Our PTO has just started fundraising for the first time, so we asked the parents & teachers to identify their list of priorities for spending. The big things were buses for field trips, library books and art materials. We elected to spend 50% of our funds raised on these things immediately & the rest is in the bank for the next school year. We have a major goal of an arts program, so there's a lot of work to be done!
We also use our funds to pay for free after school programs for our students. Faculty agrees to teach a fun after school program at no charge to students. We the PTO agreee to pay $10.00 per hour.
Also we do alot with the Fitness Finders program. We do the mileage club with our students. This company also has other charms available. We have bought the "thumbs up ","book worm " "High five" charms. We give them to the teachers for them to use as rewards.They add them to the braclets they got from mileage club. The kids have really started to get competive about who has the most. One of the best ways to spend to spend $$$. It actually doesn't even cost alot.
Field Trips
Programs
Snacks for school parties
Box Tops rewards and mailings
Bereavement flowers and plants
Planners for grades 3-5
Folders for grades K-2
National Geographic for grades 2-5
Weekly Reader for grades K-1
Teacher and Staff Appreciation Luncheons (2 per year)
Volunteer Luncheons (2 per year)
Welcome Back gifts for teachers and staff
Birthday pencils for students
Field Day
As you can see, we spend a lot of money every school year.
CrewChief;129380 wrote: One thing to keep in mind is that you may want to reserve some of those funds for fees and costs involved in restarting your group.
And as a plug here for the fantastic folks at PTO Today - perhaps consider a PTO Today Plus Membership for your group. The materials you can use as you rebuild your PTO will prove to be invaluable!
I'd say at least buy a start-up guide and study the forum. Anything you could possibly want to know about formalizing your group would be contained in those two places. If not, ASK.
Good luck!
If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down. <img src=images/smilies/smile.gif>
EVPTO - what an enviable position you're in! Congratulations on your presidency. And welcome to the PTO Today boards!!!
While gathering input here is sure to be helpful, I'd also recommend that you survey parents and staff.
Here is a list of some of things my previous groups have funded:
Field Trips
Teacher Reimbursements
Teacher Appreciation
Library Books
Accelerated Reader materials and prizes
Character Counts materials
Audio/Visual equipment
Computer Equipment
Arts Day
Art Supplies
Science Consumables
Playground Equipment
Student Directory
One thing to keep in mind is that you may want to reserve some of those funds for fees and costs involved in restarting your group.
And as a plug here for the fantastic folks at PTO Today - perhaps consider a PTO Today Plus Membership for your group. The materials you can use as you rebuild your PTO will prove to be invaluable!
Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts. And we are never, ever the same."
"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the true perfection of one's character."
I'm a recently-elected PTO president for a PTO that has done nothing for years. It has consisted of one person who did one fund raiser entirely on her own every spring. For our small school system she made a decent amount of money. After discussing this with her she said she just leaves the money in the account and if anyone ever calls her for anything at the school she just buys it or gives them the money. This last year the school has not asked for anything and she just finished up the fundraiser right before we took our places and started trying to "reactivate" the PTO. It is great that our PTO that now wants to get involved has an established fund to do things like family night and such but so far anything we've come up with wanting to do this year yet and next year are low-cost items. I am just wondering what everyone spends their money on besides putting it back into the group. There is over $4000 in our account now and that will about double with her fundraiser collections from this year. It seems a waste to have this money sit there and not go to use for the kids. Some of it goes to the kids for money at the book fair based on their fundraiser sales and some goes to buy the preschoolers small books to take home. Otherwise, there is nothing specific for it. In the past money has gone to new computers and an ear thermometer...not a lot of things. I see all of you discussing the large amounts of money you are raising and wonder what it is you are doing with these funds.
What we think, or what we know, or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only consequence is what we do.<br />
<br> - John Ruskin
