We have 2 fundraisers a year and we spend the money on assemblies, field trips, classroom supplies, all kindergarteners get keep books(short story books for beginners) 1st - 5th grade get homework planners,band & chorus get T-shirts, our 5th graders get a BBQ & yearbook, volunteer luncheon & teachers luncheon, Red Ribbon week, and new maps for our 4th & 5th grade classes. We also pay for a science program for every class & family nites(such as swimming at the YMCA, Movie nite at a local theatre, skating nite & bowling). Computer & programs for our ESL class and for our library. Supplies needed for our Art Room and for Gym (stuff the board of Ed. feels isn't necessary). If we have money left over at the end of the year we do a wish list per grade level.

Our PTO funds are used to fund various programs at our school (caught being good, PBIS Celebrations, Red Ribbon Week, Black History Mo., Principal's Club, Safety Patrol, etc.). We pay for all assemblies, reimburse our classroom teachers 200.00 per year, for each grade level we purchase supplemental instructional materials - to be determined by the teachers. We have a student welfare fund to help pay for field trips for students that can't afford them - we even bought a couple pair of gym shoes this year. Each grade level gets an allotment for field trip transportation fees. We purchase ellison die cuts etc. Hope that helps -

At my own school, our fundraiser has always done very well (yes, one fundraiser-this year with $54,000 raised) I also have three charter schools and one private school along with the other 26 schools that are public in my council.
Our school's PTA has paid for the salary of our PE Aide ever since the school began. We pay $10 per student to the teachers as "start up funds" but it's used for fieldtrips whatever that class needs but receipts must be provided in return.
We built a habitat. Half of a new computer lab, fund Art Masterpiece and Destination Imagination, new library books, leveled readers, special paints, safety vests, fund an artist that travels the schools, teacher training, Welcome back to school lunches, first day of Kindergarten pictures and it's varied from tissues to cookies, Teacher Appreciation, volunteer appreciation, a sock hop, a health and safety fair, bicycle rodeo, BBQ, and this year with surplus of $14,000 over budget, we bought new music instruments, projectors, additional teacher training $, a kindergarten aide, started a fund for new playground equipment, and special boxed reading kits. (not all of it but all I can think of right now)
Yes, we are PTA. We (speaking as Council now) advise that certain items have the money donated to the school to purchase, ie hardware that will require upkeep that cannot be guaranteed by PTA, that 3 events equal one fundraiser and that we acknowledge that certain items are the responsibilty of the BOE but we also realize that with budget cuts, the schools are relying heavily on us and we aren't being sticklers like some states (NJ PTA comes to mind) about "you cannot provide this" They aren't necessarily rules but guidelines you should follow to encourage the BOE to pay for what they are supposed to.
Other units under me buy anything and everything from copy paper to playground equipment. Our private school also helps fund one of our struggling units for some items by donating to their PTA.

[ 05-28-2004, 04:02 AM: Message edited by: Michelle B ]

This year we gave approx. $200 per class for use by the teacher for field trips, supplies, enrichments, etc. We fund a visiting author, cultural day, all clubs, landscaping, bus transportation for field trips...we donated $400 in books to each classroom thanks to our bookfair profits...we also purchased special requests like new incubators for the egg hatching program in kindegarten and plants for our ecology center. In past years we bought air conditioners...playground equipment...computers...we also have family fun nights, science fair, fun stuff like that.

We also just funded a set of computers at around $30,000....we are waiting for the principal to come up with some other big-ticket items. We also give $200 to the teachers for supplies. We don't have a "budget" as such--where the money is slotted to go to particular places. We have also helped buy playground equipment. We are a private school so PTA rules don't govern us. Our parents prefer our money to go straight to things that benefit the children directly.
Shelly

In the past years, we reimbursed teachers for $50-$100 of supplies, bought science equipment, computers, software, paid for educational speakers/programs, teacher appreciation items, risers for the music department, library books, calculators, an audio/speaker system, shade structure for the playground, PE supplies (tennis rackets, this year). It varies from the large to the small.

But starting this year, the school now owns the two sales fundraisers and they want parent groups to focus more on volunteerism. (And they will not be asking the PTO for much - financially.)

So we still have our funds from membership,T-shirt sales, and school supplies (all trivial) and then our spring event which nets maybe $3000. So we'll be doing much less in the future in terms of buying things.