Our room parents know that they must account for all monies collected. They are expected to keep all receipts in the case of a discrepancy. We make this very clear through our room parent handbook and at our room parent meetings. So far we have not had any problems. Usually the room parents collect per party that way they are not responsible for budgeting a large amount over the entire year.
We are looking to change the system for class party funds also. It's one of those "this is how it's always been done" things. But we had the Room Parent Coordinator send out the letters asking for room parents and $5 or $3 fee (depending on the grade and amount of parties), then when the parent was picked, they would be given instructions at the Room Parent meeting, and be given the money for their class.
Now apparently it has worked in the past, but this past year, we had a mother saying that she didn't have the money, when the other room mother knew she did. Parents end up using money out of their own pocket alot of times, because the amount given (nowhere near 100% of the class, maybe not even 50%) isn't nearly enough for what they want to do.
Would anyone suggest anything for us to do? Should we as a PTO take more control over it? Or just let the teachers be involved in the activities, etc with the parent? Seems everyone is offended if anyone looks over their shoulder with regards to the class parties.
At our school, we just changed our fundraising methods last year, but it's basically the same.
We used to collect $5 for classroom party fund at the beginning of the year. It got collected and put into the PTA funds. There is a line item in the budget for classroom parties. Then the Treasurer lets the Room parent know how much they have for their party at the end of the year. They can spend the money any time, but that's all they get. If they go over, it's too bad.
Now, we collect so much at the beginning of the year, then we give each classroom $5 per child. It's kept in the line item, until someone requests it. I keep track of how much the classroom has spent and how much is left in their funds.
It sounds like too much $$ out there if each room mom collects it them selves.
Our school stopped it when the new principal came. But each Head Room mother would ask for $5.00 donation towards the party funds from each student. Of course, not all children participated, but it at least helped with the costs of the parties. Crafts can be expensive and it helped to offset the costs of those and then the rest of the items were donated.
Each head room mother kept their own accounting of the money and there was never a problem since the teachers knew who brought in what and there was always a craft at the parties.
About 10 years ago, our Parents' Association (PA) started a Sunshine Fund. At the beginning of each year, room reps collect money from the classroom parents and use this money throughout the year for classroom parties, teacher gifts, and incidentals. Do any other schools do this? And if so, how is the money managed? Do your room reps keep the money and reciepts? Do they keep it as cash in an envelope or open an account? We now have about as many ways of managing these funds as we have room reps, and I'm uncomfortable with the ad hoc approach. One consideration is having our PA fund the parties through the typical submit receipt/get reimbursed by the Treasurer procedure. Any suggestions would be helpful.
