Tired of Constantly Being Hit Up for More Money in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
The ignorance and entitlement of some PPs on this thread are mind-boggling:
Since when has $117 a month been reasonable?
Since when do children have to sell perishable fruit and have it represent only $50 of what they can contribute to a trip?
Insane. I know plenty of families who do not have that kind of money, and we're in Bethesda.

Incidentally, I'm on the PTA board of an MCPS school, and I make sure we avoid stratifying our community like this.

So don't go in trips such as these. It's not a requirement.

Alternatively, don't have school-sponsored trips that many people in the school cannot afford to send their kids on. That's not a requirement either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What do kids who can't afford the band trip do? They need to either fundraise until everyone can go, choose a cheaper trip, or leave half of each section behind? Seems odd.

The kids that do not sign up stay behind. I guess they have a substitute for their band class and go about their regular classes during the week of the trip.

OK, that explains what the kids do that stay behind. What on earth does the band do if they don't have all the sections to play the pieces (well)? Why go without the whole band? One band, one sound, amiright?

The Band trip is comprised of the upper and middle concert bands, jazz band, and orchestra. I'm not really sure what they do if they don't have all the sections to play all the pieces - combine all the kids that go into one big band?

Any how - let's face it - the trip isn't about playing music. They have one concert the first day then are off to sightseeing the rest of the trip. Part of the sight seeing is seeing another culture and the musical history of that culture.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone noticed that the funds for the fieldtrips are made out directly to the schools? at $1400 a pop, say 100 kids go on the trip - that is $140,000 made out to the school. Is there accounting that ALL the funds are going for the trip?

It seems for a trip that expensive there should be an audit and financial reporting documents to ensure those funds are going to what the parents think they are paying for.

[Anonymous]

8:59, the funds are accounted for. Stop spreading Bernie Madoff conspiracies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone noticed that the funds for the fieldtrips are made out directly to the schools? at $1400 a pop, say 100 kids go on the trip - that is $140,000 made out to the school. Is there accounting that ALL the funds are going for the trip?

It seems for a trip that expensive there should be an audit and financial reporting documents to ensure those funds are going to what the parents think they are paying for.

How do you know that there aren't audits and financial reporting documents? Are you just assuming that there aren't?

[Anonymous]

I am just asking the question. For funds of that size, it seems appropriate that they should be NOT be made out to a general designation of the school itself. The current practice of checks payable to the school makes the funds available for comingling with the general operating accounts. Not a good accounting practice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:8:59, the funds are accounted for. Stop spreading Bernie Madoff conspiracies.

I guess you have seen the financial statements for the trips? Every penny spent? No under charges or over charges? It has been accounted for better than the Board of Education credit cards? Who does the audit and with whom is the information shared?

Just questions for thought. I haven't personally been privy to who keeps track of the field trip funds and what is the process for tracking. Please share if you have the info.

[Anonymous]

10:22, your tin foil hat needs adjusting. Settle down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:8:59, the funds are accounted for. Stop spreading Bernie Madoff conspiracies.

I guess you have seen the financial statements for the trips? Every penny spent? No under charges or over charges? It has been accounted for better than the Board of Education credit cards? Who does the audit and with whom is the information shared?

Just questions for thought. I haven't personally been privy to who keeps track of the field trip funds and what is the process for tracking. Please share if you have the info.

Oh good grief. Parents can ask for a breakdown of costs, as well as who does the accounting. It isn't a difficult question to ask.

OP, my child wouldn't go on a trip like that. If the band is missing too many kids they might re-think their trips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That is a lot of fruit.

Lol! That's what I was thinking!

I opened this thread thinking it would be about submitting $10 for a writing journal or buying/selling at least ten items from the school fundraiser catalog- both requests received today.
That's peanuts compared to a $1400 trip! I guess the costs go up, we're in elementary school.

[Anonymous]

I'm the PTA board PP.

We hire a professional accountant to deal with the financial reporting. Audits are possible under MCCPTA rulings. Of course there is always room for improvement.
The biggest safeguards against fraudulent use of funds however, is just the number of people (who are not necessarily best buddies!) on the board and the fact that all decisions are open and discussed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of that money may be scholarship money for those who cannot afford it or to pay for the staff. That is very high for an bus trip with hotel and some food.

Correct, there are grants for families that can prove they can't afford the extracurricular, and it is subsidized by having a higher full rate and PTA fees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm the PTA board PP.

We hire a professional accountant to deal with the financial reporting. Audits are possible under MCCPTA rulings. Of course there is always room for improvement.
The biggest safeguards against fraudulent use of funds however, is just the number of people (who are not necessarily best buddies!) on the board and the fact that all decisions are open and discussed.

The checks are made out to the name of the school, not the PTA. I am also not suggesting outright fraud, just the possibility that funds could be unaccounted for and not spent for their intended purpose.

For example, say $140,000 is collected and paid to XYZ High School. If the total trip expenses ends up being $135,000 - what does the school or MCPS do with the leftover $5,000? Also in the reverse, what if actual expenses are $145,000? What line item in the school's budget or MCPS's budget does the extra $5,000 get paid from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Class party fees and PTA is voluntary and outside MCPS. However, if your child participates in the class party its really obnoxious not to contribute to the fee if you are not financially strapped. PTA fees are usually pretty low. Again, if you don't participate in anything don't join. Its very obnoxious though to participate in all the free events and have your kids enjoy the assemblies etc while other parents are paying for it.

Since PTA is extracurricular and it costs a fee to join, why don't you propose at the next PTA meeting that all PTA events happen OUTSIDE the normal school day? Then the PTA can have their parties and assemblies without the free loaders and the free loader kids don't have to loose valuable educational time for PTA events? Win win for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The checks are made out to the name of the school, not the PTA. I am also not suggesting outright fraud, just the possibility that funds could be unaccounted for and not spent for their intended purpose.

For example, say $140,000 is collected and paid to XYZ High School. If the total trip expenses ends up being $135,000 - what does the school or MCPS do with the leftover $5,000? Also in the reverse, what if actual expenses are $145,000? What line item in the school's budget or MCPS's budget does the extra $5,000 get paid from?

These are good questions to ask your principal. Your principal knows (or should know) the answer. DCUM does not know the answer.