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blu6385
Member since 5/08 8351 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
I don't think the money is for joining the PTA, its a donation to the PTA.
The kids go to school in a public NYC school.
Who knows what the money is really going for, probably like most charities where 2% goes to stuff and then 98% goes to "operating expenses" :)
honestly you should report them to the state! as i stated and as someone else also also said they are not allowed to buy everything you mentioned. I still cant believe they have the nerve to ask.
I wouldn't give them anything at this point but I'm petty like that!
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Posted 10/11/21 11:40 PM  |
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EricaAlt
LIF Adult
Member since 7/08 22665 total posts
Name:
Erica
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Holy crap!!
I'm the VP of the board at our elementary school. There's between 400 - 500 students. We NEVER ask for anything like that.
The only thing we ask for is $10 PTA fee.
We do a lot of fundraising...
dine out
parties
spirit wear
chocolate sales
pie sales
mum sales.... etc
You get the point, but everything is voluntary. We are lucky so many parents will buy things or even bake or buy things for events we'll sell.
Other than the $10 everything we get is through the fundraising.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:41 AM |
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Are there NO poor families in your school either?
There are many families who can't even afford the $10 let alone $1,500 to ask for.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:49 AM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
At that rate I would wonder if they are embezzling the money. That would be $3,000 as I have two kids. Our pta asks for $50 per kid and I feel that is a ton. In the middle and high school I have no idea what this money is spent on, but my son did say they had a speaker come who he felt was excellent and they did say they spent pta money to bring him to the school. It was the only time any of my kids have commented on a speaker so it had to be good because he quoted the guy for multiple days.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:56 AM |
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LSP2005
Bunny kisses are so cute!
Member since 5/05 19458 total posts
Name:
L
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
the email says it goes toward: TAs, professional development, PPE supplies, remote learning essentials (though this year they are not using remote learning and we never receive anything from the school last year when we were remote) etc.
We were remote last year, but the previous year to that I THINK I remember a few in person fund raisers. I remember at least one - because at one of them we bought tshirts and cupcakes for the kids.
none of this is the responsibility of the PTA. Schools receive money from the state for all of these expenses. I would call the State Attorney General Consumer Fraud hotline. I have worked for them and this is exactly what it is for. This 100% needs to be investigated by the State. Our elementary school has 700 kids that would be over $1,000,000 collected.
Edit, although we are in NJ, we are in a top ten school district. The median average salary for my community is over $200,000 and homes cost over $800,000. Our PTA collected $50 per kid. It goes for monthly speakers, a third grade artist in resident, special carts to charge chrome books for each classroom, playground equipment, teacher appreciation breakfast, and flowers in the planters. They do other fundraisers including donate what you want, and some auctions including box seats for Jets Giants games, theater tickets, and a vacation at a shore house. I know the big fundraiser makes a lot, but you are getting something in return.
Message edited 10/12/2021 8:08:35 AM.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:59 AM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
I think people are misinterpreting the OP. This was a suggested contribution for a fundraiser. They are allowed to suggest anything they want. It wasn't that you had to pay $1500 to belong to the PTA. Or maybe I am missing something?
As for the items that they pay for - I do think it's weird that they list TAs and Continuing Ed for teachers.
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| Posted 10/12/21 9:48 AM |
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by lululu
I think people are misinterpreting the OP. This was a suggested contribution for a fundraiser. They are allowed to suggest anything they want. It wasn't that you had to pay $1500 to belong to the PTA. Or maybe I am missing something?
As for the items that they pay for - I do think it's weird that they list TAs and Continuing Ed for teachers.
Even just to SUGGEST is insane. Unless his kids go to school with Hollywood kids, this sounds insane.
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| Posted 10/12/21 9:50 AM |
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MrsWoods
LIF Adult
Member since 4/12 1461 total posts
Name:
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PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Oh hell no! I would never pay that to the PTA or the school for that matter. I pay way too much in school taxes as it is.
Nope. I rarely if ever pay the $15 for PTA as it is.
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| Posted 10/12/21 10:23 AM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by lululu
I think people are misinterpreting the OP. This was a suggested contribution for a fundraiser. They are allowed to suggest anything they want. It wasn't that you had to pay $1500 to belong to the PTA. Or maybe I am missing something?
As for the items that they pay for - I do think it's weird that they list TAs and Continuing Ed for teachers.
Even just to SUGGEST is insane. Unless his kids go to school with Hollywood kids, this sounds insane.
I guess my view is: they can suggest whatever they want. As long as you can donate whatever you are comfortable with, or not at all, does it really matter what they suggest? Good for them if they can get it from some of the wealthier families since that will only benefit everyone. Now, if they publish a list of what people donate or made that info in any way public, that would be an issue.
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| Posted 10/12/21 10:24 AM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
That's absolutely insane.
