Money money money?

[Anonymous]

We just moved to Montgomery County and our kids started elementary school here a few weeks ago. It seems like the requests for money are non-stop! Is this normal for MoCo or is it just if you live in a richer part of the county? There are the usual PTA membership dues, this fee and that, but then there are some requests we just weren't expecting. For example, today we got a flyer saying our kids were going to be participating in a mandatory "fun" walk to support a local non-profit next month (during school hours) and the "optional" registration fee is $15/child. Are we bad parents if we opt out of the fee? We donate plenty of money to non-profits during the year but weren't expecting these kinds of requests. I know it's not much for each individual item but they do add up times several children and over the course of one year.

[Anonymous]

I'd go to a PTA meeting and get an idea of how many fund raisers they have each year. I joined the PTA and donated a little bit of extra money to opt out of one or two of the fund raisers. At the first PTA meeting, they said some families choose to do this.

[Anonymous]

My DD just started kindergarten and the only thing we have paid for is PTA. We did sign her up for an afterschool activity, but that is optional.

[Anonymous]

We just started in MCPS for HS after years of private. I agree that it is relentless - PTSA, athletic boosters, uniforms, homecoming t shirts, admission to sports games, ads, etc. On the other hand the amounts will never even come close to a tiny fraction of what we spent on tuition so I don't mind it. The only thing I mind is the constant payments - I wish there was a way to do one lump sum and get on with it.

[Anonymous]

Our religious school funds most everything ahead of time for the year to stop the constant requests. Also no one was tracking who gave what and who didn't and so it was pretty unfair after a while and clear that money wasn't treated responsibly. Now there is a budget for each class to spend and the room parent is in charge of it. There is even a budget line for teacher gift so there is some parity there.

[Anonymous]

That money for the Help the Homeless walk is entirely optional. We never pay because we make our own decisions about donating to charities.

Don't pay, don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Yes, this happens for us too -- at the start of the year and then again at the end.

Just do the best you can and don't pay what you didn't have budgeted, is my motto.

[Anonymous]

PTSA, athletic boosters, homecoming t shirts, admission to sports games, ads -- are all optional. As with most things in life, we pay for the items that we want and skip the rest. Just because these items are offered, that doesn't mean that anyone should feel obligated to buy them.

At least MCPS has stopped charging most of the class fees. In prior years, we had to pay all sorts of fees for English, science, art, and other classes. Recently, the schools changed the class fees policy so they now charge only for art and a few other classes. The Attorney General said that it was illegal for schools to charge the fees, to MCPS stopped most of the fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PTSA, athletic boosters, homecoming t shirts, admission to sports games, ads -- are all optional. As with most things in life, we pay for the items that we want and skip the rest. Just because these items are offered, that doesn't mean that anyone should feel obligated to buy them.

At least MCPS has stopped charging most of the class fees. In prior years, we had to pay all sorts of fees for English, science, art, and other classes. Recently, the schools changed the class fees policy so they now charge only for art and a few other classes. The Attorney General said that it was illegal for schools to charge the fees, to MCPS stopped most of the fees.

I am the person you are quoting and I said the fees themselves aren't a problem it's more the constant shelling out of money that has surprised me coming from a private school. And sure things like admissions to sports game are optional - but if you want to see your kid play you do need to pay. On the other hand I actually like all the volunteering - selling concessions, etc. At least at our school there is a very large group of active dedicated parents.