Our school submits a budget (based upon parent/teacher/student/principal requests) to the general PTO for a vote. We pay for classroom money ($ amount per student), educational assemblies, annual events, music programs, microscopes, etc. Currently we are working towards a big expenditure (a new playground). We also annually do a Staff Appreciation Luncheon (some feel as if we spend too much)...and we do a nice one. The board members generally believe that the staff assists our PTO in pulling together our events. The school office staff get our events approved, make copies and get everything to our teachers. They even publish our newsletter! The maintenance/custodial staff assist us with set up and clean up after events. They open and close the facilities for us. The teachers help publicise our events. Our principal and vice principal are very supportive. The list goes on! A little appreciation goes a long way. We get donations and work really, really hard and put together a nice buffet luncheon with all 70 staff members receiving a gift of some sort. It is worth the cost.
Denise
What do you spend for your luncheon for teacher appreciation? Just curious...alot of schools get this kind of expense donated which is what I'm trying to figure out.
Thanks
Shelly
Continuing from last post (I hit a wrong button!!!)
We purchase:
workbooks & teacher printer ink
give $ for student christmas/easter gifts
Accelerated ready program (prizes/books)
give each class $ towards field trips
Good conduct awards
Other school awards (IOWA/State testing)
Classroom parties (for most parents attending PTO meetings)
Luncheon for teacher/staff appreciation
Turkey/dressing for Pot Luck PTO meeting
Donuts for Dad/Muffins for Mom for PTO members
We pay for the sixth grade awards program (Our school is PK - 6)
All purchases are decided by board members. We dont necessarly hold meetings each time, but we do contact each other often. No one makes a purchase without speaking with the treasurer.
Our by-laws are very vague about what the money should be spend on. Over the years, a budget has been created and mostly we stick to that budget. Some of the items that we spend funds on include:
student workbooks (set $ amount per child)
teacher printer ink (this is the first year for this expenses, so far we have only spent $400 on a faculty of 32.
Our group is in the process of obtaining 501c3 status. The whole thing has been a very confusing process. I'm not sure how it will end up affecting our group (i.e. what our by-laws will actually look like, what new financial procedures will be required, etc.)
In the meantime I am assuming that, for our purchases, we should refer to our PTO Mission Statement (which was written when the school opened 50+ years ago). Many organizations large and small have one on file, somewhere. I would suggest to you that you dust yours off as well. If the purchases fit the Mission Statement, then your officers are being responsible in their purchasing decisions.
