Boosterthon, blech.

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:OP, simply don't let your child participate. Our FCPS did it lasg spring, and we wouldn't let our kids have any part in the How to Be an Effective Salesperson program, disguised as a school fundraiser.

These guys/strangers are in the school all week, and teach the kids to refer to them by cutesy, familiar names such as Awesome Albert or Jumpin' Jim Flash, that kind of thing. They take away from instructional time with rah-rah kinds of activities and pointing out who got the most pledges, and giving out cheap and crappy trinkets for it.

They make the kids recite cheers about selling, and repeat phrases about sales and the program.

We have a bully PTA that does what it wants, so don't tell me to try to change things through the regular channels. I just don't let them take any part in it.


OP, here. We are not going to participate. DC came home today saying "Ally Rally" came and talked to the class about how the school should try to get donations from all 50 states. And if they do there will be a fun prize.


Yep. Our school had a huge map near the cafeteria, and would keep track of the states where the donations came from. A lot of pressure to hit all of them.

This whole topic makes me furious. I hate that schools are just fine with their students doing this. Disgusting.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you hate Boosterthon so much then go ahead and organize your own fun run for the school. Get some volunteers to assist with it. Raise $40,000 and your school gets to keep it all! Heck, even just raise $20k which would be about your schools take if you went with Boosterthon.

Look, it is very hard for schools to get volunteers to pull off a run like that and raise that type of cash. By hiring Boosterthon, the PTA is essentially hiring a company to do the dirty work of the fundraiser. Dirty work that majority of parents would not do.


No -- by hiring Boosterthon, the PTA is essentially hiring a company to get the kids to do the dirty work of the fundraiser for free.

I don't care about the 48%. But don't spend my kids' in-school time trying to turn my kids into Boosterthon's fundraisers.


Agree completely. Our school used to do the wrapping paper drive and would have a big pep rally (during school) at the start of the drive. It would whip all the kids up into a later about selling as much as possible so they could win the stupid prizes. My DD came home frantic that she "HAD" to sell all this crap. A bunch of parents complained (including me) and they now have no more selling fundraisers but instead just ask for a monetary donation at the beginning of the year. SO much better. Don't waste in-school time on this nonsense.
Anonymous
^^^^whip them into a lather^^^^
Anonymous
It's frustrating how schools won't allow classroom to have any kind of parties--ie holiday-- bc it cuts into instructional time yet they put aside so much time for these fundraisers.

I'm going to pledge a certain amount for each lap my child runs and then she'll get to keep that
Money for herself.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Have either of you been involved with fundraising for your schools? I've served as the fall fundraiser chair for my kid's school and it is very hard to get donations. For that fundraiser we just ask parents to write a check. And last year we even tried incentives as well. It did not work....its hard to even get 40% participation. People don't ask their relatives for donations to the school with a fundraiser like that.

My school did the Boosterthon last year and it was a huge success. We've never had so much money raised. Our school does not have a large volunteer base and Boosterthon allowed us to raise money without worrying about who will volunteer to help. Yes, they do take a 45% cut - but how much of a cut do wrapping paper companies take? Or boy scout popcorn? Etc., etc.


Scholastic takes 40 to 50% depending on how much money you make.
Anonymous
I hate Boosterthon. However, my son's school made $47,000 last year. That was after Boosterthon took their cut. $47,000 is a hell of a lot of money. Our PTA dues are only $15. And we've never been asked for any additional money.

We aren't in D.C. anymore and the public schools here wouldn't dream of asking parents to contribute beyond a few dollars in PTA dues.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I hate Boosterthon. However, my son's school made $47,000 last year. That was after Boosterthon took their cut. $47,000 is a hell of a lot of money.


The price to pay is brainwashing kids with a SELLSELLSELL mentality. I don't give a crap how much money it makes.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I hate Boosterthon. However, my son's school made $47,000 last year. That was after Boosterthon took their cut. $47,000 is a hell of a lot of money. Our PTA dues are only $15. And we've never been asked for any additional money.

We aren't in D.C. anymore and the public schools here wouldn't dream of asking parents to contribute beyond a few dollars in PTA dues.


The devil gave you a good price for your souls, eh?
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:If you hate Boosterthon so much then go ahead and organize your own fun run for the school. Get some volunteers to assist with it. Raise $40,000 and your school gets to keep it all! Heck, even just raise $20k which would be about your schools take if you went with Boosterthon.

Look, it is very hard for schools to get volunteers to pull off a run like that and raise that type of cash. By hiring Boosterthon, the PTA is essentially hiring a company to do the dirty work of the fundraiser. Dirty work that majority of parents would not do.


Not where we are -- all of the surrounding schools run their own fun run/walks without using boosterthon. Our school did it because the person in charge of the fundraiser was distracted leading a big fight with the school district that directly affected them (their position however harmed most of the other students at the school).

I didn't participate and told the PTA President why we wouldn't. We otherwise very generously donate money to the PTA. There were many many unhappy parents who went along with it "just this one time." Not sure what will happen this year. I do know that many pledges went uncollected and the returns were not close to what the PTA initially announced.
Anonymous
I think you should contact the school board and let them know Boosterton is a disruption and to ban it school wide.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:My PTA wants $150 from each family. I think that is too much. I already paid $20 to be a PTA member. I can't afford $150.
DO they really state that they WANT it? Or is is just a suggested donation amount and they welcome any donation? The latter it the standard in our school. Its not like they put you on a list of who donates 150+
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I think you should contact the school board and let them know Boosterton is a disruption and to ban it school wide.


This. Are any of you in MCPS? If so, I'd be happy to help with organizing a county-wide ban. Contact me if you're interested in working together: blueskies32008 at gmail dot com
Anonymous
It's disgusting to me how the burden of funding schools has been somehow lifted from elected officials and foisted onto the backs of children. And then the answer is Boosterthon, which then takes half of what the kids earn? Kids working to give a private company money.

How has this madness become an accepted part of school culture?

Anonymous
We had Fun Runs when I was in school, years ago, and the school ran it themselves. I think it's disgusting that kids are essentially raising money for a for-profit corporation. I also think it's gross that kids are being asked to raise money for their own public school--it's not like raising money for an extracurricular activity. Honestly, I'd rather just write a check and not have the kids involved in this crap.
Anonymous
I think if you aren't involved in the fundraising, that you just shouldn't complain. I have never been involved in the fundraising. Have I donated? Yes! Have I always liked how they fundraised? No. But I'm not the one fundraising, so I'm just happy that someone else has taken this on, and that they are getting it done for the school.
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