At our school we hold one fundraiser per year. However, our school houses 1500 students. What we do is disregard all the obnoxious toys, and the loads of candy that the students would receive for making a sale. What ever the profit be for the school after paying for all the items, (profit usually consists of over ($8,000) we then use this money to pay for our end of the year picnics we hold for the students of all levels grades K-8. At the picnics we give them lunch, moon bounce, obstacle course, DJ, popcorn, cotton candy, ice cream, water, fake tattoos, face painting, etc. Hope this helps. Timony PTO Pres..
Farmer mom, have you tried contacting the PTO president and/or fundraising chair outside of the meetings to suggest specific alternative fundraisers? I know it's sometimes hard for groups to envision doing something differently when they've gotten in a rut, but perhaps if you proposed specific alternatives and offered to help run them they would be more responsive.
If that hasn't worked, you might try the indirect route. Perhaps you could interest your PTO or school in sponsoring some events specifically aimed at improving health. I know one local PTO here has sponsored a sort of carnival/educational workshop on nutrition for its students (in an effort to encourage them to eat more of the healthier offerings the cafeteria was trying), and my kids' school participates in Jump Rope for Heart for the American Heart Association. Our PTO also sponsors a schoolwide "walk" to raise funds for field trip scholarships, to cover field trip costs for kids who otherwise couldn't afford to participate.
If you could ease people there into a healthier mindset, they might become more interested in phasing out the junk food.
Our school holds six fundraisiers on it's own nd the PTO has 3. My 3 in school participate in 1 for the school and 1 for the PTO.
I am fed up with the crappy toys that would often break on the way home from school!
Maybe attention could be attained by a simple letter the editor of the local paper. You never know how many other parents are tired of the dentist bills!!!
My advice tp you would be just not to participate in these sales. If your child doesn't sell anything then they cannot be rewarded with a giant candy bar. This is also your way of saying I do not argree with this so we are not participating. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Clearly from what you said you are fighting an uphill battle in that the group and the administrators do not want to stop this sale.
I say to each their own and just don't participate if you disagree with it.
I do think it is terrible and wrong that your parent group will not allow you to address them.
I see that as the biggest issue here. Even if the group disagrees with you, you should still be entitled to voice and discuss with them your issues on this matter.
It is so hard trying to get my parent's group out of the rut they have fallen into with their junk food fundraisers! In our school, the kids are rewarded with GIANT candy bars for selling the most junk food and they are also released from their PE run.
I am concerned about the health of my own children and family (of course) and rarely buy or consume junk food. I resent the school's apparent endorsement of unhealthy products through these sales, and their undermining of the health of our community. With a quarter of Americans now disabled by obesity and the US Surgeon General identifying childhood obesity as our number one challenge to health, I feel it is about time to stop this junk food selling mania at school!
I've talked to the school administrators, they are unwilling to lean on the parent's club about the junk food sales because the school wants those profits. I've talked to the PE teachers, they don't like the school junk food sales one bit. I've talked to the district (assistant) superintendent, who is obese, and was told he feels that obesity is "society's problem, not OUR (the schools) problem."
I have patiently attended the club's meetings for a year now without being allowed to say one word about this topic at our meetings. It appears the committee chair has a personal relationship with the sales representative of the junk food company. I have no evidence of kickbacks, but when there is a contract worth 10's of thousands to the junk food company, it would not surprise me.
I guess I will try contacting a senator in our state (CA), who has successfully gotten soft drinks out of our schools in grades 8 and below. Any other ideas appreciated.
