who might not otherwise be able to give financially to the school, but want to provide some financial support, an opportunity to do so. Everybody can choose whether or not to participate, though, and I cannot imagine that anyone would ever be criticized or chastised for choosing not to do so.

Claire

[Chefzhat]

i am sorry that i skimmed over that; i got caught up in my own rant. but, so, you're not friendly with any other the other committee members? i mean, was it a select few that drafted this letter? just curious, 'cause we had a wierd situation here where the PTA was a bit of a clique, but i joined the committee, went to meetings, and did make my voice heard. it wasn't easy.

did i miss the entire point? was the letter sent to only you? must've been. well, skip the last part of my post; i still stand by the rest of it, and i'm sorry for being ignorant about your position vis-a-vis them. i read your post earlier, and then thought about a reply, but i should have re-read it.

suz
I probably wasn't very clear. Those of us who turned in the tickets unsold got the letter. There are quite a few of us moms that are rather ticked.

The problem is that we are all 5th grade moms, our involvement is winding down. The moms on the PTA are all parents of the younger kids and we don't know them. I'm sort of ready to tell them they are a little low on the food chain to be mouthing off! :D

Thanks for all the sympathy - this kind of thing is really just something to gripe about - I'll grin and bear it at the fancy fundraiser at the country club and know that this is it for me, next year is Middle School!

Debie

[Aubergine]

this is it for me, next year is Middle School! Debie

what, you MS doesn't have fundraisers? ours does...:D mebbe you and/or your friends should get involved on that PTA, from the get-go.

i give you a lot of credit for the support you have given your school, despite your frustrations. i dunno about your area, but in ours, we do have many families who are below the poverty line, and i always tried hard to do a bit more than my fair share, even as a single parent.

suz

[Gumbeaux]

I like the new trend in fund raising. The student hands out a brochure that lists a wide range of things that can be purchased online and then sent directly to your house. This eliminates the problem of lost or stolen money, arm twisting, and feeling like you have to buy something that you really don't need.

I think works better for the seller and the buyer.

Just my.02¢

[Jazzmatazz49]

I feel your pain. As a teacher, we also deal with snotty PTOs sometimes. Depending on who is president that year, we've been told what to do more times than I can count.

Yes, PTO helps out financially. But we could live without the drama.

[badunnin]

Debie - we don't fundraise at my high school. Donations only. Clubs aren't allowed to sell things to raise funds. If you'd like info on our program, let me know - we have a brochure.

[stefania4]

Collectively, the students are still thousands of dollars behind. Fourth-graders, who have already missed their deadline, still need $5,000 for their three-day trip in April to St. Augustine and Tallahassee.

The fifth-graders have until the end of February to raise a remaining $12,000 needed for a weeklong trip in May to Williamsburg, Va., and Washington D.C.

Can someone please tell me why a 9-year-old needs to go on a FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLAR field trip??? You can go on a cruise for a week on that kind of money - never mind what these fifth-graders are doing.

Seriously - when did field trips become that elaborate? When I was in fourth grade I think we went to the zoo and maybe the local dairy.

[tbb113]

[/b]
Can someone please tell me why a 9-year-old needs to go on a FIVE-THOUSAND DOLLAR field trip??? You can go on a cruise for a week on that kind of money - never mind what these fifth-graders are doing.

Seriously - when did field trips become that elaborate? When I was in fourth grade I think we went to the zoo and maybe the local dairy.

I think the total shortfall for the entire grade is $5000, not $5000 per person.

I don't know about other parts of the country, but here in CA in 4th and/or 5th grade they do Outdoor Education which is a three day/two night affair to learn about local nature/plants/biology/etc. Kids also cook for themselves, etc. And then the middle school offers an optional trip in 8th grade to go to Washington DC (either during spring break or right after school breaks for the summer).

Given that the school district in the article is in a very poor area (reference to 80% of the kids are on subsidize lunch), I doubt that their parents are enriching their lives with these types of trips. Good for the school for trying to do so!

[barbara-cook]

I think most of the stuff the kids "have to" sell for fund raisers is pretty bad. My step daughters were in Marching Band and they have fund raisers all the time (plus car washes, bake sales, etc.). But the best thing they came up with was a plastic discount card. Credit card size, you take it to the various merchants listed and get a discount on whatever. The card cost $5, is good for a year, and the best discount on it was 20% off Addidas and Rebok footwear and clothing at Dick's Sporting Goods. Tell me that doesn't add up when you're buying baseball cleats, basketball shoes and all kinds of sports apparel for a growing teenager.

