Best and Worst of PTA events?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PTA runs the planetarium with parent volunteers at our school since teacher can’t teach it due to being PTA funded and built. The PTA used to run the school play out of Adventure theater with a Director before Adventure theater reorganize. Some PTAs are better than others

Yes, PTA cannot pay a teacher to run an after-school activity. BUT, the workaround is that parents can set up an Educational Foundation and that can give grants to teachers and MCPS staff to teach/sponsor activities. In fact, they can even fund teachers and improvements at school. For example Pyle Middle School in Bethesda sponsors amazing enrichment and after/before school programs for students. And they mostly do it via the Educational Foundation.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/pef/
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/underconstruction/

One ex-Pyle mom also formed FLEX ACADEMIES. A private company that puts together a menu of after school activities run by private vendors - https://flexacademies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Pyle.pdf.

You can directly contact these companies and the PTA can invite them to run classes (fee based) after school and publicize it. We got around the DEI concerns by asking the vendor to give us one scholarship seat for every 12 paid students.

[Anonymous]

Complete list of Flex Academies vendors.

https://flexacademies.com/enrichment/

[Anonymous]

Are MS clubs sponsored by PTAs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA runs the planetarium with parent volunteers at our school since teacher can’t teach it due to being PTA funded and built. The PTA used to run the school play out of Adventure theater with a Director before Adventure theater reorganize. Some PTAs are better than others

Yes, PTA cannot pay a teacher to run an after-school activity. BUT, the workaround is that parents can set up an Educational Foundation and that can give grants to teachers and MCPS staff to teach/sponsor activities. In fact, they can even fund teachers and improvements at school. For example Pyle Middle School in Bethesda sponsors amazing enrichment and after/before school programs for students. And they mostly do it via the Educational Foundation.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/pef/
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/underconstruction/

One ex-Pyle mom also formed FLEX ACADEMIES. A private company that puts together a menu of after school activities run by private vendors - https://flexacademies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Pyle.pdf.

You can directly contact these companies and the PTA can invite them to run classes (fee based) after school and publicize it. We got around the DEI concerns by asking the vendor to give us one scholarship seat for every 12 paid students.

Middle schools across the county already offer extensive after-school activities for free.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are MS clubs sponsored by PTAs?

No. They are school-run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PTA runs the planetarium with parent volunteers at our school since teacher can’t teach it due to being PTA funded and built. The PTA used to run the school play out of Adventure theater with a Director before Adventure theater reorganize. Some PTAs are better than others

Yes, PTA cannot pay a teacher to run an after-school activity. BUT, the workaround is that parents can set up an Educational Foundation and that can give grants to teachers and MCPS staff to teach/sponsor activities. In fact, they can even fund teachers and improvements at school. For example Pyle Middle School in Bethesda sponsors amazing enrichment and after/before school programs for students. And they mostly do it via the Educational Foundation.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/pef/
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/pylems/underconstruction/

One ex-Pyle mom also formed FLEX ACADEMIES. A private company that puts together a menu of after school activities run by private vendors - https://flexacademies.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Pyle.pdf.

You can directly contact these companies and the PTA can invite them to run classes (fee based) after school and publicize it. We got around the DEI concerns by asking the vendor to give us one scholarship seat for every 12 paid students.

Middle schools across the county already offer extensive after-school activities for free.

But Pyle MS offers many more in addition to what the county offers to every MS.

[Anonymous]

Best
- scholastic book fair (our book fair lady doesn't put out the crappy stuff, only books)
- bingo night
- fall and spring festivals

Worst
- talent show (long and miserable for all)
- international night (see above)

Best fundraiser: Buy Nothing Benefit. Don't have to sell a thing, sponsor a thing, just write a check

[Anonymous]

Talent shows, if done right, can be awesome. But it is also an issue with regards to the best equipment available. So few people focus on getting the sound right in the APR or gym, so unless people are properly micc'ed up, then it's all mumbling . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best
- scholastic book fair (our book fair lady doesn't put out the crappy stuff, only books)
- bingo night
- fall and spring festivals

Worst
- talent show (long and miserable for all)
- international night (see above)

Best fundraiser: Buy Nothing Benefit. Don't have to sell a thing, sponsor a thing, just write a check

It's like that year when every kid wanted to sing "Let it Go". Four hours later yet another performance to same song.