We host the Fall Festival at our school and the teachers have all the game booths a silent auction item and each class has a project they work on and it's auctioned off in the regular auction, the teachers get this money to do as they please with usually they use the money to take extra field trips or buy things for there room.
We allocate $250 per grade level and include school secretaries, nurses all special (pe, music, art, health) and special services (speech, ot, social workers). We have a form that must be completed and submitted by a certain date (usually by May general PTO meeting) then we vote on requested purchases during May and June and expedite Visa check cards to each to fulfill their purchases. Everyone receiving a gift card must follow up with receipts to the PTO mailbox before October 1st. It works out very well and we use a Boxtop Visa card to reap the boxtop $$$ give back. Last year we allocated $5300 (prek-8).
Our teachers are alloted a per student $ amount for their "wish list" money. This is on top of field trip money and any expenditure requsts made by the teacher. They are able to use it on whatever they need for the classroom or extra for field trips, if necessary
We allocate $125 per teacher to be used for 'classroom enhancement'. Basically, if the principal says it's OK and it goes right into the classroom, it's paid for.
We pay for everything from books and supplies to extra art supplies, food, books, and software.
They may also ask for their classroom funds to be added to their grade level allocation instead.
If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down. <img src=images/smilies/smile.gif>
