One thing I am always stressing to my fellow PTO Officers is that we don't share enough information with the parents.........starting with bookkeeping. I don't recall ever being shown a balance sheet for one of our fundraisers.........something I am hoping to change this year. I also express to the officers that we don't ever praise ourselves - there's no pat on the back or recognition for our efforts. Finally, we do not announce what we do with the funds. I do not in anyway mean to hint at even the slightest impropriety by this lack of follow through. But, I want the Treasurer to submit to me a balance sheet that I can include in the next PTO newsletter. The same thing when we spend money for school projects or equipment. Once that is completed an announcement should be printed in the next PTO newsletter. When parents know what has transpired they will make the effort to check it out and discuss it amongst themselves or with the teacher or just might gain a bit of respect for their PTO officers.

Any parent not involved in the PTO is going to have no idea what events are profitable or how much work it takes to put on a fund raiser or carnival. Do you write newsletters for distribution to all parents? After a PTO fundraiser or event do you publish a simple balance sheet in the following newsletter to show the profit or loss. Your parents are assuming that everything you touch is a money maker they don't know that some events will never be profitable. Some events may become a tradition or another event is simply for family entertainment.............if that's how you see it, then state it in your posters, advertising, flyers, etc.

Our PTO just held our Annual Spring Fling we've never charged admission to any event but felt the necessity this year because we had to rent 300 chairs. In our advertising we stated the admission was to offset the cost of the chair rental. Most people don't complain about paying for something if they know why they're paying for it. Don't be afraid to divulge details but keep them to a minimum. If you want the parents to continue attending the fundraisers and spending their cash, then you should be willing to keep them informed.

We just spell them out in the flyers. If the fundraisers are also family events, call the "FUN"draisers. If they are truly events, no fundraising, call them "celebrations", or "community spirit events".

momofzoandri;132958 wrote: I do think we need to make a greater effort to communicate with all families at our school. In the past it seems that the attitude is if you don't attend the meetings too bad for you. I somewhat have that attitude but am trying to be more pragmatic that I can't force people to come. And perhaps if we communicate better in general more people will come.

I used to have this same thought as well. Being so heavily involved in PTO work the info was all around me all the time. It didn't occur to me that others weren't nearly as informed. And, I figured if they wanted to know or be more involved, they'd ask.

After taking the year off here at a new school, I saw the PTO from the opposite perspective. Nothing comes home, no info is shared. If I didn't know better, I'd think the school didn't even have a PTO. My impression is that they have it all figured out and don't need any help from me. If they did need help, they'd ask.... right? Maybe they're sitting around wondering why more parents don't come out to help.

I have to take this lesson with me to my next school. Balanced communication is my goal. Too many fliers may overwhlem and frustrate the parents and cause them to toss them in the garbage, while not enough may send the message that we don't need help.

momofzoandri;132958 wrote: There are alot of fundraisers at school but only two that are "PTO" but I am sure that most people don't separate PTO from other fundraisers, it is just someone at school asking for money.

Yes, the vast, vast majority of your parents will make no distinction here. The "fundraising overkill" issue has to be considered across the whole school, not just specifically to your group. Good place for principal to get involved.

Tim

Wow thanks for the suggestions. I do agree that it is a communication problem. There are alot of fundraisers at school but only two that are "PTO" but I am sure that most people don't separate PTO from other fundraisers, it is just someone at school asking for money.

I love the fundraiser package idea. I know when we started at the school I was overwhelmed with the fundraising just as many parents are now. I have learned to pick and chose. No fundraiser seems to suffer from my lack of participation and I am happier supporting those activites I chose.

I do think we need to make a greater effort to communicate with all families at our school. In the past it seems that the attitude is if you don't attend the meetings too bad for you. I somewhat have that attitude but am trying to be more pragmatic that I can't force people to come. And perhaps if we communicate better in general more people will come. That's my PollyAnna view anyway

Thanks again

Angela

At the beginning of the year we sent home our fundraiser package. This package included all the different fundraisers that would be available during the school. Yes it was big and thick but this allowed parents the opportunity to figure out which fundraisers they wanted to parcipate. The package includes those fundraisers that cost money plus the ones that didn't. We have two major fundraisers a year a silent auction and a golf tournment which combined brings in $30K of our fundraising money. We are a small school of 100 families. Some of our other fundraisers included sending in BTFE, campbell labels, farm fresh receipt, mcdonald nursery receipts, regristering grocery cards, target cards, etc. We do originial artwork, ice cream socials at cold stone creamery, and a read a thon. The PTO does do a fall picnic which is totally free and open to all members of the students and their families. We use this as a back to school function. YOu could always have business sponsor booths at the picnic in lieu of charging your families. You could your sponsors that they will have a sign up on the booths, they would be listed in your programs, newsletter, website for advertising purposes. This doesn't only work for golf tournaments but other items as well. You could have plastic cups with the school names and the sponsors on the back as a way to advertise. We ordered school spirit items that most kids by from the bookfairs with our logo on it and sell it at the picnic. That is the only item that cost anything that day.