Several people have mentioned walk-a-thons that have been profitable for them. I've never done one before, but perhaps that would work as an idea. You might search for it.

Could I ask how many people you have in your PTO and if you've had any meetings yet? Perhaps a PTO meeting could be held if you can figure out how to get the word out (several times in advance using several methods). Make sure to schedule it on a night that does not conflict with any other school event and make sure the principal agrees to come.

The teachers at our middle school warned me early not to bother much with send home flyers. They just don't make it to parents.

I've found that the best time to get to parents is when they are already coming to the school. With the Principals knowledge, I've stood in the car rider line. I've attended open houses and set up a table right inside the lobby to sign up member. I've went to beginning of the year events where they give out forms and schedules and I've been to end of the year event for parent that will have first time students in school the next year.

I think if I had to choose between PTO president and PTO recruiter, the presidents job is really easier.

Use every opportunity you get to enlist volunteers. If will pay you back down the road.

If you budgeted for all the dances without proceeds from the dance, are you saying that you would come up short for the year? If so, then you need to do a fundraiser to make up the difference.
Our middle school sells bagels on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Can you have PTO volunteers just do a monthly event where you sell some type of breakfast item to students as they come off the bus? Our PTO makes a lot of money this way and the students are getting breakfast as well. It may help you to raise money needed to fund all your events this year.
If not, then you have to sit down with the principal and show him bottom line numbers. YOu won't have money to fund the event if you don't have the ticket money. You also may consider getting more than baked goods donated from parents. A case of water could be donated as can boxes of juice, paper supplies, etc.
It doesn't sound that your PTO is an organized entity or you would have clear bylaws and budget history for you to go on. So you should look to establish that now so it gets easier as years go on.

Thanks for your response! You have given me a lot to think about.
The problem with our PTO is that the previous President was very independent, did not want any help from other parents at all. A "one man show" so to speak.
So, this year he is gone on to another school and the Principal asked me to take over as PTO President, no election, he just appointed me (I insisted on having a Vice President since I am new to the school, he appointed her as well based on my suggestion).
The reason we were loaned the $350 is because there were no funds left over from last year...the past president did a lot out of his own pocket. Since I can not do that and explained it to the Principal and he extended the loan.
There have not been any PTO fundraisers in the past. I am in the process of getting information from a local restaurant that does a "profit night". It seems like the easiest on the families and myself/VP as well. We are a middle school with about 1100 students.
The final dance is considered a PTO event, that is why we thought the proceeds of the ticket sales should come to us, not the school.
The PTO Vice President has asked me to consider telling the Principal we will not do any PTO sponsored events unless the proceeds of those events come to us, I'm giving it some thought, but I'd rather come up with a solution. I would like to do more as a PTO for the students, not stop doing the one thing that has always been done, you know?
As far as a budget for the year, it was basically outlined in my other email, it's very tight, so I'm hoping my idea for the fundraiser works out, we don't need too much, but I'd like to go into next year with our own funds. Does this make any sense? LOL.

PresidentJim;139122 wrote: Is your group independant, or are you under the school's control.

If independant I think there are already numerous issues with the way things seem to be handled.

For example...

1. Did you establish a budget for the year?

2. Is the final dance considered a PTO sponsored event, or a school event?

3. What fundraisers are you running for the year, besides the dances?

You write that the Prinicpal provided you $350 at the beginning of the year. This is confusing, unless you are not independant. If independant, then your funds should be controlled by your group. You should have your own account, a Treasurer, and a budget. You should be establishing priorities for the year and defining your yearly financial plans based on that. For example, if you know that Teacher Appreciation is going to cost your group $2000, then you need to, at the beginning of the year, define where those funds will likely come from.

So, to sum it all up...

If you fall under the school then there's not much that you can do about this. The Principal would then have the right to control the funds and define what he wants your group to do.

If you are an independant organization then things are really off. Why is the Principal paying for the DJ when it is a PTO event? Why is the school getting the funds when it is a PTO event?

In most public schools, events of this nature are 100% PTO. I'm not even sure if the school is allowed to charge for something like this, but I guess it depends on city laws. The Principal should not have control of an independant PTO's funds. And how they are spent should be decided upon by the group, based upon suggestions by the Principal.

What does your Bylaws state about the control of funds?

