I have found that if you offer a pizza party for the winning class, etc. that helps. Also, if you let your teachers know that the teacher of the winning class will get $20-$30 gift certificate that works even better. Something small will make a huge difference. [img]smile.gif[/img]
We are a society that thrives on incentives, not necessarily monetary. Some of the schools we work with try the following:
1) to have the top selling class receive a pizza party or some type of entertainer.
2) tie in a certain number of items sold to receiving gift certificates for classroom supplies.
3) when schools use cookie dough, I suggest baking a plate of cookies and place them in the teacher's lounge along with an order form if you are looking for them to participate or purchase.
and the list is endless.. here's a tip for you..
**** make sure any presentations to the class or teacher is made public.. have the principal, pta president, staff and students witness the offering*****
Of course, we know teachers are underpaid, but recognition is the next best step to making them feel worthwhile. Perhaps more so than money.
We did get the teachers involved this year by offering a prize to the teacher with the most sales in her class.
We offered to the teacher the choice of $100. Gift certificate to Borders or Staples his/her choice to spend on his/her classroom. On turn in days we did ask the teachers to wear funny hats during homeroom which we supplied. We only allowed students to bring in the money on Mondays to control the cash in the school. Each monday afternoon we did annouce the homeroom with the most sales and they had a special treat on Tuesday to keep the fun going.
To support sales - you mean to send out the fundraising packets? Or do you mean to buy things themselves? If you mean the former - we deliver the packets to the homeroom and put a note on top asking them to get them out that day. Buying things? - They're just like a regular customer, if they like it they buy it...
To remind parents and students - you can ask them to put it in their weekly letter to parents if they do one but we don't think that's their job. We send out a 1/2 page reminder note to all families a couple of days before we want orders back. If we notice a whole classrooms worth of orders missing we would put a note in the teachers mailbox. Most teachers want that stuff out of their rooms as quickly as possible because they don't need the clutter or the responsiblity of money in collection envelopes.
