Our school asks that many of the items you mentioned be sent from home with the student during the first week of school. Teachers are provided a $50 budget from our group for other needed items. We are looking into raising this amount; they also receive a budget from the school as well. As far as where the $$ should come from, It is entirely up to your group. If it's really needed, and money is a question, you could head down to Wal-Mart and submit a grant application for the amount of the needed items.

We offer a variety of social events during the year (Teacher appreciation, PTA recognition, Kindergarden Orientation, etc.). These events cost very little in comparison to the positive benefits derived by all. You know, I once had a close friend say that he'd have trouble sitting through an AA Meeting if it wasn't for the coffee and donuts they offered. Food/Drink often increases attendance, and improves interaction between the participants.

school supplies come out of our school budget. we reimburse each teacher up to $100. for classroom expenses from receipts they submit. we do give a teacher appreciation lunch. we had a boo hoo breakfast for the kindergarten parents and we are providing spirit tees to each kindergartener this year. we also take special requests as they come up when the school can't fit it in the budget and vote on them. criteria is based on our bylaws for approval.
lisa:)

School supplies at our schools are provided by the school. Parents don't have to send anything (pencils folders, etc) in, unless they want to send extras.

Our parent group does coordinate dinners during conferences for the staff. Almost everything is donated by parents- we have a small amount budgeted, but the chairs rarely spend anything. We list cooking and baking for these dinners on our volunteer sheet and we always have more than we'd ever need.

Our major expense is providing arts and educational enrichment programs for each grade level. These are always curriculum related.

Whenever we have extra funds, we ask the principals what they need (our group covers a lower and upper elementary school). At last week's meeting, one school asked for funds to provide small word processor type things called Alphasmarts for each classroom, and the membership was happy to do so.

Last year we purchased cordless microphones for the music departments, math games kits for the school libraries, software for every classroom in one school, and laser printers for the prep rooms.

We don't fund requests from individual teachers, our administrators will not allow it. I believe there were problems in the past with this. We do reimburse teachers up to $50 for items they personally purchase for their classrooms.

Imovepeople, I LOVE that system. So much money based on the # of students. That sound very fair! Our library, PE, and computer lab have their own account. I asked that the computer lab have the money from the ink cartridges, which is a pretty good sum, because they were at every meeting asking for little things they needed. It wore me out and I knew it did them too. So now our computer lab aide and STLP director can buy mouse pads, programs, or anything else they need as long as it is in their funds without having to request it from the PTO. Our PE teacher gets money like all the other certified staff but he holds a Ropin' and Shootin' fundraiser every winter and the money he makes goes into his account. Finally the librarian's money comes from book fair. We do so well with these that if something big comes up she is willing to share. But the librarian's money (Media Specialists to be PC) also goes toward our ATV room where she purchases needed equipment for the kids to do our morning news.

We also do teacher appreciation, volunteer appreciation, and provide refreshments for Open House and Parent-Teacher Conferences. We were also asked to help sponsor our Angel Tree Project fundraiser last year by providing concessions. We have PTO fun days monthly which the PTO pays for if something is needed. I missed that question earlier Winnie. If it wasn't for our teachers and volunteers there wouldn't be PTO. Our teachers and volunteers give a lot to our kids and I feel that we should appreciate them. Our principal also helps out some when it is in her budget.

There are a couple of questions - one being teacher appreciation - yes, we host teacher appreciation lunches, breakfasts, and snacks during conference days. Sometimes it is asking parents to donate baked items, salads, etc., others are full out catered meals - it's in the budget of both our elementary and middle schools that I am working with.

As for supplies - each elem. I've worked with (3 now) we've had an "allowance" of sorts, basically $5.00 or $10.00 per student, depending on what we had in treasury at that point, per student went to each teacher. We didn't just write them a check - they needed to provide receipts and the purchases needed to be for things that would benefit the class and remain in the classroom - therefore if art supplies were needed, that would be o.k. What you are describing is something going back and forth to the home - I don't think that would fall within the same category. We also had "mini-grants" for teachers who may need special supplies - gym, music, library, art. There was an actual application and a committee to review them to ensure that it would benefit a "population" of students, and not just a select few. Teacher needed to go to the principal first to see if it was covered by the school budget, and the teacher was required to get the principal's signature indicating that #1 principal agreed it was a valid need and #2 there were no funds in the school's budget to support it. By doing this it eliminated frivolous wish lists and also there was verification that other funding sources were exhausted before bringing it to the PTO.

I always felt like the PTO should help with those supplies whenever possible. We do run several $K through the PTO why not spend it on what the kids need. However, we have never been asked to do this so we usually end up spending our money on the computer lab and the playground. The last couple of years our money has been tied up with saving for mulch. Before that as a parent I'd get the mile long list from the teachers and I'd be ready to scream, because I knew the PTO could help with some of these things. Our teachers also get $100-$200 from us, plus they get some money from our SBDM. Our SBDM pays for field trips,conferences, etc.

[ 09-13-2003, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: C. Brooks ]