JKLM School Auctions - do you really have to go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am going to the Janney auction to check out the cool SAHMs.
Have they ever thought about auctioning off a date with some of them?
That would really raise a ton of money

There was a funny thread joking about this a while ago, including about auctioning off toe shoe dad.

[Anonymous]

I am in charge of our charter school's auction this year. Planning an auction is hard and time consuming and I am sure the auction committee would love some help!!!

Auction events are really fun, by the way. It's the one time you can see and talk to all the other parents without your kids distracting you.

Finally, don't forget that these auctions are being run to help our kids' schools. In an ideal works this wouldn't be necessary, but we don't live in that world, so we do what we can to help our kids get the best education/school possible.

Good luck to the JKLM, Hearst and other school auction planners out there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, I'm amazed at the amount of bad writing coming from the JKLM parents on this thread, particularly 14:54 and 14:44. Kinda frightening, really, if this is a representative sample of DC's best & brightest.

Glad the the grammar police have this under control . . .

moving on

I get the impression the auctions/fundraisers are as much about building esprit des corps as much as $$$. If it was only $$$ it's far easier to just donate cash.

No. DC is not at Janney, but our school's auction brings in between $40 and $60K. No way folks are just going to write checks for that amount, but when you get people bidding on stuff for some reason they spend a ton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO---many, many parents don't go to the Janney auction. When my child was in PK we were one of 2 families who went from our child's class. A few more joined in K.

The cool cliquey moms are definitely out in force. It's one of those nights that feels like high school all over again.

You can deride the" cool, cliquey moms" all you want, but they are the ones who do the most for the school. Does the term "free rider" hit close to home?

NP here. Er, are we not talking about a PUBLIC school? PP has already paid everything she needs to, it's called taxes. And our kids have a right to a free education.

Only taxes? If that's all you intend to pay, then you'll get exactly what you paid for--the basics.

Education is a right not a privilege. If you want to send your kids to a private school go right ahead. The rest of us are entitled to a decent education without having to treat our kids' school like a charity. We pay our taxes, our kids are are entitled to an education.

DC does not provide a lot of the elements of public education that parents at many public schools want. Like art classes, science classes, field trips, tutoring, librarians and sports. Parents in those schools decide to use their money to pay for those things, and in doing so keep their kids in the school system (instead of going private). The money that these parents contribute makes opportunities available to all the kids at these schools, not just the kids whose parents contributed. It's a win for the kids.

Is it fair that other kids on other schools don't have the same opportunities? No. Would it be better if those parents didn't contribute that money and the kids did not get art or science or tutoring or a functioning library? No. Taking away from some schools does not make other schools better.

[Anonymous]

I know people work hard to organize the auction and I am sure it is fun to go but we simply can't afford a sitter and 2 tickets (75$ each in advance) to go to the auction. I may bid in the online auction but not on anything huge. I donate my time to my school because that is what I have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know people work hard to organize the auction and I am sure it is fun to go but we simply can't afford a sitter and 2 tickets (75$ each in advance) to go to the auction. I may bid in the online auction but not on anything huge. I donate my time to my school because that is what I have.

As an auction night coordinator, time is just as valuable. Usually the $75 goes straight to costs of event (venue/food/drink/band or dj) so there's not much profit there, but having someone do a side job for planning is extremely valuable. It can become quite a stressful event.

[Anonymous]

In prior years, Eaton clocks in at $100,000 after expenses.

[Anonymous]

Great job Eaton!

[Anonymous]

Mann's auction was last weekend. I'm curious to know how much was netted. Does anyone know? TIA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mann's auction was last weekend. I'm curious to know how much was netted. Does anyone know? TIA.

about $130,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NO---many, many parents don't go to the Janney auction. When my child was in PK we were one of 2 families who went from our child's class. A few more joined in K.

The cool cliquey moms are definitely out in force. It's one of those nights that feels like high school all over again.

You can deride the" cool, cliquey moms" all you want, but they are the ones who do the most for the school. Does the term "free rider" hit close to home?

NP here. Er, are we not talking about a PUBLIC school? PP has already paid everything she needs to, it's called taxes. And our kids have a right to a free education.

Only taxes? If that's all you intend to pay, then you'll get exactly what you paid for--the basics.

Education is a right not a privilege. If you want to send your kids to a private school go right ahead. The rest of us are entitled to a decent education without having to treat our kids' school like a charity. We pay our taxes, our kids are are entitled to an education.

DC does not provide a lot of the elements of public education that parents at many public schools want. Like art classes, science classes, field trips, tutoring, librarians and sports. Parents in those schools decide to use their money to pay for those things, and in doing so keep their kids in the school system (instead of going private). The money that these parents contribute makes opportunities available to all the kids at these schools, not just the kids whose parents contributed. It's a win for the kids.

Is it fair that other kids on other schools don't have the same opportunities? No. Would it be better if those parents didn't contribute that money and the kids did not get art or science or tutoring or a functioning library? No. Taking away from some schools does not make other schools better.

Fiekd trips and tutors, sure but Im petty sure the dcps budget includes an art teacher, librarian and science could....nay should be taught as a core class by the classroom teacher. you can always look at your school's budget when it's released to see what DCPS is actually going to pay for because if the parents are making a history of paying for school position then the principal is going to shift their money elsewhere

[Anonymous]

I went to Murch's last year for the first time. I didn't really know anyone, but I had a lot of fun with my husband. We chatted with some new folks, became better friends with some other parents, had some drinks, got competitive, and spent too much on an auction prize. All in all, I am looking forward to a repeat this year.

[Anonymous]

Get ready to raise a lot more money now that your school's budgets have been cut!