we also give $100. per year to each teacher. we also have specific fund raising targeted for greenhouse projects which they can request at any time. and if they need funds for something we will disscuss and vote on that as an expenditure. we are always reminding our teachers that they have this money to spend and usually don't get asked for it until the very end of the year.
We also do something similiar. Last year we had a fund called the PTSO Room Representative Fund. Each teacher has a PTSO Room Rep. which is a parent volunteer from their room who agrees to attend the monthly meetings and be the liason for the teacher. The fund was $400.00 and the Room Rep. could request that a vote be taken to approve funding for a specific item needed or wanted by their teacher. We approved items ranging from a flag case, CD player to stickers and die cuts! This was a separate fund from the $100.00 per teacher.
This year we are increasing the individual teacher funds from $100.00 each to $300.00 due to increases in our income from fundraisers. [img]smile.gif[/img]
Before last year, we used to give $50 per teacher (including Special Ed. specialists). However, last year we tried something new, we put a mini-grant system in place. We gave each teacher a supply of mini-grant forms at the beginning of the year. On these forms they would request funds from the PTO for a specific project or item they needed for their classroom. We found that no matter which system we used, not all teachers took advantage. With the old $50 method we found they were spending it on small supplies they needed to get their classrooms ready for the fall. With the mini-grant system, they were asking for bigger items, some were even requests for items that could be used by all classes. However, it is always the same ones that ask for more than others. I wish there was a way to make it more evenly distributed between all of the classes and programs.
Our group has never done it this way (we give anywhere between $50-$200 per teacher, depending on who is president), but I have always thought that the fairest way is a 'per child' amount. Some schools give X amount per child in the classroom. This way, each class is issued a fair and impartial amount. If Mrs. Jones class has 17 students and Mr. Smiths class has 28 students, it doesn't seem fair that both classes get the same amount, a bulk sum. I mean, that is the way we almost all do it, but I think per child makes more sense.
We have each teacher $100 per year. And if the buy $crip the profits they earn can also be used for their classroom. On top of that if the have any special requests they can come to the Parent Club with individual requests on a case by case basis for consideration.
