How Do You Encourage Parental Involvment

[Pikester]

I've been where many of you parents have been. I was in PTO for almost 8 yrs in some capacity whether it was as a co-president, chairperson of an event or volunteer to run a game at the Halloween Festival. This year even though this would be my DS9 last year in the school that has a PTO I decided to take a break. Total burn out here.

With that being said there is one fundraiser that I love (was an idea from my DH) and it's a fundraiser that can get out of towners involved. We work with our local recreation department and a local mountain bike club to put on the Six in the Stix Trail run. It's a six mile run through the woods out behind our high school. Some of the trials have been there since I was a kid and others have been made by the bike club. We earned $2000 last year from this event. Our race is also the first race of a trail running series. There are 5 other rec depts that put on races through out the summer.

Another idea is just a road race of some kind. You could have a 5K with running and walking. The 5K is for those who like to run and then maybe have a shorter distance for families. It's a way to get out and exercise and earn some money. In the surrounding towns in my area there are Turkey Trots, Jingle Bell runs, BlackFly Blitz in the spring. People can pre-reg to get a discounted price and then race day reg is $5 or $10 more. You hold it rain or shine and can either sell donated goodies at the end or just have donated refreshments for free.

Just an idea.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

OK, this is more a generic problem than specific to fundraising:

The thing I hate about parent volunteer groups is that they tend to end up in gender specific roles.

When my kids started school, my wife and I wanted to be in the PTO. Half the meetings were in the morning , but we attended the first evening meeting. I was the only man there. Needless to say, we didn't go back to any of the meetings. 1 guy and 30 women in the room? Very uncomfortable.

In the dance studio my kids went to, it was mostly the Moms that were involved. Again, I didn't like showing up and being the only guy.

In marching band, both men and women go to the meetings, and both men and women volunteer, but in gender specific ways. The men that volunteer usually are the roadies. The men also run the Christmas tree sale. All of the officers are women. The women run the concession stands. Men and women both chaperon, but for football games its mostly just women. And they all know each other, and all have been doing it for a long time. This is our third year in marching band, and we are only now starting to feel like we aren't outsiders. It's very frustrating and offputting.

 

[luvsJack]

I've been where many of you parents have been. I was in PTO for almost 8 yrs in some capacity whether it was as a co-president, chairperson of an event or volunteer to run a game at the Halloween Festival. This year even though this would be my DS9 last year in the school that has a PTO I decided to take a break. Total burn out here.

With that being said there is one fundraiser that I love (was an idea from my DH) and it's a fundraiser that can get out of towners involved. We work with our local recreation department and a local mountain bike club to put on the Six in the Stix Trail run. It's a six mile run through the woods out behind our high school. Some of the trials have been there since I was a kid and others have been made by the bike club. We earned $2000 last year from this event. Our race is also the first race of a trail running series. There are 5 other rec depts that put on races through out the summer.

Another idea is just a road race of some kind. You could have a 5K with running and walking. The 5K is for those who like to run and then maybe have a shorter distance for families. It's a way to get out and exercise and earn some money. In the surrounding towns in my area there are Turkey Trots, Jingle Bell runs, BlackFly Blitz in the spring. People can pre-reg to get a discounted price and then race day reg is $5 or $10 more. You hold it rain or shine and can either sell donated goodies at the end or just have donated refreshments for free.

Just an idea.

THANKS!!! That is a great idea! We live close to a place called "Rails for Trails" or something like that where they made the old railroad track into a place to walk/run/bike. It would be perfect!! Oh, I will start talking to some people about that to get it going. Thank you so much!!

 

[rszdtrvl]

I still love to volunteer for my son's school!

He is in junior high, and very active in the school travel club. I try to chaperone as many trips as possible. The more I am familiar with his classmates, the better, IMO.

I am also going to chaperone the Explore America trip in 2012 to Washington DC/New York.

I am blessed enough to be a SAHM, plus my son is an only child. I am very lucky that I have the time and ability to be able to chaperone, when so few parents are able to.

