PTA fundraisers in FCPS

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know the FCPS policies regarding PTA fundraisers in school. My son got the standard catalog to buy to stuff from sent home this week. Two things bother me - 1) classroom time was used to hold an assembly to describe to the children what prizes they could win if they sold xx number of items. 2) if you sell 5 items, then you get to attend a special magician assembly in a few weeks. If you don't sell 5 items, no aseembly for you. Are there any policies surronding these topics.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know the FCPS policies regarding PTA fundraisers in school. My son got the standard catalog to buy to stuff from sent home this week. Two things bother me - 1) classroom time was used to hold an assembly to describe to the children what prizes they could win if they sold xx number of items. 2) if you sell 5 items, then you get to attend a special magician assembly in a few weeks. If you don't sell 5 items, no aseembly for you. Are there any policies surronding these topics.

Thanks!

Not sure if there is a FFX policy, but this is pretty typical of what goes on at our school as well. I think this is typical. The class time for assemblies bothers me too, but I remember doing this kind of thing as a kid in Ohio too -- so it's not new. Personally, I just send in a cash donation to the PTA -- they get 100% of it that way. Talk to your PTA about offering incentives for straight cash donations as well (such as attending the special assembly). I mentioned it and there are now incentives for cash donations. The PTA (at least at our school) is phenomenal -- so I applaud their efforts at fundraising to provide the sort of things they do to both students and staff. I try not to get too bitter about the small stuff.

[Anonymous]

OP, have you ever attended PTA meeting? Do you how much your PTA is doing for your school? PTA raise funds through fundraisings and donations. Without the effort of PTA, we won't have all the enrichment activities that our kids enjoy. You don't have to participate but don't complaint about PTA activities. By the way, I am not a member of PTA.

[Anonymous]

OP, have you ever attended PTA meeting? Do you how much your PTA is doing for your school? PTA raise funds through fundraisings and donations. Without the effort of PTA, we won't have all the enrichment activities that our kids enjoy. You don't have to participate but don't complaint about PTA activities. By the way, I am not a member of PTA.

Well why aren't you? You sound very supportive of the PTA. At our school it costs $6 to join and no obligations come with membership. So what stops you from joining?

OP, if you don't like what the PTA is doing, get involved. It's not "us" and "them" - the PTA is comprised of parents who are trying to support the school and the kids. Find out what they are doing and where the money is going, go to meetings and offer your ideas of how to make fundraising better.

It is much easier and more productive to get to know the PTA officers (they are other parents, just like you), get involved in some of the PTA programs, and talk to people, than to call the school and start complaining that something the PTA is doing violates some sort of County policy.

[Anonymous]

"You don't have to participate but don't complaint about PTA activities."

Why not?

"It is much easier and more productive to get to know the PTA officers (they are other parents, just like you), get involved in some of the PTA programs, and talk to people, than to call the school and start complaining that something the PTA is doing violates some sort of County policy. "

How is it easier than making a telephone call?

Is English your first language?

[Anonymous]

Wow - I guess no one has the answers to my questions, but everyone wants to critique my participation in the PTA without even knowing me.

As for my level of participation, yes I participate in the PTA. I paid $16 for both my husband and I to join at the beginning of school. I was also just at a meeting last week. I am a room parent for my son's class as well as volunteering for "specials" twice a month. The PTA is outstanding in my school and I give them all of the credit for the things that they have done.

However, I want my child to learn at school and not come home to hound me about selling enough items to get an iPod - which he learned about at an assembly during school time. I also worry about neighbors who have lost their jobs in this economy and them struggling to pay the mortgage - now having to worry about coming up with money to pay the PTA so that their kids can go to an "exclusive" assembly.

Yes, I will address this with the school and/or PTA however, I was trying to do some research and have my ducks in a row before I mentioned this at the school level.

So again, does anyone know the FCPS policies regarding PTA fundraisers in school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
So again, does anyone know the FCPS policies regarding PTA fundraisers in school?

http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/legacy-content/867SGY2A8330/$FILE/R1370.pdf

IV. APPROVAL PROCEDURES
The principal shall have the authority to approve fund-raising activities conducted by the total
student body, clubs, classes, and other school activity groups. The principal shall also have
the authority to approve fund-raising activities sponsored by nonschool organizations that
involve student participation. (See the current version of Regulation 5810, School Activity
Funds Management). The principal shall have the responsibility to ensure that such activities
do not interfere with the school’s instructional day.

V. NONSCHOOL-SPONSORED ACTIVITIES
This regulation does not apply to nonschool-sponsored organizations such as booster clubs
or parent-teacher associations while they are conducting fund-raising activities on behalf of
schools, provided there is no student involvement in the fund-raising activity and the principal
has determined that funds raised need not be receipted into the school activity fund records.
If the nonschool-sponsored fund-raising activity involves student participation or the principal
determines that funds raised must be receipted into the school activity fund records, then all
provisions of this regulation are applicable. See the current version of Regulation 5810,
School Activity Funds Management).

[Anonymous]

Is English your first language?

Yes. Is it yours?

[Anonymous]

OP, I agree this type of fundraiser is annoying. I let my kids sell only to extended family, not the neighbors. As far as thecassembly infringing on instructional time, I don't think it's a big deal. It's what, an hour out of the entire school year - I'm sure the principal has the discretion to allow that. And for the exclusivity issue, there are other "exclusive" assemblies in our school too. One the kids who got onto the "reading wall of fame" and one for kids who participated in Jump Rope for Heart," among others. I don't think it's a big deal to the kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow - I guess no one has the answers to my questions, but everyone wants to critique my participation in the PTA without even knowing me.