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| Posted 10/12/21 3:15 PM |
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jellybean78
:)
Member since 8/06 13103 total posts
Name:
Mommy
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
I don't think the money is for joining the PTA, its a donation to the PTA.
The kids go to school in a public NYC school.
Who knows what the money is really going for, probably like most charities where 2% goes to stuff and then 98% goes to "operating expenses" :)
So I'll be the odd man out. When DD went to school in NYC the PTA suggested donation per child was in that range. She went to a school where the PTA was EXTREMELY active and did a lot for the school. They would use that money for stuff like music lessons at some bougie school in the village, Halloween parties, random events, activities, free after school, etc. The school was pretty economically diverse with some higher income families mixed with lower income families so I'm sure not everyone met the contribution requirement but those that did help fund for those that couldn't. I
t was just a suggested amount and they encouraged any giving even $5 so no I don't think that's so off at least not for NYC where a lot of the extra curricular stuff is not paid for by tax dollars.
Side note but this is also why in the city you will see a HUGE difference in school benefits depending where you live. Public schools in desirable neighborhoods usually have many many amenities for kids that you won't find in a public school where there are mainly lower income folks.
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| Posted 10/12/21 3:31 PM |
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blu6385
Member since 5/08 8351 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by LSP2005
Posted by newlywedT
the email says it goes toward: TAs, professional development, PPE supplies, remote learning essentials (though this year they are not using remote learning and we never receive anything from the school last year when we were remote) etc.
We were remote last year, but the previous year to that I THINK I remember a few in person fund raisers. I remember at least one - because at one of them we bought tshirts and cupcakes for the kids.
none of this is the responsibility of the PTA. Schools receive money from the state for all of these expenses. I would call the State Attorney General Consumer Fraud hotline. I have worked for them and this is exactly what it is for. This 100% needs to be investigated by the State. Our elementary school has 700 kids that would be over $1,000,000 collected.
Edit, although we are in NJ, we are in a top ten school district. The median average salary for my community is over $200,000 and homes cost over $800,000. Our PTA collected $50 per kid. It goes for monthly speakers, a third grade artist in resident, special carts to charge chrome books for each classroom, playground equipment, teacher appreciation breakfast, and flowers in the planters. They do other fundraisers including donate what you want, and some auctions including box seats for Jets Giants games, theater tickets, and a vacation at a shore house. I know the big fundraiser makes a lot, but you are getting something in return.
The fundraisers are fine to do but what you described as being paid for it’s technically not allowed either for some of the stuff in New York State. Like buying special cards to charge, books and playground equipment You would have to present it in the form of a grant and they really don’t suggest you doing it.
Also you’re supposed to spend the same exact amount of money on each grade so if you spend $1000 on third grade to bring in some special thing or to buy them some thing then you’ll have to spend that same amount in every grade in your school.
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| Posted 10/12/21 4:36 PM |
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newlywedT
LIF Adolescent
Member since 9/11 792 total posts
Name:
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PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
Message edited 10/12/2021 6:01:30 PM.
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| Posted 10/12/21 5:57 PM |
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
$675 per month for 1 day a week? Why would anyone pay that unless they are working and can’t get the kid off the bus?
I used to pay I think $11/day so $55 a week for 1 kid, 3 hours/day.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:12 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
$675 per month for 1 day a week? Why would anyone pay that unless they are working and can’t get the kid off the bus?
I used to pay I think $11/day so $55 a week for 1 kid, 3 hours/day.
It says $675 for the "fall session" so I assume it is probably thru Christmas Break? Still seems like it would be cheaper to hire a babysitter.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:48 PM |
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LuckyStar
LIF Adult
Member since 7/14 7274 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
$675 per month for 1 day a week? Why would anyone pay that unless they are working and can’t get the kid off the bus?
I used to pay I think $11/day so $55 a week for 1 kid, 3 hours/day.
I think he means one day a week for the semester (ie every Monday from Sept through December). I pay about the same and yes, it’s because we both work. We also have no busing in my district.
I have absolutely no idea what my PTA asks for because they hold their meetings in person during the workday and as such, I delete their emails. Since they exclude working parents from participating, they can also exclude us from donating.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:55 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
I think that the point of the donation is to make the school better as a whole. Some years the projects that they undertake will directly benefit your children, some years they will not. But overall, if they improve the classroom furniture for the 4th grade, for example, your child will eventually be in 4th and benefit from the projects. It's more about making the school better as a whole. Perhaps the parents that are doing this through the PTA would be better served if they formed a separate 501c3 to avoid this confusion. The group that fundraises for our schools is a completely separate group than the PTA. They hold various fundraisers throughout the year and our schools have benefited from it tremendously. If there are parents in the community who are willing and able to make these types of donations I am not sure why anyone would behoove them. It's ultimately for the benefit of all the children in the district, when they could be spending that money on their own children and not care about anyone else.
