Anonymous wrote:Not OP, but here's another question: what should I wear to the auction?

Depends on the school. We have kids in two different privates. One is more casual than the other, but I would say cocktail attire with some decent jewelry works. No one is really going to notice unless you are way under dressed or over dressed. Dads are safe with coat and tie, or suits. Some auctions do black tie, but you'll see lots of suits at those as well.

Not OP, but here's another question: what should I wear to the auction?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't bid on class related items (class-made, teacher experience, etc) UNLESS you have a child in that class. Lord in heaven, the fuss that got made the year that particular fiasco took place was mind boggling.

+10, this comment, and bolded it for emphasis . DO NOT BID on another class's class project. Its social dealth to do so. Also, do NOT bid on the big ticket items ( 10K and up) your firts year in the school or if you are an invited guest/date who does not have a DC attending or the knives will come out.

Why in the hell would anyone bid on a class art project if their own kid wasn't in the class? I personally think the art stuff is junk -- even what my own kids participate in -- and can't imagine paying for someone else's child's crap. Don't you have enough of that around your house already?

My God, who would want another class's project?

Anonymous wrote:Don't bid on class related items (class-made, teacher experience, etc) UNLESS you have a child in that class. Lord in heaven, the fuss that got made the year that particular fiasco took place was mind boggling.

+10, this comment, and bolded it for emphasis . DO NOT BID on another class's class project. Its social dealth to do so. Also, do NOT bid on the big ticket items ( 10K and up) your firts year in the school or if you are an invited guest/date who does not have a DC attending or the knives will come out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't bid on class related items (class-made, teacher experience, etc) UNLESS you have a child in that class. Lord in heaven, the fuss that got made the year that particular fiasco took place was mind boggling.

+10, this comment, and bolded it for emphasis . DO NOT BID on another class's class project. Its social dealth to do so. Also, do NOT bid on the big ticket items ( 10K and up) your firts year in the school or if you are an invited guest/date who does not have a DC attending or the knives will come out.

I sort of get this, and I recognize it is provided in a spirit of being helpful to allow people to navigate these without committing social faux pas, but, well, sigh. This makes me question if women are ever going to really achieve equality in fields like government and business when we collectively act like such whack-jobs about stuff like bidding on a craft item made by a class for a school auction. (It's not the dads wielding the knives, right?)

Anonymous wrote:Don't bid on class related items (class-made, teacher experience, etc) UNLESS you have a child in that class. Lord in heaven, the fuss that got made the year that particular fiasco took place was mind boggling.

+10, this comment, and bolded it for emphasis . DO NOT BID on another class's class project. Its social dealth to do so. Also, do NOT bid on the big ticket items ( 10K and up) your firts year in the school or if you are an invited guest/date who does not have a DC attending or the knives will come out.

What can often be a bargain at any school auction are vacations. People will often auction off an unused block of time in a vacation rental, or embassys will give a trip to some wierd but fun place. I saw a norway trip once that went for nothing and it sounded so fun, but the time didn't work for us.

There will be some show items, such as reserved parking spaces right next to the head's space, that will go for thousands of dollars (even over $10,000). Obviously the parking space itself does not have this value intrinsically, when you could park for free just a few feet away. It's more a way to make a big donation.

Don't bid on class related items (class-made, teacher experience, etc) UNLESS you have a child in that class. Lord in heaven, the fuss that got made the year that particular fiasco took place was mind boggling.

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, this is very helpful! I'm sure for this year we'll stick to bidding on the "concrete" things. Ease into it slowly and all that.

One more question - is there every something that no one bids on? (just curious, because I think there are so many items up for bid that each family could easily win something and there would still be stuff left over)

Depends on the school and the group of parents that are there. Just watch the bidding. You will see pretty quickly what is not being bid on. At our schools, photography, services like decorating or landscape consulting, seemed not to get bid on.

The teacher offerings and restaurants were always the most popular.

Thanks, this is very helpful! I'm sure for this year we'll stick to bidding on the "concrete" things. Ease into it slowly and all that.

One more question - is there every something that no one bids on? (just curious, because I think there are so many items up for bid that each family could easily win something and there would still be stuff left over)

They usually set a starting price for the item and then if the item gets bid on, the next amount to bid is usually a set amount like $5 more, $10 etc.

ie: restaurant might start at $25, you bid $25, then someone bids $30, you have to bid$35.

Restaurant GCs usually go for face value or a little above by the end of the auction. If you really want it be prepared to pay that. If you are just bidding to raise other bids, bid whatever. Jewelry is sometimes a deal. Experiences with teachers get expensive. No one knows who you are when bidding online so just do what you want. But don't expect any steals or restaurant or store GCs.

This is our first year at a school that does a silent auction, and now that I have seen what is up for bid, I have no idea what is expected. We aren't planning to go to the auction, but want to bid on things online. So let's say that one of the items is a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant. Does one bid $50, more than $50, or less than $50? I know the point is to make as much money as possible for the school, and that bidding on something like a day out with a teacher can go as high as anyone wants, but what about the things that have a concrete value? Any help with this is appreciated!!