I was glad that this fundraiser involved physical activity. So may kids are overweight or lack physical activity - i am happy to support something that gets kids moving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's the thing about a lot of FCPS, including ours which is now doing the Boosterthon. We already HAVE SO MUCH, but are still clamoring for MORE. We have smartboards (chalkboards were just fine, thank you), laptops, tablets, and so on. Why the need to raise a king's ransom, while pitting these kids against each other in the classroom every day with the comparing of how much each sold?? Who's bullying now?

We have not done a boosterthon, but your comment is very short sighted. Out PTA has a huge budget due to very generous parents. We are in Loudoun County. We haave a sister school in another part of the county that has almost zero PTA participation. We donate funds to our sister school so those kids can also have the same technology and hopefully level the playing field some.

You're not getting it. What we have, just because it's "technology," isn't really necessary. It's a luxury.

Yes, the kids have "goals" to meet. X-amount-per-lap = extra recess, pizza party, and so on. I fully expect there to be pressure from the rest of the class ("C'mon! We need a party!! Why aren't you bringing in any money??!). I am very angry about that.

Not to mention the peppy Boosterthon cheerleader boys coming into each class each day to get them to repeat key phrases as a class (indoctrination, anyone?) and have them repeat that they're going to go home and ask 3 specific people for pledges.

Your exaggeration suggests you have too much time on your hands. Or an inability to combat such "indoctrination" and other influences once they are home. Some of us don't have that problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's the thing about a lot of FCPS, including ours which is now doing the Boosterthon. We already HAVE SO MUCH, but are still clamoring for MORE. We have smartboards (chalkboards were just fine, thank you), laptops, tablets, and so on. Why the need to raise a king's ransom, while pitting these kids against each other in the classroom every day with the comparing of how much each sold?? Who's bullying now?

We have not done a boosterthon, but your comment is very short sighted. Out PTA has a huge budget due to very generous parents. We are in Loudoun County. We haave a sister school in another part of the county that has almost zero PTA participation. We donate funds to our sister school so those kids can also have the same technology and hopefully level the playing field some.

You're not getting it. What we have, just because it's "technology," isn't really necessary. It's a luxury.

Yes, the kids have "goals" to meet. X-amount-per-lap = extra recess, pizza party, and so on. I fully expect there to be pressure from the rest of the class ("C'mon! We need a party!! Why aren't you bringing in any money??!). I am very angry about that.

Not to mention the peppy Boosterthon cheerleader boys coming into each class each day to get them to repeat key phrases as a class (indoctrination, anyone?) and have them repeat that they're going to go home and ask 3 specific people for pledges.

Anonymous wrote:That's the thing about a lot of FCPS, including ours which is now doing the Boosterthon. We already HAVE SO MUCH, but are still clamoring for MORE. We have smartboards (chalkboards were just fine, thank you), laptops, tablets, and so on. Why the need to raise a king's ransom, while pitting these kids against each other in the classroom every day with the comparing of how much each sold?? Who's bullying now?

We have not done a boosterthon, but your comment is very short sighted. Out PTA has a huge budget due to very generous parents. We are in Loudoun County. We haave a sister school in another part of the county that has almost zero PTA participation. We donate funds to our sister school so those kids can also have the same technology and hopefully level the playing field some.

My daughter's fourth grade class is asking the students to try and gather donations from all fifty states in order to be allowed to come to school in their pajama's. This is nothing more than the school allowing the children to become shills for a for profit fund raiser operating under the guise of "teaching" values among other things. Values such as making a contribution per lap, usually a dollar, when the track is 1/16th of a mile in distance. What's wrong with this picture?

Anonymous wrote:I disagree "chalkboards are fine". I wonder if you've seen the smart boards and how they are currently used.

As a teacher, I'd say yeah, I have.

Our school is doing this right now. They did it two years ago and raised close to $60k. They know they can't do it at the same school every year so it looks like they cycle through every 2 years. The worst are the kindergartners. Literally comes off in tears begging me for more $$$ for an invisible ink pen. It will be interesting to see how successful it is this year.

