Ok, thanks for everyone who replied. <deep breath> I was wrong. I obviously have issues with the principal and pres that I need to work out myself and not make everything into a big deal. Having been a stay at home mom for years, I obviously need to learn to work well with others.
We pay the school $500 for the privilege of unrestricted copying throughout the year. If we want special colored paper, we buy it ourselves, otherwise we use the school's paper. There are about 700 kids in our school, so we go through 1 1/2 reams everytime we send home a flyer.
We have to pay for our copies-which makes us very respectful of the amount we do and ask the families to read. We pay $2.25 for each ream of paper and $.001 for every "copy" made. To cut costs and make sure we have the supplies we need, we purchase our paper at office supply stores when it is on sale. We have a school of 500 so we pay less than $3 everytime we do an all school, full page flier. When you are in a district that is constantly having budget issues, it would be fiscally irresponsible for them not to charge us. Also, I have had to make copies at a copy store when the school's copier was down and it cost me about 10 times what the school charges. They only way we found to cut down our copy costs was to buy an old lazer jet printer because it prints around 10,000 black and white copies on one toner cartridge.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
We don't pay for copies, but yes, it costs the school ALOT for paper and toner each year. I have offered to buy the PTO copy paper and was told not to. I think I'm going to do it this year though. We do a monthly newsletter/calendar and if there is an event we send home extra flyers.
Yes... we gave $500 to the school to cover our copy expenses. Our principal only asked for $100 but after realizing just how expensive all of our copies are, we gave more. We may give even more this year.
I respectively suggest that you ask to see the school budget... copy expenses are extraordinarily high! On average, we send out AT LEAST one flyer a week.... that's a lot of paper in one school year!
A principal has a tough job... on a very limited budget, they have to meet everyone's needs. Based on the information provided, I doubt your principal would ask for the money if it wasn't truly needed.
Best of luck with whatever happens.
Kelley
Madison PTO
Mount Vernon,WA
