Paying for fieldtrips for children in need in MCPS

[Anonymous]

My DS is in K in an economically diverse school (that we love). They will have their first field trip at the end of the month and the cost is $8 per child. I asked the teacher if we could pay extra so that another child could attend if the cost was prohibitive for their family. She said of course but she didn't know (but would find out) how this would be communicated to a child in need. Any thoughts on how this might happen? It's in MCPS. Also, I don't think other parents necessarily know that donating in this way is an option. Any thoughts on how to best communicate this? Thanks very much!

[Anonymous]

Just have her send a note home (you can even type it up if she seems overworked) that says this:

"On 10/24/14 we have our annual apple picking field trip. Our goal is for all students to attend and enjoy this special day. If the 8 dollar cost is prohibitive of this goal please send this form back with your childs name and I will put him/her on our field trip scholarship list! Happy Fall."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just have her send a note home (you can even type it up if she seems overworked) that says this:

"On 10/24/14 we have our annual apple picking field trip. Our goal is for all students to attend and enjoy this special day. If the 8 dollar cost is prohibitive of this goal please send this form back with your childs name and I will put him/her on our field trip scholarship list! Happy Fall."

Thanks. That makes sense! She is a first year teacher (and I'm a first year K mom) so it helps to have some solutions.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps because we are in DC but this is never an issue. The teacher knows who can't afford it and the HSA takes care of it. That said if a field trip costs $8 I typically send in $20 and tell the teacher no change, please use for others on the field trip or book for the classroom.

[Anonymous]

At my school the PTA keeps a fund to help subsidize field trips. It's handled through the office so that the PTA officers don't know which students receive the subsidy. Parents contact the school if they need help with the field trip costs.

[Anonymous]

Our PTA also has a fund. Sometimes I would send in my check for three times the cost and a note saying I was paying for two other kids. I didn't specify the kids, of course, because I don't know anyone's financial situation well enough.

In our MS they flat out ask if you would be willing to pay for additional kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS is in K in an economically diverse school (that we love). They will have their first field trip at the end of the month and the cost is $8 per child. I asked the teacher if we could pay extra so that another child could attend if the cost was prohibitive for their family. She said of course but she didn't know (but would find out) how this would be communicated to a child in need. Any thoughts on how this might happen? It's in MCPS. Also, I don't think other parents necessarily know that donating in this way is an option. Any thoughts on how to best communicate this? Thanks very much!

Op - you are very sweet. You will have many more opportunites like this as your DC grows in MoCo. Ranging from low cost local field trips to amusement park trips which can be costly.

[Anonymous]

We're in an MCPS title one school. On the field trip form that comes home, there are 2 lines to the affect of:

1. Enclosed is my check for $x for my child to attend the field trip.

2. Enclosed is a check for $X as a donation so that another child may attend the field trip

[Anonymous]

Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

Go take a nap, Ebenezer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

You are an idiot.

I grew up poor (especially right after my parents separated/divorced) and thank god people at my school were looking out for kids like me when it came to field trips, sports uniforms, etc. And it in no way created a dependence issue for me or for my mom, who eventually got back on her feet. Now let's say the poor kid's mom decides to go out and buy cigarettes with the money she could have given her kid for the field trip...so the kid should be punished?

People like you make my skin crawl.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

What's the matter woman!! Just give, give, and give some more!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

Go take a nap, Ebenezer.

Really I think the PP is on to something. Go to school during snack time or go on the fieldtrip and see how many of your kid's classmates bring in snacks-- hot cheetos, juice boxes, cookies, gatorade. I stopped donating to the field trip when I volunteered to go with the class. I was amazed that kids who didn't pay had several dollars worth of junky snacks, while I made my kid drink from a recycled water bottle and eat a sandwich bag of Kix cereal. I also was pissed off that a mother came who didn't pay, didn't pay for her kid, and brought a younger sibling who she didn't pay for and she had a nicer smart than I do (she had a smart phone with internet while i still have a flip phone).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

Except, this would have been my father's family in Washington, DC over 50 years ago. My dad essentially emancipated himself from his parents at age twelve when he clearly understood that his parents would provide shelter, some food and little else. Spending money, extra clothes, new shoes, additional food - he had to go without or provide for himself and did both.

OP, thank you for paying it forward. I also send in "extras" of anything that the students are asked to "bring from home" - shoeboxes, Valentine cards, random household items to be repurposed for crafts, etc. I think of my dad and how heartbreaking his stories were of missing out on school functions because he either didn't have the right clothes or didn't want to show up with newspapers stuffed in his shoes, for instance.

Sometimes the parents are skating on the edge of poverty, live paycheck to irregular paycheck, have mental and or addiction issues and $8.00 when you make $100 a day cleaning houses and you can't afford to repair your car and the rent's due and you had to take a day off work to car for a sick kid...it's overwhelming. PP, you need to have some empathy, a crash course in socioeconomics and perhaps a day spent volunteering in a local food pantry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

Go take a nap, Ebenezer.

Really I think the PP is on to something. Go to school during snack time or go on the fieldtrip and see how many of your kid's classmates bring in snacks-- hot cheetos, juice boxes, cookies, gatorade. I stopped donating to the field trip when I volunteered to go with the class. I was amazed that kids who didn't pay had several dollars worth of junky snacks, while I made my kid drink from a recycled water bottle and eat a sandwich bag of Kix cereal. I also was pissed off that a mother came who didn't pay, didn't pay for her kid, and brought a younger sibling who she didn't pay for and she had a nicer smart than I do (she had a smart phone with internet while i still have a flip phone).

Well, you know who should be punished for such flagrant displays of wealth as cheetos? The kids' education. By all means, let's make sure the kid gets fewer educational experiences to drive the point home that their parents shouldn't be spending money on juice boxes.