Any class moms?

I am the class mom this year for my DD's 1st grade class. One of my responsibilities is planning the class parties including Halloween, Holiday, Spring and Year end. Does anyone have any suggestions/experience? Also the teacher suggested collecting $10, which would be $2.50 per child per party, does that seem like enough?

Re: Any class moms?

Are you also able to ask for contributions for the party? Like one mom sends cookies, two moms send juice boxes, two moms make cupcakes, etc.? If so, then I think the money you have will cover the difference- things like paper goods and decorations. And maybe it's just my district, but we never get money from all the parents.

Re: Any class moms?

Not if you plan on a craft and food. We collected $40 per child and that let us have a craft and food at all of the parties, a shirt for field day, activities for moving up day from k to 1st and a teacher gift for dec and end of year.

Any class moms?

$10 is plenty for 4 parties, and ask parents to bring some stuff in. Many parents will grumble at more than $10, and some won't pay at all. Dollar Tree has great themed holiday paper goods!

Message edited 10/2/2014 12:46:07 PM.

Re: Any class moms?

I was class mom for K last year and we collected $8 per child that covered all of the parties for the year. We also collected $5 per kid at holiday time and end of year for the teacher gift. Not everyone will contribute. We were able to have enough $ for the whole year but we only supplied the crafts. At the holiday party and end of year party, the teacher asked each child for a food/drink donation.

I also want to add, the PTA only allowed $8 per child and the $5 was the limit for holiday and end of year gifts. Not sure if your PTA mandates stuff like that too.

ANd I had a lot of luck buying the craft kidt for each party at Michaels. For every holliday, they will usually have a kit of 24 (i.e. pumpkins, snowman, bunnies, etc.). And I either bought when on sale or with a coupon. This helped me to stay under budget and was much cheaper than Oriental Trading.

Message edited 10/2/2014 2:03:16 PM.

Re: Any class moms?

Interesting we only collect money for holiday and end of the year teacher gift. We do not collect for anything else. We do a lottery at back to school night. We pick names out of a hat and the parents choose between going on trips, coming in for crafts or donating certain agreed in advance items for the party. Usually it is one person brings small water bottles, one pretzels and one a fun treat (think cupcakes or cookies). Then the family parties after concerts they add bagels and fruit. This way everyone contributes and you know what is coming. If you don't have a back to school you could do a sign up genius.

Re: Any class moms?

we collect $15 per family donation (most did give, occasionally you get 1 or 2 who do not give) this money is divided with class parties (about $8-10) and the rest is split into to holiday and end of year gift for teacher.

THen we will ask for donations of say juice or paper plates etc, for the parties. The rest is for any food we dont receive, as well as crafts etc for the parties.

Re: Any class moms?

I'm class mom for my dd's 2nd grade.

For Halloween, I plan on asking parents to send in, snacks, plates, juice, etc for the party. I'll only ask for money for Christmas and end of year gift. I think this works the best.

Re: Any class moms?

Thanks everyone. Our school has a no food policy so that wouldn't be included in the $2.50 per child/party. We also have separate collections for holiday and year end gifts.

I will check out Michaels for craft ideas and use coupons. Does anyone have anything that they have done in the past that went over well?
I also need to plan for games, book to read.

Need to plan activities for about 1.5 hrs party...

Re: Any class moms?

I think my class moms collected $20 per kid -
and then had sign up sheets for each party for the year at back to school night (who's bringing cupcakes, drinks, pretzels, etc)

Re: Any class moms?

We collect 20 per kid - last year about a 1/3 of the class did not contribute. In addition we ask parents to bring in the food and paper goods for all parties. The money is more for crafts and gifts

Re: Any class moms?

personally we ask per party, because its a lot easier to ask for $3-$5 a party then to ask to send in $20.

Not all parents contribute.

Also our school no longer allows any food at parties so our parties are all about crafts, games, books, & fun.

We send a note home to the parents that we will be doing something and that they can send their child in with a special treat to eat during it if they wanted.