Draconian PTA Fees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Promethean boards are sooooo overrated, and the technology will be outdated soon. Schools brag about the dumb boards, but the reality is that most parents would prefer that schools separate kids by ability for math and reading (ie: send the high kids to one teacher for the math block, the on level kids to another, and the kids who are struggling to another) and work on the basics. If they did this, then perhaps they could scale back the math and reading blocks (which are currently super long so the teacher can cycle through three levels working in groups) and actually have time each day for science and social studies....which are essentially not being taught in elems in MCPS.

Whatever you may think about Promethean boards, you are talking about 2 completely different issues that are not funded in the same way by the same people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
At the Bethesda ES, all families receive a free directory from the PTA, paid for by PTA patrons. Joining the PTA costs $40.

This is OP. I was MISINFORMED at the BE Open House. The person working the booth told me the only way to get a directory was to join the PTA. I'm glad to learn he was incorrect. After reading your post, I doublechecked the PTA membership docs and saw that spelled out clearly.

That said, my post about the $40 fees clearly hit a nerve...especially with some Westland families. And since BE feeds into Westland, maybe it's something that should be addressed. I know of at least two - three other schools feeding into Westland that only charge $15 per year to join the PTA. Those that can do contribute more, but at least this way the upfront fee is not exclusionary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
At the Bethesda ES, all families receive a free directory from the PTA, paid for by PTA patrons. Joining the PTA costs $40.

This is OP. I was MISINFORMED at the BE Open House. The person working the booth told me the only way to get a directory was to join the PTA. I'm glad to learn he was incorrect. After reading your post, I doublechecked the PTA membership docs and saw that spelled out clearly.

That said, my post about the $40 fees clearly hit a nerve...especially with some Westland families. And since BE feeds into Westland, maybe it's something that should be addressed. I know of at least two - three other schools feeding into Westland that only charge $15 per year to join the PTA. Those that can do contribute more, but at least this way the upfront fee is not exclusionary.

PP you quoted. Glad I could help. Welcome to BE!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
At the Bethesda ES, all families receive a free directory from the PTA, paid for by PTA patrons. Joining the PTA costs $40.

This is OP. I was MISINFORMED at the BE Open House. The person working the booth told me the only way to get a directory was to join the PTA. I'm glad to learn he was incorrect. After reading your post, I doublechecked the PTA membership docs and saw that spelled out clearly.

That said, my post about the $40 fees clearly hit a nerve...especially with some Westland families. And since BE feeds into Westland, maybe it's something that should be addressed. I know of at least two - three other schools feeding into Westland that only charge $15 per year to join the PTA. Those that can do contribute more, but at least this way the upfront fee is not exclusionary.

PP you quoted. Glad I could help. Welcome to BE!

This is OP. Thank you so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's my kids' school you are talking about. CSES? The school does a lot of good things and raises a lit of money. My sister's kids go to a dc public and their fees are $1500, so count your blessings.

Are you saying that it cost $1,500 to join the PTA?? Which school is this?? I have a preschooler who will eventually be attending a DC elementary school, and I'm hoping to be involved with the PTA. But I can't swing $1,500!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PTA board member in a "good" school here and we DO give the directory and other such items to the families who can not afford it. The problem is that the families who CAN afford to pay the PTA fees don't and feel they are entitled to everything for free and this means that the same group of parents end of paying for everything.

I think you should resign your position. Is your school's entire board so petty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's my kids' school you are talking about. CSES? The school does a lot of good things and raises a lit of money. My sister's kids go to a dc public and their fees are $1500, so count your blessings.

Are you saying that it cost $1,500 to join the PTA?? Which school is this?? I have a preschooler who will eventually be attending a DC elementary school, and I'm hoping to be involved with the PTA. But I can't swing $1,500!

Sounds like Mann. It is a suggested donation, not a membership fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it's my kids' school you are talking about. CSES? The school does a lot of good things and raises a lit of money. My sister's kids go to a dc public and their fees are $1500, so count your blessings.

Are you saying that it cost $1,500 to join the PTA?? Which school is this?? I have a preschooler who will eventually be attending a DC elementary school, and I'm hoping to be involved with the PTA. But I can't swing $1,500!

Sounds like Mann. It is a suggested donation, not a membership fee.

True and you make a good point "suggested donation" not membership, but still that is a lot of $$.

[Anonymous]

Elitist or classist would be the adjective I'd use. My child's PTA fee is $10. You may also opt to pay extra to support fees for a family that can't afford the $10.

[Anonymous]

At my kids' generally affluent school, the PTA membership is $30, which seems high to me. Then I learned that the school essentially bankrolls a nearby Title I school's PTA as well, which I think is wonderful. Probably more worthy than $7,000 in landscaping...

[Anonymous]

I'm lost here. Why is 40 an issue ? Do you really not have $40 for a full year ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm lost here. Why is 40 an issue ? Do you really not have $40 for a full year ?

PP, did you know that there is such a thing as people who do not have an extra $40 lying around? And even people for whom $40 represents a choice between paying PTA dues and eating/paying utility bills/etc.?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm lost here. Why is 40 an issue ? Do you really not have $40 for a full year ?

Westland poster here. No, it's not a big issue for us, but I'm sure it is for some families. Or school has a 17% FARMS rate -- that's almost one in five kids, or 240 kids. Many of those families aren't going to spend $40 in order to get a directory, and they may not have smartphone access either. I feel that the PTA can and should change their policy to make this a more inclusive situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At my kids' generally affluent school, the PTA membership is $30, which seems high to me. Then I learned that the school essentially bankrolls a nearby Title I school's PTA as well, which I think is wonderful. Probably more worthy than $7,000 in landscaping...

That's very nice of your school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm lost here. Why is 40 an issue ? Do you really not have $40 for a full year ?

Westland poster here. No, it's not a big issue for us, but I'm sure it is for some families. Or school has a 17% FARMS rate -- that's almost one in five kids, or 240 kids. Many of those families aren't going to spend $40 in order to get a directory, and they may not have smartphone access either. I feel that the PTA can and should change their policy to make this a more inclusive situation.

Will my child soon be excluded from PTA sponsored activities if our family does not pay up?