New York State also has deposit amount of 5 cents on beer and soda cans/bottles. Everyone uses that as a fund raiser. Send out a flyer one week, pick up the cans/bottles the next week. The kids have to return the cans/bottles for the refunds and hand over the money. Pretty easy, and it really doesn't cost the donors anything. I think the Marching Band makes about $20,000+ each year with that drive.

I still have to thaw out and eat the cherry pie the cheerleader next door sold me last fall....$9.00 for a pie!

[schuh]

However, I had no idea that the PTA footed the bill for so much things I assumed were covered by the school district. We are doing some emergency preparedness at my boys' school and all that money must come from the PTA($5000). Playground equipment comes from the PTA. Advanced computer equipment(and some may argue the merits of that). Each new teacher gets a $200 grant to buy supplies.


I'm glad you pointed out everything the PTA does (although it's different in each school). As a past PTA president, I got sick of parents (and teachers) complaining about fundraisers, etc., but never attending meetings or joining committees. And those same parents (and teachers) have a cow if their kid (or class) can't go on the cool field trip to (wherever) because the PTA doesn't have the money to fund it!

If you don't like the fundraisers your school does, you could:
- join the fund-raising committee and come up with a better idea. Some of the more "fun" ideas are also more work, so that's why PTAs do things like wrapping paper sales.
- attend a meeting to see what's up with the PTA and provide your input and ideas.
- go to a school board meeting or write letters and lobby for the district to provide those items in the school budget

All that said, you shouldn't get a snotty letter if you didn't participate in one particular fund-raiser.

[Kristilyn1]

1. I've never sold any crap products, in fact I rarely if ever send a check in for crap fundraisers for school. I donate my time at events, but rarely give money unless it is a family event that would be fun for me and my family to attend. Such as our Spring Fling--where Carrabas Restaurant donates and makes the food, they charge money and raffle off a whole bunch of baskets put together by each classroom.

2. Personally, I would participate more with our PTA, but they religiously do their meetings at 10 AM during the week, which alienates any of us moms who work for a living. They don't even do committee meetings at flexible times. So far, I've never heard complaints about participation which is good, because they'd hear about it from me, regarding the meeting times.

3. Our school district is pretty good, we do the wrapping paper but they'd never be so rude and disrespectful as to send a chiding letter to people who choose not to participate. I'm still unclear why you didn't write a letter--I would! Letting them know in no uncertain terms how very, very rude it was to do that. Other than that, we have a couple of school "events" that are fundraisers but no more product that has to be sold, thank goodness.

4. I always tell the sports coaches that on principle I do not do fundraisers, but that I will write a check. I feel differently about sports because all the coaches are volunteers and they do try to keep the costs down for the sports. I'm happy to help out but yes, I wish they'd just tell me how much they want and leave it at that.

Kristi

[mommycook]

I am finally on the PTA board at my DS's school. If you have an issue about fundraising, please attend a PTA meeting and bring it up!!!!! NO ONE at our school attends these meetings to put in their 2 cents but there are plenty of complaints when the fundraisers go home. I don't like them either but my ideas (bake sales, asking for $$ instead of selling, etc.) are always shot down. :mad: Please attend a PTA meeting and help out moms like me!!

On the other hand, DD goes to a different school. To join the parent club you need to pay $100 at the beginning of the year. You can participate in fundraising by selling stuff or send in a(nother) donation check. Recently a crossing guard who had been at the school for 27 years passed away and the parent club paid $8,000.00 (yes, you read that right) to cater her funeral!!!!!!! Nice thought, but that is NOT why we constantly write checks to the school!!!!!

[Gumbeaux]

Recently a crossing guard who had been at the school for 27 years passed away and the parent club paid $8,000.00 (yes, you read that right) to cater her funeral!!!!!!! Nice thought, but that is NOT why we constantly write checks to the school!!!!!

OK, I can't let this pass by without me asking. A catered funeral??? :confused: Where on earth do you eat? Do you eat in the room where the body is laying in state or do you eat while the body is being lowered in the ground? I haven't ever heard of this.

[Laura]

I still have to thaw out and eat the cherry pie the cheerleader next door sold me last fall....$9.00 for a pie!

Yep, My dd did that. I don't even like pie, but I had four in my freezer. :rolleyes: I didn't even think about not buying the pie and just writing a check for the same amount of money.