That's the thing about a lot of FCPS, including ours which is now doing the Boosterthon. We already HAVE SO MUCH, but are still clamoring for MORE. We have smartboards (chalkboards were just fine, thank you), laptops, tablets, and so on. Why the need to raise a king's ransom, while pitting these kids against each other in the classroom every day with the comparing of how much each sold?? Who's bullying now?

It's awful. My kids were upset that other kids got more and more 'toys' each day and BEGGED me to please donate more. Every day practically. They were very upset at me for not donating more. The people who worked it clearly brainwashed my kids successfully.
Next year I will be smarter. I'll skip the outright large donation I make at the beginning of the year, and instead spend that money on the boosterthon so my kids won't feel like they are the only ones not getting toys at school. Then, the school will have to give a cut of the money I donate (40%?) back to the organization they hired to run it.
I don't understand what we need more money for? More IPads? All the kids already have them at home! They know how to use them. They don't learn to program on them, they don't learn to use a word processor or Excel or Powerpoint on them, so why provide them?

If I knew they were going to do this instead of a normal fundraiser, I would have taken action to change the course of things.

OP, why don't you volunteer to organize a fun run in the spring or next fall at your school? Then your school can keep 100%.

If you don't have a problem with children being manipulated, that is a sad commentary. It's all about the Benjamins, though, isn't it?

Anonymous wrote:
As for our school, we were redistricted recently, took on lots of new kids, and now have kids bursting at the seams. We have had to make adjustments to staff, resources and the building to accommodate those kids.

Instead of making adjustments to how well we do (or don't) follow immigration law. I love how everyone in this area just looks the other way and shrugs, and opens their wallets when taxes are raised (or ridiculous fundraisers are instituted) instead of dealing with the problem. Not long before we are crushed under the weight of it all, but I will have moved by then so have fun with that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say i am a "fan" but our school raised a TON of money, had lots of participation, and negated the need to sell other crap through the year (candles, etc.) It's only 2 weeks out of the year and then done.

For the kids, they had a great time.

I don't see that it's that big of a deal.

How much money??? I heard the boosterthon company takes a HUGE cut (like 48%). I guess the school still has enough left over to declare it a successful fundraiser, but that is a lot of money NOT going to the school (yet still leaving my wallet).

Not the poster you were asking, but our school raised in excess of $20K after the cut.

The kids had a blast, and the work was minimal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say i am a "fan" but our school raised a TON of money, had lots of participation, and negated the need to sell other crap through the year (candles, etc.) It's only 2 weeks out of the year and then done.

For the kids, they had a great time.

I don't see that it's that big of a deal.

Take a closer look at the values it is pushing. Money is the all-powerful motivator, isn't it? Why are parents and others needing to be depended on so much to fund the schools with THAT much money? Look at the mess the gov't got into by spending beyond their means. Without cutting teaching positions, there are other things that can be cut. Class trips don't have to be so lavish. Parties don't have to be so lavish. One fun "dance" a year should suffice, if at all.

We are so spoiled we're willing to pimp our kids out to be salespeople, and teach them to clamor for junky "prizes" and allow the high-pressure salesteam from Boosterthon to be in their classes every day, pushing "sell sell sell!!!"

Yeah, not that big a deal.

Yeah, it's not a big deal. And, those values being pushed school are getting explained and downplayed at home. She was not upset about not bringing home the plastic toys. She was excited to run, and did so. We pledged, as did a few family members.

As for our school, we were redistricted recently, took on lots of new kids, and now have kids bursting at the seams. We have had to make adjustments to staff, resources and the building to accommodate those kids. Plus, all the rooms have new computers and smart boards. I'm not sure what "parties" you are talking about. There is a single, 6th grade dance at school and nothing else. Class trips to a pumpkin patch . . . since when is that "lavish"?

It's physical activity. It's 2 weeks. It is possible to combat the message coming home re: the junk toys. And the school made in excess of $40K. The participation rate was higher than any of the prior fundraisers (this is the second year for the boosterthon). And, I don't have to sell candles and other bits of junk people don't want. Because that's what would otherwise happen. I'm not going to even address your ridiculous "pimp" reference.

So, yea, I don't think it's a big deal.