Congratulations to you! I hope you make it to the Worlds. I have heard it is a great experience for the kids. I will pass on the information you gave to our schools and maybe one day it will work where the PTOs don't have the obligation to give them a large chunk of money. Do you know how much registration is for the Worlds? We were told it would be $1,800.00 which is over our heads. If it is not alot that would be something every PTO would probably agree to do. Thanks for your response.
My son's team just qualified for our om state tournament in April. Our PTA pays for the registration for the teams and that's all. We had three teams this year. Our school district itself is pretty well represented in PA. Of the 13 competing teams from our school district that competed in the regional tournament, 8 are going on to the State event! okay, sorry, I'm still a little excited to have made it this far....
We have an annual golf tournament for om whose profits will be divided among any winners that go to the World tournament. So far, only the ms and hs groups have gone to Worlds so we haven't had an elementary group to sponsor. We would not pay for a non-elementary group. However, if one of the elementary groups did make it to that level, and we had money in our budget (and I know we do) then I would not have a problem donating part of the cost. We don't have any other groups that would need money like that so it wouldn't be setting a precedent.
We have had teams from the ms that made it to Worlds and they asked for money from the School Board, not the individual schools. This was when it was in Colorado and quite expensive. Parents that wanted to go, paid for themselves, of course. After that was when we started the annual golf tournament. One of the parents who has kids in om owns a golf course.
OM is a huge time committment for both kids and parents. They are given their problem in Septmber. We got together weekly until January and then 2 or three times a week from January until March. I understand where you are coming from, and do believe that the om people themselves should do the bulk of the fundraising. Our group (all the schools) has it's own bank account and everyone buys their own shirts. We will all be staying in hotels for two nights at the state tournament. The worlds for us, is just a few hours away so shouldn't cost any more then states.
Alot of people don't know what odyssey of the mind is. So don't feel ignorant. I'm not even exactly sure what it is all about. You can go to odysseyofthemind.com to read about it. One of the big problems with OM is the fact alot of parents have know idea what it is. This is the second time we have demanding parents that feel there children should get all the money for their trips. This year it is to Maryland. 2 years ago it was Colorado. These are very expensive trips that should be funded by the Board of Ed or just by fund raising. The pressure on the PTOs for large sums of money for 7 children isn't fair. This is my last year I will ever be on a board again because when it's time for OM there is too much pressure for us to have to give this one group money. This year is even uglier then 2 years ago. It just mentally drains me and everyone on the board. Giving the money to one group to me is just not fair. I think the PTO money should benefit as many kids as possible. We have told them that we will try and come up with easy fundraisers that will get money just for them and we will even help them. They told us they don't need any of our ideas and they don't need the man power. I guess they just want the money from the PTO. They just can't see the bigger picture. If we give them $100.00 per child this year then they will expect it every year and we can't promise that. They said they want to start a presedent this year for the future OM teams coming up. We had some of the same problems 2 years ago. I wasn't on a board last year because of it. On the last day of school last year a few of us said we would go on the board this year only because no one else wanted the job and there would not of been a PTO board. I have now learned my lesson. I will help out as much as possible but not on a board. The members of the board have worked very hard this year and now to have to deal with a handful of parents wanting money for their children is just too much for me. I wish more people could understand that it is not my money to hand out. It came from all of the parents in the school and I believe they feel it will be used for the school and all of the children. As you can see this is a hard subject for me. When I start to write I just keep getting more upset. Thanks for any replies.
Our school had a world-qualifying DI/OM team last year and the parent coach asked the PTO for help with their expenses. We had a surplus in our budget from strong fundraising results, so our members agreed to $100 per child, or $700. I was a little apprehensive that would set a bad precedent since we don't give that kind of money to any other student group, especially one so small. But the PTO members were impressed by the team's results and their good reflection on our school, and it wasn't controversial. But just between you and me, I'm glad our team didn't qualify for worlds this year so we don't have to revisit the issue.
In our town the Bd of Ed pays for Odyssey of the Mind competions up to the state level. When and if they reach the Worlds they must fundraise for the money to get there. Right now it looks like one team from the school has a very good chance of going on. We had 4 teams to start (7 children per team). They said they will probably need about $4,000. The principal that heads all of the OM teams does not want them to start fundraising until they know if they made it and then it only gives them a few weeks to come up with that money. The problems start there. I understand that it is hard for them to come up with the money so quickly. One year we had 8 teams that where able to go in town. They all ask the PTOs for donations. Some of the grammer schools feel they have alot of money and give them some. In the middle school I find it hard to give this one group a sum of money. There are other groups in the school who never ask for money but if we give it to OM shouldn't we give some to every group? We have been asked to give $100.00 per child or at least a loan of $4,000 to cover the cost until they raise the money. We have this same problem every year. How do other PTOs handle their OM teams. How much do you give them? Do you feel a large sum of money should be handed to one group. I would like your thoughts on this because I cannot see how 1 group of 7 children should be given a large chunk of money for something they tried out for. They wanted to do this it was not forced on them. They know they have to fund raise but why do they feel that since they are representing the school that the PTO should give them money. We did buy them shirts (around $200.00), plus we paid for a pizza party. I'm posting the question because maybe I am not seeing the whole picture. Thank You for any help.