Maybe I am one of those "Helicopter" parents, maybe not. When I do chaperone, my son is not always in my group, by his choice. I am cool with that.

I have been chaperoning events through the schools since he was in kindergarten, and have no plans of stopping. At least until he graduates.

 

[luvsJack]

Your program isn't failing because of lack of involvement, it is failing because of lack of FUNDING. School programs should NOT have to rely on fundraisers to exist. Perhaps your time would be better spent getting your community to support, financially, the SCHOOLS as a whole so you don't have to do so much fundraising for every single activity.

The school system gives each activity/organization a certain amount of money out of the activity budget, the rest has to be raised by the parents. I don't know how its done in other school systems but that has always been the way its done here. It is not enough to pay for costumes, props and backdrops. It goes toward competition fees and paying the bus driver and other expenses like that. ALL of our programs rely on fund raising. Teams, cheer, student council--all of it.

And up until now that has worked fine. YES, it is because of lack of involvment. Nothing changed from last year except lack of involvment.

Instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater next year, you might want to consider cutting back on trips. I think you can have a show choir without going to Disney. I mean, you have to raise $1000 for the year, right? How much of that is Disney?

Probably about 1/3 of it is the trip. Beginning next year it may be changed to every other year that will have to be looked at, but I think we will research other places to go and then see if we can do a trip every year or what. Actually after next year, it will be up to whoever is in charge then.

Can you do show choir and find other places to compete that are more local and not so expensive?

I know nothing about "show choir" however Disney can't be the only place where you would compete, right?

Why are they going to Disney? Sounds like an optional thing and not an "earned" competition. In other words, you just sign up as opposed to having earned your way there through winning other competitions.

Why? I am really not sure. That was something that was already decided last year, I guess. The trip was always a choice between two places with one place being Disney. And someone decided to do Disney. (not me--we already had a trip planned for June)

They will compete in several local competitions, those are about $200-$250 to compete in (cost of the whole show choir).

And, maybe we could go somewhere cheaper. That may be something I can bring to the president. I know there is a competition in Dollywood and one in Branson.

MTE....

The reality/issue here is that there are big ideas/dreams that require a $1,000.00 commitment. (not that parents have to commit to 'helping' their child learn to sing/perform)

Like somebody else here just said, raising that kind of money is like a second JOB.

This kind of thing (this level of participation, competition, travel) needs better, and more realistic financial planning/support, etc... from those in charge. (not a huge group of 'involved' but frustrated and resentful parents.)

The schools cannot put more money into this or any other activity. They are doing good to pay the teachers right now. And the parents knew this going in or at least they signed the same form I did so they should have read it.

The few of us that are involved are willing to do the work to make this year, if not a success, the best we can do. And next year, I will take the bull by the horns and make changes.

I think I will also find out who is over the Booster Club or Band Booster and see about the two going together on some big fund raisers. There may be only a few of us next year too but we will just change how things are done so we can make it work.

 

[luvsJack]

I still love to volunteer for my son's school!

He is in junior high, and very active in the school travel club. I try to chaperone as many trips as possible. The more I am familiar with his classmates, the better, IMO.

I am also going to chaperone the Explore America trip in 2012 to Washington DC/New York.

I am blessed enough to be a SAHM, plus my son is an only child. I am very lucky that I have the time and ability to be able to chaperone, when so few parents are able to.

Maybe I am one of those "Helicopter" parents, maybe not. When I do chaperone, my son is not always in my group, by his choice. I am cool with that.

I have been chaperoning events through the schools since he was in kindergarten, and have no plans of stopping. At least until he graduates.

Don't feel bad if you are a "helicopter parent", you sound like the good kind. If parents don't volunteer the kids don't get to do things, that is just the way it works.

I chaperone a lot of stuff too. Always have. We always have had fun with it. The kids get a big kick out of it when dh and I talk the dj at dances into playing something country and we 2-step. At first my own kid will have the horrified look on their face but when the other kids start asking us to teach them how to 2-step, they come out to the dance floor and dance with us too. And, of course, we always have to let them teach us one of their dances.

