Historically, our PTO pays the school a one-time fee for the use of the copier all year. No one has ever figured out how many copies we make, though we do have our own code. Officers and committee chairs have the copier code and can use the machines for quick jobs or off hours, but our paraprofessionals prefer we leave our large copying jobs for them to work into their day's schedule.It's a great symbiotic relationship between the PTO and the school.

OUr school district gives each teacher/staff a special code for copying and an alottment of copies per month/year. Our PTO in the past (Before the codes) would buy a case of white or whatever color the school secretary needed a the time approximately 2 or 3 times a year to replace what the PTO used. I as a mom and PTO member would buy the secretary a hugh bag of office supplies to replace what the PTO or I may have borrowed and forgot to put back (ex: pencils, pens, tape for her dispenser, sticky pads, note pads, paper clips, staples etc.) Sometimes I would put them in a planter or a mug (something cute) that she could use in the office.

Once the copying codes where assigned, our PTO pays the district for copies over out allottment. We do try to combine notes to parents into one newsletter a month in conjuction with the principal. Sometimes this can't always be done but we try to conserve paper as much as we can.

Originally posted by boosterprez:
We raised over $52,000 for our schools this past year. We are an invaluable asset to our school community. The district considers allowing us to use the copy center the least they can do to allow us to raise monies for our kids. Whether the copying bill is being paid by district funds or PTO funds, it's still the parents' money...

We also supply our own paper, but the principal insists that we use their copiers gratis and says she wishes there were more services the school could provide for us since then more $$ would go towards the good stuff.

I don't see this as a 501c3 violation in any way. It's just another group offering its resources. If Kinko's decided to give us unlimited copies, that would be OK, too.

And we are really taking the pennies worth of copier toner and turning it into dollars, so the part about using up taxpayers' money is moot.

I also am A president and have been for four years ,we replace what we use paper wise,not ink. which now that I think of it we should at least replace on cartridge.

As some of ya'll have stated previously, our school (grades prek-8)lets us have free use of the copiers but we have to provide our own paper. I just went and bought a case of white paper (for open house info packets, sign ups, etc.) and will probably go back and buy a case of colored paper. There is a code for the copiers that is given to executive members only (and committee chairs). I guess it was a problem in the past, but with such a tight budget, the school can literally not afford to supply us with paper. Because we have such a large span in the grades, we send home a BUNCH of things and we just don't feel right about taking the school's paper.

The copy machine that the school leases (a really nice one) has unlimited copies. So...no matter how much it's used, there isn't an extra cost to the school. So our PTA uses the machine without a charge. But...the school does has a limited budget on paper and runs out frequently. So..we supply our own paper - we purchase it through the school and pay the bill. We purchase white paper and colored paper. Our budget is $300 for paper. We usually have money left over in this line item - so at the end of the year we give what's left to the school to buy paper for them.

On another note - Office Max (and others probably) will allow you to bring in used ink cartridges (any kind) and they will give you a ream of paper for each one. You can bring 5 at a time. Since paper is at least $3.00 a ream - this is "more for your buck" if you recycle cartridges this way instead of sending them to a recycling company for cash - the payout (from my experience) has never been $3.00 a cartridge. Trading for paper makes more sense to me. We collect the cartridges in the office and trade them in throughout the year. Every little bit helps.