WE are SO LUCKY!! THe one check we have seen was totally handled by the Business Office at school! They took care of the letters (sent home certified) and whatever else they did!
Not sure if I would send home a notice home in the backpack though... but I barely see report cards!
Last year, we racked up over $500 in bad checks & bank fees. So far this year, the amount is $32.
This year, we print the words "Returned checks are charged a $20 fee plus the amount of the check" on all flyers for events we accept checks. We also include a sign with the same verbage near cash registers during book fairs and other events we accept checks. Made a HUGE difference.
And of course, we send to returned check signers asking them to pay the bank fees and the amount of the checks. Just letting people know the charges for a returned check made a big difference from last year!
Our treasurer sends a letter home asking them to remit payment plus the bank fees and she gives them her number so they may contact her if need be. If we get no response or payment our principal then sends a letter home to them or phones them. Once they get a letter or a call from him the money usually appears at once. We are lucky that he gets involved in this way.
We don't plan on putting NSF check writer's names in the newsletter. The Board just wants me to write a genral note explaining how NSF checks impact our programs and what our policy will be on these. I was just wondering if another PTO has done something similar so that I could get an idea of what to write.
Our PTO is very lucky. We do not get many NSF checks. However, we just had our first one in a year. Our policy is to absorb the cost. The bank we use does not charge us any fees, so we are only out the amount of the check. I don't think you should put the names in the newsletter. You could just put a general note, saying there have been a few NSF checks and that anyone with one, can send in the money.
Any time a parent bounces a check (for anything), we first send a note home in the backpack. Just a standard letter that your check (include #), amount and what it was for came back. We ask that they pay us by money order or certified funds the amount of the check plus the bank fee within 2 weeks. 2nd notice gets mailed to the house. 3rd notice is certified mail and a warning that no further checks will ever be accepted for any PTO run function. We post their name on the "do not accept" list and for any further fundraiser/service where we collect money, we just don't take the check. We send a note home with the child that they have to come back with cash/money order or pay up all that is due.
I would not post their names in a newsletter but a general warning that any bounced checks will be charged a fee and that if they do not make good, they will not be allowed to submit checks as payment for PTO run functions.