As for my level of participation, yes I participate in the PTA. I paid $16 for both my husband and I to join at the beginning of school. I was also just at a meeting last week. I am a room parent for my son's class as well as volunteering for "specials" twice a month. The PTA is outstanding in my school and I give them all of the credit for the things that they have done.

However, I want my child to learn at school and not come home to hound me about selling enough items to get an iPod - which he learned about at an assembly during school time. I also worry about neighbors who have lost their jobs in this economy and them struggling to pay the mortgage - now having to worry about coming up with money to pay the PTA so that their kids can go to an "exclusive" assembly.

Yes, I will address this with the school and/or PTA however, I was trying to do some research and have my ducks in a row before I mentioned this at the school level.

So again, does anyone know the FCPS policies regarding PTA fundraisers in school?

I never sent my kids out selling. If you have neighbors with kids it turns into a never ending cycle. I did buy a wrapping paper. Book fairs are annoying since we preferred to use the library. No sense in stockpiling kiddie books they read once.

[Anonymous]

OP Here....Thank you to 18:32.

Interesting that the approval procedures state that "The principal shall have the responsibility to ensure that such activities do not interfere with the school’s instructional day. "

We are not going door to door. Our street has about 10 other houses on it with kids selling the same things. We did sell 2 items to grandma and I will buy the obligatory 3 so that my child can go to the magician show.

Please bear in mind....I am not against the PTA raising money. Book fairs do not bother me even though they use library time to come up with their wish lists. We could always look for the books at the library. I do not feel as though by child will be excluded from a school activity if I do not buy a book. The school fun fair does not bother me and we attended the event. Also the bingo nights do not bother me. For some reason, this sale bothers me because of the special assembly that all children do not get to attend and instructional time that is taken up with energizing my son into become a top seller. I would be fine with the catalog sale if everyone gets to attend the assembly and they just send the catalog home in their weekly envelope. No assembly to make my son into the best little seller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

OP, have you ever attended PTA meeting? Do you how much your PTA is doing for your school? PTA raise funds through fundraisings and donations. Without the effort of PTA, we won't have all the enrichment activities that our kids enjoy. You don't have to participate but don't complaint about PTA activities. By the way, I am not a member of PTA.

Well why aren't you? You sound very supportive of the PTA. At our school it costs $6 to join and no obligations come with membership. So what stops you from joining?

OP, if you don't like what the PTA is doing, get involved. It's not "us" and "them" - the PTA is comprised of parents who are trying to support the school and the kids. Find out what they are doing and where the money is going, go to meetings and offer your ideas of how to make fundraising better.

It is much easier and more productive to get to know the PTA officers (they are other parents, just like you), get involved in some of the PTA programs, and talk to people, than to call the school and start complaining that something the PTA is doing violates some sort of County policy.

I meant not a PTA officer. I do plenty of volunteer work through PTA and proud member of PTA.

[Anonymous]

Different poster here. I'm all for supporting the school and understand the need for fundraisers, but there are times when my family has felt that the PTA does nothing but fundraisers.

I feel bad that the kids are put in this position too.

More Parent-Teacher activities would be cool--things where parents and teachers can interact. I like the dine-out fundraisers for this reason. It's a little bit parent and a little bit teacher and a little bit fundraiser.

Additionally, if the PTA sells a fundraising product, I appreciate when it's a good product. If I'm throwing money into a bad product then I'd much rather make the donation directly to the PTA. For example some wrapping paper fundraisers offer a high quality wrapping paper. Another company offers a paper product which is not one iota better than what I can buy at CVS or even the dollar store for a small fraction of the price. While I know part of the money we spend on fund raisers goes to the PTA, if I'm going to put any money towards a product, I want to feel good about the product. Ditto with any of the food products--perhaps even more so because I know I'm going to have to eat it later.

[Anonymous]

I'm in FCPS, involved with the PTA, hate fundraisers and would be annoyed about the 'special assembly', too. It wasn't until DS was in first grade that I finally realized that the school and the PTA have fund raising campaigns. It can be very confusing. I don't buy anything through the fundraisers because I usually don't need what they're selling and if I could use it, I can buy it cheaper somewhere else. Instead, I'll donate cash straight to the school/PTA or kid knocking on my door. It's worth $5 not to have to buy that stuff. Happily, this year the PTA will recognize kids who collect donations. DS's grandparents, aunts, uncles and neighbors don't need that stuff either.

[Anonymous]

NP here. I agree with OP. I am all for school fundraisers, but some people cross the line into sketchy territory. I like that our PTA makes it clear we can give a direct donation if we want. That we way we know it goes directly to the school. I hate buying an overpriced item I don't want knowing only a portion goes to the school, though some stuff I actually am happy to buy. I dislike the idea of rewarding kids with junk food parties for selling stuff because some kids have food allergies and will be excluded. I also don't like what happened at OP's school, though at least it's not giving food as a reward.

Now i must say so far I am impressed with DC's new school's PTA (which I plan to join). Very classy with fundraising. You don't feel pressured and harrassed and you have lots of options. If you want to buy books and have some money go to the school you can do that. You can sign up for a program through your grocery store. You can sell wrapping paper or just donate. At my child's old school (different area) we were pressured to give with EVERY fundraiser and it felt like a shakedown.