When our teachers get extra money like this at the end of the year they tend to put it towards field trips or end of testing parties. When we offered incentives with our Spring Fundrasier, we offered it in the form of school supply store gift cards because most teachers don't need a lot in the way of classroom supplies towards the end of the year. This made it so we knew what they could buy-classroom stuff-but they didn't have to spend it right away if they didn't need it. Our group also handles all of these fund disbursements because our district has certain expense policies that even if we give them money and documentation could just casue problems and of course because we don't really know what will happen to money once it leaves our hands.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
Whenever we distribute money to teachers, one check is written to the school and we provide a list of who gets what amount and it is deposited into their spending accounts. That way there can be no doubt that the money is used in the classroom.
We run Market Day fundraiser at our school. Last month they ran a cookie dough special you could earn $4.00 per tub of cookie dough sold. Our incentive to get families to participate was we said all funds raised would go back to their child's classroom/teacher. We had a pretty good turn out. Some teachers are recieving over $200.00 to put toward their classroom. However, do we issue the teacher a check in the amount their classsroom earned or do we provide them the total they earned and have them provide receipts before they get the funds. We need help because we need to get the funds distributed.
