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[Tinker'n'Fun]

You know what? The OP really IS taking her ball and going home. This board never changes, and frankly I don't feel like having my good news turned into the debate of the day. I wholeheartedly regret sharing my good news on here because I should absolutely know by now that it never fails that someone has to interject something conspiratorial, negative, or downright false into these threads.

Oh, and FWIW, the rules were actually followed to the letter and the win was already vetted by the certifying body. Thanks for your concern, though!

I really hope that you are right. I was a coordinator for a very long time. We had some great years with extras coming in for being top collectors in our school. We were under the assumption that the money could not be used this way but would have solved problems the school was having at that time. So I sent an email off to Boxtops, and because of your post, things may change at a school.

 

[Minnie]

This was the original post, I had it saved, wanting to come back later and ask a few questions.

Great job

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

This was the original post, I had it saved, wanting to come back later and ask a few questions.

I know that the OP said that she contacted Boxtops but being a coordinator for many years, I found it interesting that you could use the funds however you wanted. I have been off the board and out of the school for many years and seriously was surprised. I was actually going to take a copy to the current PTO of the school so they could see if it was true. I am sure the money at our school would have been used different if this is true. Also sent a quick email off to Boxtops also.

I am the OP. I am trying to copy and paste a link from the Boxtops site, but you have to open the question "what can my school do with the money that it earns from Box Tops for Education" to see this answer:

Your school can use the money for anything it wants. Computers, books, playground equipment and classroom parties are just some of the ways schools have chosen to use the funds raised through Box Tops for Education.

http://www.boxtops4education.com/common/Faqs.aspx

What did your school think that they had to use the money for? It looks like they can use it for anything which is consistent with what we have been told on the phone also. Maybe your particular school board has internal stipulations about how it can be used, though.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I really hope that you are right. I was a coordinator for a very long time. We had some great years with extras coming in for being top collectors in our school. We were under the assumption that the money could not be used this way but would have solved problems the school was having at that time. So I sent an email off to Boxtops, and because of your post, things may change at a school.

Read the post that I just made. You can use BTFE money for ANYTHING. You guys must make a good bit off of Boxtops if it really could solve problems at the school, though! We don't make a lot off of the clipped coupons...not enough to solve any problems anyways.

 

[disneychrista]

Oh, and FWIW, the rules were actually followed to the letter and the win was already vetted by the certifying body.

Oh and FWIW - No one accused YOU of breaking any rules.

It is too bad that you can not take others differing opinion on what you want to do with the money. I still do not think that this is what was intended for the prize.

 

[dixonismydog]

Well, I say congrats to you for winning! And the money will be put to good use, no matter how you decide to use it! Helping someone who is struggling is never wrong....people will always find ways to pull you down. Keep your chin up and don't let the negative comments of others, get you down!

 

[disneychrista]

Your school can use the money for anything it wants. Computers, books, playground equipment and classroom parties are just some of the ways schools have chosen to use the funds raised through Box Tops for Education.

I don't see where they say you can give it to teachers for personal use. I still say that the purpose of Box Tops for EDUCATION is & should be for something to improve the school.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Oh and FWIW - No one accused YOU of breaking any rules.

It is too bad that you can not take others differing opinion on what you want to do with the money. I still do not think that this is what was intended for the prize.

I didn't want to engage in a debate about the rules of the contest so I deleted my posts.

As for what we will end up using the prize for, it won't be for the teacher bonuses that I wanted but rather it will be split 3 ways for 3 different uses. I am reasonably satisfied with the way that it's being divided up.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Well, I say congrats to you for winning! And the money will be put to good use, no matter how you decide to use it! Helping someone who is struggling is never wrong....people will always find ways to pull you down. Keep your chin up and don't let the negative comments of others, get you down!

Thanks! I apologize for deleting my posts, but I just didn't want to engage in a debate when I made d@mn sure to follow the rules to the letter.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I don't see where they say you can give it to teachers for personal use. I still say that the purpose of Box Tops for EDUCATION is & should be for something to improve the school.

But improving teacher pay pays for the education I guess?? I would have loved to give it to them, but that isn't what is going to happen anyways.

 

[surfergirl602]

Ugh. Don't you guys know that rule number 1 is that first poster always quotes the original post?

ETA: Ahh, there it is.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I am the OP. I am trying to copy and paste a link from the Boxtops site, but you have to open the question "what can my school do with the money that it earns from Box Tops for Education" to see this answer:

Your school can use the money for anything it wants. Computers, books, playground equipment and classroom parties are just some of the ways schools have chosen to use the funds raised through Box Tops for Education.

http://www.boxtops4education.com/common/Faqs.aspx

What did your school think that they had to use the money for? It looks like they can use it for anything which is consistent with what we have been told on the phone also. Maybe your particular school board has internal stipulations about how it can be used, though.

