Boosterthon Fun-Run Fundraiser - NOT a fan

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know anything about Believe Kids - the catalog sales? That just came to our school and the parents hate it because they have pep rallies and promise the kids prizes and tell them they have to help their school. I just contributed for the darn running thing!!

Don't do it! Believe was not great. They didn't deliver things on time and in many cases the prizes kids wanted so badly never even showed up. Parents were very unhappy.

+1000

Our school has completed 2 events with Boosterthon. The first one was great, the second one was terrible the toys keep getting worse. the kids running theses events suck. It's a bad investment overall.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone tell me how they were successful for getting Boosterthon removed from their school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone tell me how they were successful for getting Boosterthon removed from their school?

One idea is to ask that they survey the families - how many like Boosterthon and how many like No-Fuss.
Boosterthon will get many votes, but No-Fuss will get more.

I don't know if Poplar Tree ES did a survey, but after two years of Boosterthons, they dropped them for a No-Fuss and still met their income goals.
Their Facebook post: http://on.fb.me/1N7FD8T

[Anonymous]

We all also need to ask what happens if a fun run company goes bankrupt before they can forward the payments submitted to their web site?

A PTO in Atlanta knows all too well what happens: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/local-school-risk-losing-nearly-24000-donated-fund/npqqW/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone tell me how they were successful for getting Boosterthon removed from their school?

One idea is to ask that they survey the families - how many like Boosterthon and how many like No-Fuss.
Boosterthon will get many votes, but No-Fuss will get more.

I don't know if Poplar Tree ES did a survey, but after two years of Boosterthons, they dropped them for a No-Fuss and still met their income goals.
Their Facebook post: http://on.fb.me/1N7FD8T

Do they tell the families that half their donations go elsewhere before or after?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Do they tell the families that half their donations go elsewhere before or after?

C) None of the above.

BTW, Booster's "take" can range from 35% to 70%: http://on.fb.me/1QvBikw

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Do they tell the families that half their donations go elsewhere before or after?

C) None of the above.

BTW, Booster's "take" can range from 35% to 70%: http://on.fb.me/1QvBikw

So the parents aren't aware? Are the teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Do they tell the families that half their donations go elsewhere before or after?

C) None of the above.

BTW, Booster's "take" can range from 35% to 70%: http://on.fb.me/1QvBikw

So the parents aren't aware? Are the teachers?

Excellent question.
Separately, and FWIW, I surmise from my own experience that not all of the PTA board members are aware!
I asked my PTA once (back when the 48% flat rate was the norm - but I didn't know it then ) how much Booster gets.
The original response I got was a "guess" of 50%. Only when the PTA president was reached, did I learn the exact figure was 48%.

I went to a PTA meeting a little later and asked the PTA president, "What's the downside to letting contributors know how much of their contributions go to Booster?"
The answer was something like, "Well, I'll say it: our revenues would be lower."

Apparently, I was the only one at the meeting bothered by this response.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Do they tell the families that half their donations go elsewhere before or after?

C) None of the above.

BTW, Booster's "take" can range from 35% to 70%: http://on.fb.me/1QvBikw

So the parents aren't aware? Are the teachers?

Excellent question.
Separately, and FWIW, I surmise from my own experience that not all of the PTA board members are aware!
I asked my PTA once (back when the 48% flat rate was the norm - but I didn't know it then ) how much Booster gets.
The original response I got was a "guess" of 50%. Only when the PTA president was reached, did I learn the exact figure was 48%.

I went to a PTA meeting a little later and asked the PTA president, "What's the downside to letting contributors know how much of their contributions go to Booster?"
The answer was something like, "Well, I'll say it: our revenues would be lower."

Apparently, I was the only one at the meeting bothered by this response.

A mom at our last PTA meeting said she was just going to write a check to the PTA so all her money could go to the school. That lit up a firestorm of "if we ALL don't work together, we won't make a quota and then our percentage goes down!" AKA: I don't give a shit if you want $100 going directly to the school. We need to meet our quota so write that $100 to Boosterthon instead. It was about 4 very strong personalities pushing this Boosterthon. It is just terrible for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

A mom at our last PTA meeting said she was just going to write a check to the PTA so all her money could go to the school. That lit up a firestorm of "if we ALL don't work together, we won't make a quota and then our percentage goes down!" AKA: I don't give a shit if you want $100 going directly to the school. We need to meet our quota so write that $100 to Boosterthon instead. It was about 4 very strong personalities pushing this Boosterthon. It is just terrible for the school.

So what happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

A mom at our last PTA meeting said she was just going to write a check to the PTA so all her money could go to the school. That lit up a firestorm of "if we ALL don't work together, we won't make a quota and then our percentage goes down!" AKA: I don't give a shit if you want $100 going directly to the school. We need to meet our quota so write that $100 to Boosterthon instead. It was about 4 very strong personalities pushing this Boosterthon. It is just terrible for the school.

So what happened?

We haven't had the Boosterthon yet but there are many people that walked out wondering why some people are too into it. Like they make a side cut or something. It was strange, awkward and really divided the meeting. Or at least made some parents too scared to say anything. The Boosterthon moms were like pirahnas and were really pissed someone, anyone would question the percentage or donating on their own.

[Anonymous]

Run away! It's covered up with lawsuits. A good administrator will not allow it in the school. What do you need money for and do you have it? Bad news. Get it out of your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
A mom at our last PTA meeting said she was just going to write a check to the PTA so all her money could go to the school. That lit up a firestorm of "if we ALL don't work together, we won't make a quota and then our percentage goes down!" AKA: I don't give a shit if you want $100 going directly to the school. We need to meet our quota so write that $100 to Boosterthon instead. It was about 4 very strong personalities pushing this Boosterthon. It is just terrible for the school.

Are those PTA meeting minutes posted somewhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
A mom at our last PTA meeting said she was just going to write a check to the PTA so all her money could go to the school. That lit up a firestorm of "if we ALL don't work together, we won't make a quota and then our percentage goes down!" AKA: I don't give a shit if you want $100 going directly to the school. We need to meet our quota so write that $100 to Boosterthon instead. It was about 4 very strong personalities pushing this Boosterthon. It is just terrible for the school.

Are those PTA meeting minutes posted somewhere?

I don't think our minutes are ever posted but I like we you are going. I will look into it. I don't even think we have a secretary that takes actual notes during the meetings now that I think about it. This is a Board that has no idea what they are doing. It is a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

If you can, boycott boosterthon by pulling your kid out for those few hours o the day. I know a lot of working parents can't do it, but maybe if enough parents do this, it will send a message.

I am going to pull my kid out and take DC somewhere fun, and buy DC a "prize". I will also donate directly to the PTA.