I would appreciate anyone that would share a good budget form. we are still trying to set up categories and line items for proposed budget. please help email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thanks for the feedback. We looked at the REAL dropboxes last year, and I would love to have one. But the one we wanted was $500 and we just didn't want to give up spending that money directly on the kids.
Ours is actually a big, sturdy wooden box (maybe 30"h x 18"w x 12" deep) with a hinged top, a thin slit in the top, and combination padlock. For this time of year, when it's $3, $6, $8 coming in, it stays in the workroom (off the office) and the Treasurer and I meet each afternoon to empty it. It's not Fort Knox, but it works for us.
As far as your situation - money missing from the school safe - YIKES! What was the investigation like? Do too many people have access, so nothing could be done?
The fact of the matter is, it would be so EASY to take money from a PTO, especially relative small amounts. Even with pretty good controls, a lot of it is just faith and luck (in my opinion). I ran up to school last night about 8pm and there was form with $3 cash just sitting on top of our cabinet. No envelope, cash right on top. (It wasn't there earlier when I picked up cash and forms.) Our entire custodial crew works at night, we have workmen in the building, a YMCA program until 6:30, etc.
JHB, We are all dealing with this. We had over $1,000.00 stolen from the "school safe" that was waiting for the treasurer to pick up. I think a drop safe would be ideal but you need the room in the office for it. We looked into it and they run about $300.00. Which is not a bad investment at all. I would highly recommend it, as the school is surely not liable for our money. Any other ideas?
We've discussed this topic before, but I'd like to revisit it now as school is beginning. How do you handle the incoming funds during the chaos of these first few weeks?
Our PTO has some pretty good cash control policies that work well when PTO officers are on-site actively manning a table. Two people always count cash, etc.
However, during these first few weeks, we have money for membership ($3) and T-Shirts ($6-$8) drifting in from all over the school during the day when officers are not present. Our plan is that it goes into our locked drop box or to the school secretary (who sells T-Shirts for us). An officer picks it up each evening, counts it with a second person, and prepares a funds received form, then it's handed over to the treasurer.
The reality is - money is EVERYWHERE, our general mailbox, my box, people hand me cash as I walk thru the halls, teachers clip it to the PTO cabinet, one parent gave hers to my second grader ....
We will continue to get the word out - "all forms with money go in the drop box". But these first few weeks are always tough. What do the rest of you do?
[This message has been edited by JHB (edited 08-16-2001).]
