I agree with Serendipity. Put it to a vote but keep in mind if you buy uniforms for one group then you'll end up being asked for all groups. I would suggest a bake sale or the basketball teams doing some sort of fundraiser or even sponsorship for the t-shirts. We do this for rec. soccer. We charge $35.00 per child to play soccer & we get sponsors. We charge the sponsor $175.00 & this goes towards t-shirts (with the sponsors name on front & player # on back) & screening fees. Good luck.
Well the only point I personally see as being valid is point #1. I will get back to that in a minute.
Point #2 is just plain stupid as you cannot account for every penny in your beginning of the school year budget. It serves as a guide for what you plan to spend and what you plan to take in. The only way something like this would be valid is if it says so in your bylaws which is highly unlikely. The principal cannot just make up the rules to suit her needs as she goes along.
Point #3 really is not her decision. She does not have to support it or like it at all, but the reality is that the school board office is responsible for allowing groups to use the schools facilities not the principal. Most schools have town rec programs who use their gyms. Otherwise what gyms would there be to use for kids sports programs? Typically town groups are allowed to use the facilitis because it is all public relations anyway. You cannot expect townspeople to support school budgets and then tell them that no one can ever use the school facilities for anything. Tax payers expect certain things like sports programs for the kids in return for their tax money.
So back to point #1. This really is the issue and it does open that door for other groups to put their hands out. If the girls team who has no uniforms says hey what about us, then how do you defend buying better uniforms for the boys while the girls have nothing? As poster Kelley noted ultimately you should put it to a vote.
We provided new t-shirts for our basktball and volleyball program last year... the kids and staff were very appreciative!
What concerns me most about your post is reason #3. If the principal doesnt want to support this activity, she shouldn't be using a strangle hold on PTO funds to aid and abet her personal agenda. As parents, you should be free to openly vote on this issue. If she is a voting member, she can make her case and cast her vote along with everyone else.
Kelley
Sounds like she has thought this out. Perhaps you could help the team organize a small booster club and organize a fundraiser just for them. You could hold the money in their own account along with the rest of your PTO money.
We are an elementary school. The local boys club sponsors basketball leagues for all of the elementary schools in our community. We have noticed that the uniforms for our team are ratty. I personally don't have a child who plays basketball but I agree that they could use new uniforms. We have plenty of money to cover our budget with some left over, however our principal says that we are not allowed to do this. Her reasons do have some points but they could be worked out.
#1 We would be hit by all the other teams in our school, i.e. girls basketball (who have no uniforms) and jump rope.
#2 We are not allowed to spend any money that was not approved on the budget at the beginning of the year.
#3 She does not and will not support this activity as she does not want people to practice in her gym after school.
What can we do? I thought the budget was a tool for planning and as long as we met the necessities the rest could be voted on and spent. We would be willing to purchase girls uniforms and jump rope t-shirts with the understanding that they stay in school
