Class fund non-participants: where do you think the party food comes from??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because my kids have food allergies and can't eat the party food.

Because I generally think class parties are completely useless and a waste of time.

I don't recall having class parties as a kid (other than Valentine's boxes) and have no idea why every tiny thing has to be celebrated with a party and food.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because my kids have food allergies and can't eat the party food.

Because I generally think class parties are completely useless and a waste of time.

I don't recall having class parties as a kid (other than Valentine's boxes) and have no idea why every tiny thing has to be celebrated with a party and food.

Please do let the room parents know. I plan for nut allergies when I can (except when I'm paying 60-100% of the cost as it really adds up to do it nut free but I always make sure to have nut-free and other food preferences if I know. Our teachers refuse to tell us which is very frustrating. I know some of the allergies if I know the kids or mine tell me. No reason why your child shouldn't eat or you can always send stuff if it is safer)

And, you can contribute to a craft or game. Our parties are at the end of the day and we have an early lunch so most of the kids are starving. Most of the parents appreciate pizza from my experience as a lot of the kids are going to activities after school or after care and eat then, so it saves us from a meal in-between. I do it for my kid as I have to stay late to clean up (funny none of the parents ever help) and then run to an activity. Food is not a huge expense if you do it right/plan. Activities and games are far more costly as many teachers insist on multiple centers vs. one big activity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a room parent. I have had two kids go through these years. I have never once been to a class party with pizza. As someone else said, why? They have lunch at school.

Ask for people to bring specific items via signup genius. This should be snacks, not a meal.

Ask for money at the beginning of the year for teacher gifts. Send out two follow-up reminders. However much money you receive, divide up the money among the necessary gifts.

Done.

This. The people who donate things pay for them.

If I sign up to do crafts, then I expect to run to the $1 store and get 20 crafts. If someone does a game, I expect they spend about the same or less on game supplies. Usually three people do snacks— one food, one drinks, and one plates/napkins. And usually someone bakes cookies to decorate. That costs probably less than $10/person.

Our school does not allow homemade food. Store bought in package only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because my kids have food allergies and can't eat the party food.

Because I generally think class parties are completely useless and a waste of time.

I don't recall having class parties as a kid (other than Valentine's boxes) and have no idea why every tiny thing has to be celebrated with a party and food.

Please do let the room parents know. I plan for nut allergies when I can (except when I'm paying 60-100% of the cost as it really adds up to do it nut free but I always make sure to have nut-free and other food preferences if I know. Our teachers refuse to tell us which is very frustrating. I know some of the allergies if I know the kids or mine tell me. No reason why your child shouldn't eat or you can always send stuff if it is safer)

And, you can contribute to a craft or game. Our parties are at the end of the day and we have an early lunch so most of the kids are starving. Most of the parents appreciate pizza from my experience as a lot of the kids are going to activities after school or after care and eat then, so it saves us from a meal in-between. I do it for my kid as I have to stay late to clean up (funny none of the parents ever help) and then run to an activity. Food is not a huge expense if you do it right/plan. Activities and games are far more costly as many teachers insist on multiple centers vs. one big activity.

So what are they doing all the other days that you're not buying them pizza?

Whenever my kid has had an early or late lunch, you send a snack in with them for the morning or the afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a room parent. I have had two kids go through these years. I have never once been to a class party with pizza. As someone else said, why? They have lunch at school.

Ask for people to bring specific items via signup genius. This should be snacks, not a meal.

Ask for money at the beginning of the year for teacher gifts. Send out two follow-up reminders. However much money you receive, divide up the money among the necessary gifts.

Done.

This. The people who donate things pay for them.

If I sign up to do crafts, then I expect to run to the $1 store and get 20 crafts. If someone does a game, I expect they spend about the same or less on game supplies. Usually three people do snacks— one food, one drinks, and one plates/napkins. And usually someone bakes cookies to decorate. That costs probably less than $10/person.

Our school does not allow homemade food. Store bought in package only.

Ok. So the people donating the food donate Oreos or whatever is allowed at your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because my kids have food allergies and can't eat the party food.

Because I generally think class parties are completely useless and a waste of time.

I don't recall having class parties as a kid (other than Valentine's boxes) and have no idea why every tiny thing has to be celebrated with a party and food.

Please do let the room parents know. I plan for nut allergies when I can (except when I'm paying 60-100% of the cost as it really adds up to do it nut free but I always make sure to have nut-free and other food preferences if I know. Our teachers refuse to tell us which is very frustrating. I know some of the allergies if I know the kids or mine tell me. No reason why your child shouldn't eat or you can always send stuff if it is safer)

And, you can contribute to a craft or game. Our parties are at the end of the day and we have an early lunch so most of the kids are starving. Most of the parents appreciate pizza from my experience as a lot of the kids are going to activities after school or after care and eat then, so it saves us from a meal in-between. I do it for my kid as I have to stay late to clean up (funny none of the parents ever help) and then run to an activity. Food is not a huge expense if you do it right/plan. Activities and games are far more costly as many teachers insist on multiple centers vs. one big activity.

