We have in the past given money to Project Charlie, a self-esteem/anti-drug program run by an outside agency in our elementary schools.

We also support some non-PTO events by holding funds collected and writing checks as needed (Math Pentathlon after-school program, lunchtime Spanish classes, etc.) We also have given scholarships for students unable to pay for the lunchtime and after school enrichment program offered by the district.

We recently had a request from the Boy Scouts to borrow one of our popcorn machines. Since they wanted to take it off-site, we denied the request since it would be difficult to get them to replace the machine if anything happened to it.

Hope this helps!

Ahhh, expenditures. I happen to have a budget right here in front of me. Here are some things: Holiday social, insurance, office supplies, seminar and training (like PTO conference), teacher appreciation, donations to public library, local fire company, local one room school house and local wildlife sanctuary (classrooms take field trips to all those places, or they give presentation to ele.), assemblies, book bags (vinyl things we have made for kids to take home classroom books), chair pockets (a pocket that fits on the back of chairs), class parties and awards, classroom supplies, District technology (this is a biggie - $5,000), Ellison machine dies, field trips, kindergarten orientation, student agendas, teacher allowances, Fourth grade cruise (a pretend cruise for the day for reading lots of books), yearbooks for fifth grade, egg/scavenger hunt, Earth Day, fifth grade ballet (field trip), second grade reading group, author visit, publishing center, Odyssey of the mind, scholarship for HS student.

Balanced budget, @ $23,000 comes in/goes out, school of @ 300 students K - 5.

We sponsor the boys and girls scouts...when the eagle scouts have a project and they do it on school grounds we normally help them cover the cost.

We also support our township fire department. Not by giving them funds we have but we do a change drive for them to go to the World police and fire games. They in turn give us a smaller version firetruck to use at our carnival where the kids can squirt the firehose.

We also do change drives for the redcross when children are effected. The last one was for Hurricane Charley

Michelle B - You mentioned Safety Fair. Can you give me details. You can contact me offline at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if details are too much to print here. Thanks.

Dee Rhoades PTO Pres
Indianapolis, IN

Kathie, to be honest with you, I am just trying to figure out, besides the school building, staff and students, where other groups are spending their money.

Okay, now I'm confused. Our old elementary school's operating budget is around $21,000 with 300 + students. I thought the question was just about groups not really connected to the school. They give donations to 3 different non-profits and just decided (my idea) to do a scholarship to an eligible HS graduate. Is that the kind of stuff you meant, Scottsmom?