Our PTO is looking into doing a honor roll party also . I think it is a great idea . We are a lower income school in colorado springs and our school doesn't honor every indiviual for honor roll it only honors three for each class that is 1 for academic 1 for citizenship and 1 for overall.

I personally don't love the idea of an honor roll party. I think it is more exclusionary that inclusionary ... I mean there are some kids that work hard every day and don't cut it to the honor roll...usually those children do receive some other type of recognition to assist in making them feel honored...through the school. We instituted a 'PTO Spirit Award' that is given each quarter. It is meant to recognize the child (or 2) in each class that the teacher feels comes to school every day with a great attitude and works hard to do their best routinely and has a great school spirit. It has been very heartwarming to see those boys and girls that may not have been able to be recognized for anything else come forward and receive their award. They receive 2 'bobcat bucks" that they can spend in our spirit shoppe on Fridays. That award has been great as far as getting our name out there recognizing our great children.
The counter arguement is (and I'm always thinking this way) is that this is a school and recognizing the high achievers is good as well....We had our Odyssey of the Mind team get selected to go to the World championship adn while I was very proud of them and committed the manpower of the board to support their fundraisers, I did not support committing any money for the trip as I saw the group as too small to warrant the funds created to support the entirety of the student body with as much equal distribution as we could.

Anyway..just my thoughts..
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We are a K3-8th grade school and our school (not the PTO) plans and pays for an "Honor Roll breakfast" for children in grades 5-8 who make all A's (this is called the Principal's Honor Roll). We also have regular Honor Roll for grades 5-8, which is A's & B's but they don't get invited to the breakfast. The younger grades do not have an "Honor Roll" in our school. PTO doesn't have anything to do with it at our school.

PMCW

tlc - I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails. If this is a project your team wants to fund and you're all great with the idea, then go for it! I just know the community I come from and this would have snowballed into a big mess for us. Especially in small towns when students are in mulitple activities, it doesn't take long for word to get around that "the PTO is playing favorites".

Actually, I had a parent call me once and ask why the PTO bought flowers for the girls basketball team's banquet but didn't do anything for the boy's team. A mom, who just happened to be on the PTO board and had a daughter on the team decided to use her own money to buy the flowers. It was crazy and I spent a week of back and forth phone calls convincing parents that we did not use PTO money.

CrewChief, I guess I never thought about it that way. Our students are already rewarded for good citizenship and we have Student of the Month rewards as well. I always feel like whatever the PTO does, it just isn't enough.

Our school, not the PTO, pays for a special lunch for all the students who reach their reading goal halfway through the year as our reading goal is what we have the most trouble reaching. It is done at lunchtime. They serve pizza, chips, brownies, and pop. I believe at least half the school earned this reward. I've noticed more and more that schools are trying to use example and peer pressure to get other kids to work for goals and it seems to be working. Needless to say, my kids always work really hard over the summer so they are ready to meet their reading challenge. They also get a bi-monthly treat for meeting their goal. Our PTO has never been asked to pay for these things.