I am not debating what you said, but what our "school" said. I guess it comes down to interpretation. If a school can use it however they want I think that it would be great to get that information out. I think some schools may not be aware of it. I will post my reply from Boxtops when I get it.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

But improving teacher pay pays for the education I guess?? I would have loved to give it to them, but that isn't what is going to happen anyways.

The Box Top money is supposed to be used for the students. It is not supposed to be used to give teachers a bonus. Improving teacher pay is the job of your school district and has nothing to do with a direct benefit to the children. The purpose of Box Tops is to help schools fund things that the children need or will enhance their education. It is not a job bonus. Misuse of such programs usually results in the programs being disbanded unfortunately and then everyone suffers.

 

[happygirl]

I really hope that you are right. I was a coordinator for a very long time. We had some great years with extras coming in for being top collectors in our school. We were under the assumption that the money could not be used this way but would have solved problems the school was having at that time. So I sent an email off to Boxtops, and because of your post, things may change at a school.

YAY!!!! You are awesome

 

[happygirl]

Op first I think it a nice gesture for you to want to help this teacher

I'm not sure what the rules for BoxTops, I know ours will go for playground equipment or new computers. I know that the classes that brings in the most boxtops will get a party usually a pizza party of something like that.

 

[disneychrista]

But improving teacher pay pays for the education I guess??

But the children are getting the same education if the teacher gets the bonus or not. It does not enrich the education, which I feel is the purpose of these programs.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

While $5000 may seem like a lot of money, it really isn't. I guess I would probably use the money for a few new computers or something else technology related. What would you all spend it on if you had the final say?

 

[ajk912]

My 6 year old faithfully cuts out every box top that comes in the house. She does it because she wants to win the contest at school. I would be aghast if I heard the rumor that the whole reason they cut out the boxtops is so the teacher's can get some extra pocket money. I get that teachers are underpaid, but maybe a program that benefits more than those 4 people since the box top program is (often) the effort of the whole school.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

My 6 year old faithfully cuts out every box top that comes in the house. She does it because she wants to win the contest at school. I would be aghast if I heard the rumor that the whole reason they cut out the boxtops is so the teacher's can get some extra pocket money. I get that teachers are underpaid, but maybe a program that benefits more than those 4 people since the box top program is (often) the effort of the whole school.

There are only 4 teachers at our school. I really think that people misunderstood my post. Our school isn't public, the teachers aren't paid by the school system, and I wasn't going to propose using the "clipped" Boxtops earnings for the teachers.

I can see why you'd feel ticked if you heard that salaried teachers at your child's school were getting extra pocket money from Boxtops, but that's not the situation I was proposing at all. This is a windfall that we weren't expecting, and it would have been nice to use it to reward the group of stakeholders who have benefitted the least from the school so far (the very dedicated, very underpaid teachers).

It isn't going to happen, so you all can stop worrying. The money is going to be split 3 ways for 3 different uses. I won't say what they are here for fear of more people saying that it's wrong to buy something for the toddlers when the preschoolers won't get to use it or something

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

Hello Diane,

Thank you for contacting the General Mills Box Tops for Education
program.

Please contact Box Tops Customer Service at 1-888-799-2444.

Thank you for your participation in the General Mills Box Tops for
Education program and have a great day!


Sincerely,
Alicia B
Customer Care

This is the reply that I got, so I called the above number, spoke with a woman named Laurie, she explained some rules regarding the program.

If you win a contest, the money is added to your "clip" it money and only two checks are sent per year. One on December 15th. and one on April 15th. The funds our all considered your school's Boxtops and the contest would not be separate from the other funds.

Laurie (who stated she was just a C.S on the phone did not have a title) told me that the funds were to distributed as per the "schools" program rules. I took from the conversation that the funds had to be distributed from the school's administration and not from coordinator's and or PTO/PTA requests.

This makes sense to me. As a coordinator, our school's administrator had full access over the money. As a PTO/PTA we would ask for funds to be used for a certain project for example school computers. We were given an answer whether or not we could use those funds for that reason.

I brought up paying teachers. Laurie would not say on the phone that the money could or could not be used for that, she just kept going back to the "check is sent to the administration who determines the use of the funds".

So if OP's school administration had wanted to use the funds to give a gift to the teacher, I guess they could have. But it would have been the school admin doing it, not the OP.

Finally, I am going to say I am glad if OP is being honest and not doing what was originally proposed. As a parent I would be highly offended if my child was cutting BoxTops for extra books, computers, etc, and the money went into the pockets of a teacher. IT is MY opinion that is not what the program had intended when they started it. I know the OP doesn't feel "OK" with the way the thread ended up, but I found it to be educational. Never in a million years would I have thought that is how the funds could be used, and I learned something new. And all the parents who are on PTO/PTA and or are the school coordinators it gives you to the knowledge to follow the money once it is received in the school.

Hope everyone has a great day, Diane.