And my kids would always ask "mom, ya'll are going to chaperone, right!"

 

[Pikester]

THANKS!!! That is a great idea! We live close to a place called "Rails for Trails" or something like that where they made the old railroad track into a place to walk/run/bike. It would be perfect!! Oh, I will start talking to some people about that to get it going. Thank you so much!!

Glad to help!

 

[elizke]

OK, this is more a generic problem than specific to fundraising:

The thing I hate about parent volunteer groups is that they tend to end up in gender specific roles.

When my kids started school, my wife and I wanted to be in the PTO. Half the meetings were in the morning , but we attended the first evening meeting. I was the only man there. Needless to say, we didn't go back to any of the meetings. 1 guy and 30 women in the room? Very uncomfortable.

In the dance studio my kids went to, it was mostly the Moms that were involved. Again, I didn't like showing up and being the only guy.

In marching band, both men and women go to the meetings, and both men and women volunteer, but in gender specific ways. The men that volunteer usually are the roadies. The men also run the Christmas tree sale. All of the officers are women. The women run the concession stands. Men and women both chaperon, but for football games its mostly just women. And they all know each other, and all have been doing it for a long time. This is our third year in marching band, and we are only now starting to feel like we aren't outsiders. It's very frustrating and offputting.

That IS a problem. We had two dads participate in the years I was involved, and they were very much involved. Just didn't seem to bother them. But we never saw any others, and I'm sure it's because of what you said. I certainly wouldn't want to either if I were so outnumbered!

Before I left the grade school we had just started a program called Watch Dogs. It's all about getting dads involved at school and is very successful, I think partly because it starts and functions as a group of men, so it eliminates the issue of being outnumbered. Many of the dads seemed to like it. It also helps the schools feel more secure. Might want to look into it...

 

[scrapquitler]

We are raising money through a multitude of fund raisers so that all the girls can compete in every competition, have their costumes, have an end of the year banquet and go to WDW in April. We cannot get anyone to help, we cannot get a response from parents as to whether they understand how much the costs are, we have held several "mandatory" meetings and no one shows. Its ridiculous! There are 4 officers, supposed to be 6, that work every fund raiser we have done. We have had 2 fund raising coordinators and both have just stopped coming to meetings. .

Honestly, I think that people have just HAD IT with all the fundraisers. I know I have. Personally, I'd rather pay the money myself than participate in the endless hours involved in fundraising activities. I hate asking other people to pay for my child's activities and I hate taking the time away from family things to go work on a pancake breakfast, car wash or whatever.

 

[badblackpug]

I am a confessed non-joiner. I have 4 kids 13, 10, 2, & 1. I work full time nights, my husband works full time + during the day. We make it a point to attend the things we feel are necessary, such as parent-teacher conferences (lately with a baby or two in tow) but we simply do not have or want to spare the time to be on committees for every single activity. (and that includes our jobs) Because of the professions we are in taking time off to attend isn't always feasible. It is more so for me, but that still leaves the problem of having someone to watch the smaller kids. In addition, because we are on opposite shifts the time we get to spend together is VERY important to us, even if we are just making dinner together or curling up on the couch with a Redbox movie. The truth is that with most household being two income now it is very hard for people to spare the time, or to want to give up their time off. Personally, I would be extremely offended if someone assigned me a chore and expected me to show on their time schedule. I would make it known, in no uncertain terms, that I would not attend, and it is not my responsibility to find someone to attend in my stead.

Now my personal opinion on fundraisers: I HATE THEM! There are constant fundraisers for everything, and everybody's kids are selling something for a fundraiser. Most of the stuff they sell is over-priced crap anyway. I don't mind selling candy bars, because they sell themselves at my job, or whipping up something for a bake sale, but the catalogs for wrapping paper and christmas ornaments (we aren't christian, anyway) and candles go right in the trash. I would rather pay cash for the activity, but that never seems to be an option, and then the committee people b*tch when you don't sell.