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| Posted 10/12/21 7:55 PM |
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MissJones
I need a nap!
Member since 5/05 22136 total posts
Name:
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PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
I’d forward that email to the principal. $15-20$ Per family
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| Posted 10/12/21 10:17 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by MissJones
I’d forward that email to the principal. $15-20$ Per family
This wasn't the dues. It was a fundraiser. I am sure the principal is well aware of the fundraising done by the PTA.
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| Posted 10/13/21 8:19 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
Member since 11/09 54921 total posts
Name:
..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
So rather than sell wrapping paper or cookie dough, just write a check for $1500 per child.
Yeah , sounds logical
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| Posted 10/13/21 8:35 AM |
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ali120206
2 Boys
Member since 7/06 17792 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
The after school programs are probably separate from the PTA - they may set them up but they don't staff them.
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| Posted 10/13/21 8:37 AM |
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Deeluvsvinny
DONE
Member since 10/08 4952 total posts
Name:
Whatever
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
I have to ask- is this school in Queens, LIC to be exact?
Sounds EXACTLY like our old district before we moved (still in NYC Schools). They asked for outrageous amounts to be given as donations and hardly did fundraisers- because that would require work on their behalf. And I never saw the benefit to our children. They OUTSOURCED lunch monitors bc they teachers wouldn't do it and they didn't have enough TAs..so we were paying like $90K a year to that program- for people to come in and bring 3 balls and 2 jumpropes and not even interact nicely with our kids.
Our new school- they ask for $10 to join, a $50 family donation(which is totally optional)- and gets you a school shirt and do fun fundraisers and with that money- we get monthly assemblies, pizza parties, dances, etc etc.
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| Posted 10/13/21 10:02 AM |
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Sash
Peace
Member since 6/08 10312 total posts
Name:
fka LIW Smara
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by LuckyStar
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
$675 per month for 1 day a week? Why would anyone pay that unless they are working and can’t get the kid off the bus?
I used to pay I think $11/day so $55 a week for 1 kid, 3 hours/day.
I think he means one day a week for the semester (ie every Monday from Sept through December). I pay about the same and yes, it’s because we both work. We also have no busing in my district.
I have absolutely no idea what my PTA asks for because they hold their meetings in person during the workday and as such, I delete their emails. Since they exclude working parents from participating, they can also exclude us from donating.
I hope so but he wrote per month instead of semester. I hope it’s not because $675 for 4 Monday’s is way too much. 
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| Posted 10/13/21 10:05 AM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by Deeluvsvinny
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
I have to ask- is this school in Queens, LIC to be exact?
Sounds EXACTLY like our old district before we moved (still in NYC Schools). They asked for outrageous amounts to be given as donations and hardly did fundraisers- because that would require work on their behalf. And I never saw the benefit to our children. They OUTSOURCED lunch monitors bc they teachers wouldn't do it and they didn't have enough TAs..so we were paying like $90K a year to that program- for people to come in and bring 3 balls and 2 jumpropes and not even interact nicely with our kids.
Our new school- they ask for $10 to join, a $50 family donation(which is totally optional)- and gets you a school shirt and do fun fundraisers and with that money- we get monthly assemblies, pizza parties, dances, etc etc.
I am sure that it's in the teacher's contracts that they don't have to do lunch duty. We have outside aids for lunch and recess and it was supplemented by parent volunteers, pre covid.
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| Posted 10/13/21 10:24 AM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9511 total posts
Name:
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Re: PTA donations - does your school suggest an amount?
Posted by Sash
Posted by LuckyStar
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by newlywedT
another point to add - I'm obtuse so I probably don't notice, but I don't see any 'benefits' from the donations.
For example there are after school programs - school gets out at 2:50, after school keeps the kids until 5pm. So extra 2 hours of quiet at home.
Its $675 for one day a week for the fall session (plus additional registration fee of course lol), its not like after school is free.
Its not like every kid was given an ipad or computer to use, heck I had to spend $150 per kid for school supplies (we were sent an amazon list of what supplies to buy, it ranged from pencils, notebooks to clorox wipes and hand sanitizer)
so *shrug*
$675 per month for 1 day a week? Why would anyone pay that unless they are working and can’t get the kid off the bus?
I used to pay I think $11/day so $55 a week for 1 kid, 3 hours/day.
I think he means one day a week for the semester (ie every Monday from Sept through December). I pay about the same and yes, it’s because we both work. We also have no busing in my district.
I have absolutely no idea what my PTA asks for because they hold their meetings in person during the workday and as such, I delete their emails. Since they exclude working parents from participating, they can also exclude us from donating.
I hope so but he wrote per month instead of semester. I hope it’s not because $675 for 4 Monday’s is way too much.
No his post says per session. Windy wrote one month. Or am I losing my mind?
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| Posted 10/13/21 10:25 AM |
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