Boosterthon Runs at MCPS schools?

[Anonymous]

Our school is doing this event this year and I am just shocked it is even allowed. They are asking the kids to raise money for the school but the company takes half the money. I asked at the PTA meeting if families are made aware upfront about the percentages and they looked at me like "Why the F would we do that?" I felt a few of use were wondering why this is happening but the board was so happy to have it like it is going to make so much money. It just seems corrupt. Can anyone tell me anymore info. Pros/Cons?

[Anonymous]

Good luck. It is awful. We finally got rid of it after a few years in FCPS. There are lots of threads on this in the VA public schools forum. It does make a lot of money for the school but their scare tactics with the kids are horrible.

[Anonymous]

Do a search on DCUM Boosterthon. There are a lot of threads. If my kid's school were doing this, I would raise a fuss.

[Anonymous]

I worked in a Title I school for a number of years, and they tried some kind of similar (if not the same) fundraiser. It was awful. Poor kids out there begging their poor families for money, and in the end, we didn't even raise enough money to cover the "entrance fee." So all the money "raised" went straight to the company and the school got nothing. Total disaster. The person that organized it left the school at the end of the year because of all the hubbub over it.

[Anonymous]

Their commission is 48%, I think. But check the commissions on gift wrap, chocolates, pizzas, etc. Boosterthon is not out of the range.

The PTA knows the commission of Boosterthon and all the others. The truth is that schools also raise more money with Boosterthon than they do off gift wrap sales.

However, Boosterthon does NOT have to have all the pep rallies. And the fundraising prizes can be deferred to a later point, not done in a more public space (pep rally).

Our school netted more than $20,000 off one Boosterthon. And that being said, we aren't doing it again. If the school has a huge need for funds, it's really not a bad way to go. You will make more through them than with the polite approach of "Please make a donation to Larla's school."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Their commission is 48%, I think. But check the commissions on gift wrap, chocolates, pizzas, etc. Boosterthon is not out of the range.

The PTA knows the commission of Boosterthon and all the others. The truth is that schools also raise more money with Boosterthon than they do off gift wrap sales.

However, Boosterthon does NOT have to have all the pep rallies. And the fundraising prizes can be deferred to a later point, not done in a more public space (pep rally).

Our school netted more than $20,000 off one Boosterthon. And that being said, we aren't doing it again. If the school has a huge need for funds, it's really not a bad way to go. You will make more through them than with the polite approach of "Please make a donation to Larla's school."

But that is where the scam lies. People realize when they are buying goods the prices are raised to give money back to the school. No different than Girl Scout cookies or Boy Scout popcorn. And they actually get their wrapping paper to use. The school will not promote that only half the money is going to the schools. That the other huge check goes to a for-profit company. If your school made $20K off the Boosterthon then that means you gave a company $20K for coming to do 1-2 people rallies and cheer the kids on the day of? Taunt them with cheap plastic toys. You think that is fair? You scammed many people out of their money. I bet many parents and family members would throw a fit if they heard where half the money is going.

[Anonymous]

Our school put on their own track and field day at the local high school in the fall, and it was great! I guess some parents were in charge of running it. There were t-shirts and loads of snacks (I assume donated?).

[Anonymous]

9:10 again.

I was not part of the PTA board or part of the decision process. But I am friends with several people on the board and I'm friendly with the principal. I know there was a lot of debate about it before deciding to go forward with the Boosterthon fundraiser.

If families really knew how much of their wrapping paper money was going to the school /PTA (which is less than 50%), they'd probably be screaming. I have quit all those fundraisers.

So do the fundraiser you want to do.

Go to the PTA but don't be argumentative and use words like "scam". The PTA knows exactly what they did when they decided to go with this fundraiser. It's like posting political messages on Facebook. No one has ever changed their mind about a candidate because of something they saw on FB.

[Anonymous]

Try a buy nothing fundraiser..just send a check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:9:10 again.

I was not part of the PTA board or part of the decision process. But I am friends with several people on the board and I'm friendly with the principal. I know there was a lot of debate about it before deciding to go forward with the Boosterthon fundraiser.

If families really knew how much of their wrapping paper money was going to the school /PTA (which is less than 50%), they'd probably be screaming. I have quit all those fundraisers.

So do the fundraiser you want to do.

Go to the PTA but don't be argumentative and use words like "scam". The PTA knows exactly what they did when they decided to go with this fundraiser. It's like posting political messages on Facebook. No one has ever changed their mind about a candidate because of something they saw on FB.

No one is forced to buy wrapping paper and I certainly would not think 50% is going back to the school because I also have wrapping paper in my hand - to use. So the donation percentage is fine.

There is NOTHING at Boosterthon that really costs money and they really push these kids to almost anxiety about getting money raised. The teachers HATE it and the low income families are really stressed. They even make volunteers and the PTA do most of the work. How does that make them worthy of making a profit of over 5 figures? It is highway robbery. Why not just have your own fun run where 100% of the proceeds go back to the school? I can not believe the school district even allows it without some form of wording on the bottom that 50% goes back to the company.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school is doing this event this year and I am just shocked it is even allowed. They are asking the kids to raise money for the school but the company takes half the money. I asked at the PTA meeting if families are made aware upfront about the percentages and they looked at me like "Why the F would we do that?" I felt a few of use were wondering why this is happening but the board was so happy to have it like it is going to make so much money. It just seems corrupt. Can anyone tell me anymore info. Pros/Cons?

If the PTA won't tell people, then you tell people. Think of ways to get the word out to as many people as you can reach. This probably won't make friends for you at the PTA , but you should do it if you think it's important enough. I think that I would think it was important enough.

[Anonymous]

10:27 - then go organize a fun run. You are probably one of those people that loves to complain and bash the PTA, but actually does nothing to help a school. I loathe you, 10:27.

[Anonymous]

Our school did Boosterthon a few years ago. We did raise tons of money but also got the backlash from the parents.

It doesn't bother me that 48% goes back to the company. That does seem in the ballpark with these fundraising companies. Look at Girl Scouts - do people buying the $4 box of cookies realize that only ~ $.70 actually goes to the troop and the rest to the Council?

It would be great if parents took it upon themselves to organize a school fun run and have all the money raised stay in the school. But unless your school has those type of parent volunteers, they will have to outsource the organization/work behind the fun runs.

[Anonymous]

There is a 10:27 at every school, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school did Boosterthon a few years ago. We did raise tons of money but also got the backlash from the parents.

It doesn't bother me that 48% goes back to the company. That does seem in the ballpark with these fundraising companies. Look at Girl Scouts - do people buying the $4 box of cookies realize that only ~ $.70 actually goes to the troop and the rest to the Council?

It would be great if parents took it upon themselves to organize a school fun run and have all the money raised stay in the school. But unless your school has those type of parent volunteers, they will have to outsource the organization/work behind the fun runs.

I think there's a meaningful difference between

-$0.70 goes to the Girl Scout troop and $3.30 goes to the Girl Scout Council

and

-50% goes to the school and 50% goes to a for-profit company