Fundraising

[Hillbeans]

My son went back to pre-k on September 13th. We just got our 3rd fundraiser and it's only October 11th.

Is it normal to be paying for pre-K and to have 3 fundraisers in the span of one month? I really don't know what's "normal" for this age group, but to me, it seems a bit much. I did participate in the first two, but I have zero interest in this new one, and I really want to choose not to participate (I can, it's an option on the form) however I feel almost as if I have to participate.

Anyone else in the same boat as me?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

3 fundraisers for a PRE-SCHOOL??

That does seem silly.

Our private school does fundraisers--but it is to keep their tuition as low as possible. I don't believe the pre-school portion participates.

 

[Barb D]

OK, that just seems excessive. One a year is PLENTY! And I don't even do those unless they're a specific event. I sent in cash donations for the catalog-style fundraisers.

 

[Pam]

We never had fundraisers when my son was in preschool!

 

[justhat]

My daughter just started preschool and so far we've just had 1 fundraiser, and it ends this week. It's one of those wrapping paper things. They have had other 'social events' for the parents that were free, but they felt like fundraisers cause all they did was talk about future fundraising efforts!

ETA: I neglected to mention that we have a few more coming up soon though. There's a book thing next weekend, and I think 1 more before Christmas, then in the spring there are 2 more I think. They made a big point to say that there are fewer this year than last, so I don't even want to know what that was like.

 

[mommytotwo]

At the preschool that I used to teach at, we had done just one fundraiser and it was a golf game/silent auction.
What different fundraisers did you do and what is the 3rd one?

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

DD is 4.5 and was in preschool last year and Pre-K this year. Her school has never had a fundraiser. However, her dance studio had one last year. It was only one for the entire year. 3 in one month seems quite excessive.

 

[maci]

Our school which is a preschool and private elementary. We do lots of fundraisers. Most are small ones. We dont expect the parents to participate in every one of them...or any. They are just oppurtunites to raise money for the school, even if we only make a little money off each one, that is something.

Maybe other schools are more high pressure about the fund raisers? I would just say participate only in the ones you want to.

 

[N.Bailey]

Did they tell you where the funds go from these fundraisers? I paid quite a bit of money to send my kids to preschool and I would have been a little ticked if they expected us to participate in fund raisers too.

We don't even have that many and both of my kids are in 8th grade. We do have for all the sports teams and such, but that's different than a school fund raiser, even if it's a sport run by the school. At least IMO it is.

Oh, and one teacher started a fund raiser for raising school supplies for Katrina victims, but I don't count that. A few years ago they also asked for money to help a family that lost everything in a fire. The kids went to the school though, so we all wanted to help.

 

[jajuan]

My DS12 has had 3 for athletics alone since mid August. I think it is definitely excessive for pre-school...any school for that matter.

 

[aprilgail2]

In preschool my daughter had 2 the whole year.....and once you get to grade school it get worse and worse...this year we had (in and out of school ) soccer chances, t-ball chances, karate chances, candles for karate, wrapping paper for school, make your own greeting cards for school, nuts for girl scouts, magazines for girl scouts....it gets worse and worse each year!!

 

[Hillbeans]

Mommyto two - The first fundraiser was a Scholastic Book fair, the second was selling the "Kids" entertainment books (I bought 4 of them and i'll keep 2 and give the other 2 away). This next one is homemade stationary - and I really don't need any more stationary, nor do I know anyone who needs any. I don't have to participate but I do have to admit I looked to see which class mom was running the fundraiser to make sure her child wasn't in my DS' class.

I know the "funds" go back into the school, but I think a lot of fundraising is just bought by the parents, and if they need the money, i'd rather pay an extra $10 a month for tuition instead of feeling as if I need to sell stationary at my work or to my neighbors or family.

 

[bananiem]

It sounds to me like they need to get one or two really good profit-makers and forget the little crappy ones.
What probably happened is that one parent said, "Oh, I make stationary and I'll give you proceeds from the profit" and the school thought "OK." But then how do you say no to the next parent that comes and says "I sell candles." etc.?

 

[Hillbeans]

It sounds to me like they need to get one or two really good profit-makers and forget the little crappy ones.
What probably happened is that one parent said, "Oh, I make stationary and I'll give you proceeds from the profit" and the school thought "OK." But then how do you say no to the next parent that comes and says "I sell candles." etc.?

I completely agree with this. The Kids entertainment books make a good profit for the school, $ 12.50 per book, however now every single school and organization in this area is selling them so they're not a novelty anymore.

I already know they're planning a Little Casears Pizza sale for the next one - which I would imagine is also not a big moneymaker. Oh well.

 

[SeeDisney]

My preschool only does two -- one in Fall and one in Spring.


But only I participate in it and I never asked my friends to "fund".

 

[mudnuri]

my nephew is in a private preschool

They started a week after labor day and so far they have done

bulbs
"genaric crap" all wrapped into one catalog
popcorn

My girls are i public elementary and have done their 1 and only fundraiser for the year alread..

I think my SIL is a bit ticked at me, I told her I would support him in 1 fundraiser, that was it, and the amount wouldnt change regardless of which one it is...I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on my own kids school (outside of taxes) im certainly not a private pre-school

Brandy