[schuh]

On the other hand, DD goes to a different school. To join the parent club you need to pay $100 at the beginning of the year. You can participate in fundraising by selling stuff or send in a(nother) donation check. Recently a crossing guard who had been at the school for 27 years passed away and the parent club paid $8,000.00 (yes, you read that right) to cater her funeral!!!!!!! Nice thought, but that is NOT why we constantly write checks to the school!!!!!

Not only is it contrary to the purpose of a parent organization, it may also be illegal. There are laws that govern 401C3 (tax exempt) organizations. The national & state PTAs incorporate these laws into their rules & regulations, but even if you're not a PTA you are still bound by these laws if you are tax exempt. Our PTA had been loosey goosey about adhering to them in the past. I spent a fair amount of effort when I was president getting our PTA out of some of these noncompliant practices, such as donating money to other nonprofit organizations (a no-no).

For anyone who wonders about whether it's good to be part of the national/state PTA, this is a good example of why you should be. Not only does the PTA have strict guidelines of what you can & can't do, you have a chain of command to consult at the local & state levels who can put the kabosh on these activities.

Further, some states (such as NY) are cracking down on parent organizations who violate the laws governing nonprofits.

[Aubergine]

OK, I can't let this pass by without me asking. A catered funeral??? :confused: Where on earth do you eat? Do you eat in the room where the body is laying in state or do you eat while the body is being lowered in the ground? I haven't ever heard of this.

i believe it refers to the "wake" following the funeral, where people gather for food elsewhere afterwards. i've been to quite a few.

in re: PTA vs. PTO, our schools several years ago opted to become independent PTOs because, of the $3.00 per child annual dues assessed to each family, $2.25 off the top automatically went to the state and national level. :rolleyes:

suz

[schuh]

in re: PTA vs. PTO, our schools several years ago opted to become independent PTOs because, of the $3.00 per child annual dues assessed to each family, $2.25 off the top automatically went to the state and national level. :rolleyes:

suz

Yup, that's the amount that goes to state & national.

[moonbeam]

Participating in fundraising should be optional. I am in charge of the spring and fall fundraiser at my child's school, and we never make anyone feel guilty for not participating. If you don't want to buy what Kristilyn calls crap products-don't. If you can afford to write a check for a donation-great. 100% of a donation goes to the PTA vs 30-50% when you buy a fundraising item. So find out how much profit the PTA earns on sold items, then figure out what you would have been guilted into buying, do the math and write a check.
Debie- you have already supported the PTO so much with your earlier purchases. I would have sent a copy of my cancelled check for the previous fundraiser with a short, sweet note asking what the problem was.

[mommycook]

OK, I can't let this pass by without me asking. A catered funeral??? :confused: Where on earth do you eat? Do you eat in the room where the body is laying in state or do you eat while the body is being lowered in the ground? I haven't ever heard of this.

I did not attend, but there was a viewing (or somehting like that) a few days before the funeral and the $$ went to food at that event and then after the funeral service there was a luncheon. Eating after a viewing??????

For anyone who wonders about whether it's good to be part of the national/state PTA, this is a good example of why you should be. Not only does the PTA have strict guidelines of what you can & can't do, you have a chain of command to consult at the local & state levels who can put the kabosh on these activities.

This school is not a part of the national PTA, it is a 'Parent Club' at the school.

The PTA at my son's school is $5.00 a family.

This woman was dearly loved at the school. We are new and didn't know her. When I asked a few other people about it they just commented how nice it was for the parent club to do that. :eek: I think my husband and I are alone in our feelings on paying for a catered funeral. I told him if anything ever happens to me that he should hit up the parent club for MY final expenses!

There is also a seperate scolarship fund set up for her grandchildren and yet another one set up to donate to a breast cancer organization in her name.

[mrswaz]

I was so worried about fundraisers when DD started school this past fall. It turned out I had no reason to worry, at least at this age. Years ago, the PTA did away tried an experiment. They created a no-bake sale. They sent home an envelope with each child in school with a clever poem on it about how no one has the time to bake, so they suggested that you put in the envelope the amount of money it would cost you to make a batch of cookies or brownies to sell at a bake sale. And not only was this a huge success, the PTA has eliminated all fundraisers except for a spring carnival. Now I know things will change at the middle school level, and when sports come into play, but if anyone is looking for an idea to take thier PTA/PTO, I highly recommend the no-bake sale. It makes everyone happier.

[katygirl]

Don't get me started on "FUN"draising! :mad:

They do it at DS's daycare. It is a private center, which is paid 100% by the parents - plus a $50 activity fee each year.



As a fellow daycare paying Mom I am horrified by this! How do they justify the fundraising if it is 100% paid by parents? What do they say the money goes to?