Everyone appreciates the pizza...no wait the pizza isn't that expensive if you do it right...no wait I do the pizza because my kid needs it because I have to stay and clean up everything I've done for your kids all alone and then race off to another activity. Yeah that last one. That's it.

[Anonymous]

$135 for pizza per party seems really high. Parties can be simple.

But, I agree as someone who has been a room parent and also a teacher who spends lots of her own money it is frustrating that not everyone contributes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do they need pizza?

Shouldn't you be planning within the money you have?

I find it cheaper to do pizza and a few other things then tons of random snacks. Kids will almost always eat the pizza (in less a food allergy). I do it as a way to cut down my costs.

It isn't working.

You need to plan with the money you have, not ask for more. You don't need "tons of random snacks" either.

Sounds to me like you don't budget very well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do they need pizza?

Shouldn't you be planning within the money you have?

I find it cheaper to do pizza and a few other things then tons of random snacks. Kids will almost always eat the pizza (in less a food allergy). I do it as a way to cut down my costs.

It isn't working.

You need to plan with the money you have, not ask for more. You don't need "tons of random snacks" either.

Sounds to me like you don't budget very well.

How is pizza ever going to be cheaper than asking people to bring in cheese sticks and fruit OR pretzels and fruit? It's not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a room parent and we ask for each family to contribute a certain amount at the start of the year. This covers teacher holiday and end of year gifts, costumes for the school play and all crafts/food for parties. Pizza alone runs roughly $135 per party. We have about 55% participation yet 100% of the kids get crafts, fed at the party, and costumes for the play. We sign the teacher gifts from the class. It's January and we are out of money once I set aside for end of year gifts ($25/teacher). That means no more parties for the rest of the year. Do I email the class asking again for those who haven't donated to step up? For those of you who don't contribute, how do you feel about your child taking part in the parties, etc when you've not helped? And for those in a financial hardship, I get it.. but I'd venture in our school that is not the primary driver.

No, you don't get it may be a financial hard ship. I don't get how you are spending what you spend. I am a room parent and we get many 10-20% donations of stuff and that is it. Pizza for 25 kids is not $135. No, you send out two emails and if you get no response you find a way to make the money you get work. Many of us do it on a lot less. If you are out of money, you mismanaged the money. You should not be constantly asking for money. We never ask for teacher gifts. Parents can give what they want. We do a sign up genius asking for the basics.

You need 5 double cut pizzas - this is not supposed to be a full meal. You need a costco cake or cupcakes. Then some fruit and veggies depending on what is on sale. And, water bottles and/or juice boxes. Done. That should be under $100. Plates and decor from dollar tree. Decor pick so as a room parent you can use it year to year. Pizza Hut is having a sale for $5 medium pizzas and bread sticks. Get 4-5 pizzas double cut, 2 things of bread sticks (cut each breadstick in half).

$50 or under pizza.
$20 Costco cake
$10-15 for some grapes and carrots (or strawberries or what ever is on sale)
Plates and silverware and a few streamers and balloons - $10-15 at dollar tree
Then crafts - if no one steps up, get cheap things.


I plan to cover the entire party so anything we get is a bonus. I never ask for money as people are generally more generous with giving things. Some years we have 1-2-3 parents who are a huge help and one will do pizza, one will do desert and a few others do the random stuff so all I need are decorations, crafts and games (never had anyone donate those)

Parents do own presents for holidays, teacher appreciation, etc.

You are asking too much and misusing the money so people are not going to give you more.

This part made me laugh. Add up your own stuff... you’re not *that * far off off OPs estimation, once you include crafts, and maybe some Other incidentals. Even “cheap things” for crafts will cost $20 for 25 kids.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, not to beat a dead horse but $135 for pizza for an ES classroom is nuts. 3 large 2-topping pizzas is $35 at Papa Johns. Two large one-topping pizzas is $20. That's $55 for FIVE pizzas which is more than enough to feed a class of ES kids. Add a tip for delivery and there, I just saved you ~$60 per pizza party.

[Anonymous]

You do realize that this is not the only donation request parents are getting, right? We are asked to donate to the school fundraiser, pta, special programs, field trips, carnival, and donate our time to volunteer. Now multiply that by however many kids you have. Sometimes it just too much for one family so you choose to contribute here but not there. Maybe a parent decides not to give money for the parties but rather volunteers 3 days a week in the classroom. That person has given their share just the same and should feel fine about that.

I am a room parent as well and have no problem throwing a fun class party with only a few donated supplies and snacks. You just have to be resourceful and a little creative.

[Anonymous]

No more parties for the rest of the year please. Thanks.
- parent of 4 who sends their kids to school to be taught

[Anonymous]

Point is, if you don't have enough for all the bells and whistles you scale back or have fewer parties. Consider your class room a non-profit that has to steward its finite resources carefully. And yeah, email a few times.

[Anonymous]

I’m a room parent also and I budgeted for the whole year based on what I recieved by mid-October. A few parents joined the class mid-year and a few parents kicked in later after the holiday party and thank you note from teachers to all the parents.

Extra money went to a little craft for Valentines we had not budgeted for and a bit more towards the support staff fund for the office and specials teachers.