Again, if you are independant, I would say that something needs to change. I would back out of the dances if the Principal wants to control them. A new way of handling things needs to be established. And this may prove to be very difficult as this Principal seems very set in his ways.

If your group is not independant, you may want to start looking at becoming so. Also, if you do not have Bylaws, or they don't meet what you feel they should, I would look at rewriting them.

In the meantime you, as President, may need to have a sit down with the Principal to explain your financial situation, what your group will, and will not be able to do for the remainder of the year, and you may wish to discuss next year. Again this is all contingent on whether you are independant. If not you are stuck with what you have. If you are then things need to change and good luck.

PresidentJim

Is your group independant, or are you under the school's control.

If independant I think there are already numerous issues with the way things seem to be handled.

For example...

1. Did you establish a budget for the year?

2. Is the final dance considered a PTO sponsored event, or a school event?

3. What fundraisers are you running for the year, besides the dances?

You write that the Prinicpal provided you $350 at the beginning of the year. This is confusing, unless you are not independant. If independant, then your funds should be controlled by your group. You should have your own account, a Treasurer, and a budget. You should be establishing priorities for the year and defining your yearly financial plans based on that. For example, if you know that Teacher Appreciation is going to cost your group $2000, then you need to, at the beginning of the year, define where those funds will likely come from.

So, to sum it all up...

If you fall under the school then there's not much that you can do about this. The Principal would then have the right to control the funds and define what he wants your group to do.

If you are an independant organization then things are really off. Why is the Principal paying for the DJ when it is a PTO event? Why is the school getting the funds when it is a PTO event?

In most public schools, events of this nature are 100% PTO. I'm not even sure if the school is allowed to charge for something like this, but I guess it depends on city laws. The Principal should not have control of an independant PTO's funds. And how they are spent should be decided upon by the group, based upon suggestions by the Principal.

What does your Bylaws state about the control of funds?

Again, if you are independant, I would say that something needs to change. I would back out of the dances if the Principal wants to control them. A new way of handling things needs to be established. And this may prove to be very difficult as this Principal seems very set in his ways.

If your group is not independant, you may want to start looking at becoming so. Also, if you do not have Bylaws, or they don't meet what you feel they should, I would look at rewriting them.

In the meantime you, as President, may need to have a sit down with the Principal to explain your financial situation, what your group will, and will not be able to do for the remainder of the year, and you may wish to discuss next year. Again this is all contingent on whether you are independant. If not you are stuck with what you have. If you are then things need to change and good luck.

PresidentJim

Thanks for your response! What happens at all the dances (we have about 4), is the tickets are sold for $5 each, approx. 300 kids attend. The proceeds of the ticket sales go to the school, the school pays for the DJ at all dances out of that money.
We (the PTO) have a concession stand that consists of Pizza, Soda, Water, and donated baked goods. We sell everything for .50 each except pizza which is $1.00.
For the Graduation Dance, we will not be able to do anything different because money will be very tight. If we earn $250 at each dance, that gives us $1000, $350 of which needs to be returned to the school, so we have $650.
So....
$650 (total earned from dances)
-390 (cost of Grad. dance)

---

$260 left for Teacher Appreciation Week. (we have 100 teachers)

We can get by if we only do a breakfast morning with Muffins, Danish, donuts, etc. and a dessert day with donated goodies from parents and we supply coffee/tea/soda
That basically leaves us with nothing to start off the next school year again and we can't do anything else for the kids.
We are in the process of looking into fundraisers, but the "clusters" do a lot of fundraisers so it gets overwhelming for the parents.
Thanks for your input, I would appreciate any more advise I can get with this!!

pzettler;139105 wrote: I don't have enough details (cost of a DJ, how much more kids eat when it's free, projected cost of teacher appreciation week) to help you do this, but..

I'd just lay out all the projected math on paper and ask for suggestions to help solve the problem.

The principal may not know how it just worked out before.

Also, can someone act as the DJ on the other dances, and this would let you stash that money away for your other end of the year event? We have an assistant principal that does a good job as DJ at the dances.

I don't have enough details (cost of a DJ, how much more kids eat when it's free, projected cost of teacher appreciation week) to help you do this, but..

I'd just lay out all the projected math on paper and ask for suggestions to help solve the problem.

The principal may not know how it just worked out before.

Also, can someone act as the DJ on the other dances, and this would let you stash that money away for your other end of the year event? We have an assistant principal that does a good job as DJ at the dances.