From "Our Children", the National PTA Magazine
I got my copy of Our Children in the mail the other day (they send it to PTA leaders but I'm sure anyone can get one). They have many good articles and there was a lengthy one about the WA State PTA's efforts to pass Simple Majority. But there were a couple of article that sort of cancelled each other out and made me wonder about what is happening at other schools.
The first article was about a PTA in an elementary school in Portland. The article was about how 96% of the school's parent base and entire staff are communicating online via a free, private social networking platform. So all communication - the PTA directory, back-to-school packets, newsletters - is all online. (It's a little unclear but I assume hardcopies are available. However, their weekly newsletter is only available online.) Also, there are online discussions about school improvement, curriculum, etc. with parents and teachers.
So my first point is the issue of going all e-mail/online for communications. That in itself seems a little elitist. I have had this discussion with more than one school because the district (and the schools) want to believe that EVERYONE has e-mail and/or access to a computer. It is not so even in technology-savvy Seattle (and yes, I do get the irony of me saying this on a blog). What about that 4% of parents in that school who are virtually excluded?
On the other hand, it is saving the PTA thousands of dollars in postage AND saving the environment. That's no small thing.
Then there's an article, a good one, called Let's Make Sure ALL Parents Feel Welcome. Now we can all differ in what we feel good about when we walk into a school versus what is off-putting. This article details how even good efforts might not be good for everyone especially when you are trying to reach parents who don't speak English well or don't understand American school systems or having school events that may pose unintentional barriers to participation by all families.
For example, one school had an auction where the tickets were $25. Okay, so it is not possible to hold an event like this without charging something. But then, the article went on to say that it was held at the principal's brother's mansion which he had graciously donated for the evening. So then you create perhaps an even larger number of people who might not go, not just for the cost but because they may not have proper attire or feel out of place. From the article:
"But couldn't the same amount (of money) have been raised by an event appealing to a broader base? A broader base of support gives more peoplein the community a sense of ownership in the school and its mission and avoids the appearance of elitism."
So what is elitism in fundraising? Does it matter?
The other issue, which has raised its anonymous head here again and again, is the issue of fundraising. And I believe some of the fundraising efforts in this district relate directly to class. It is a struggle to not have these auctions which can raise so much money for the school (and, in the end, all the kids benefit from them) but are people feeling left out? Are there parents who feel quietly humiliated on the Monday after an event when others are talking about how fun the auction was or how much they spent? Many classes make items that are then auctioned off. What if you didn't even get the chance to see the object your child worked on? (In my son's 3rd grade class they made a huge serving plate with drawing of a cat depicting each child. The mom who won it generously lent it to any family who wanted it for a week so that everyone could see it.)
But many families never show up for any events even if they are held at the school. Should we assume that there are parents who really don't care one way or another and are grateful that there are parents out there who do raise the money?
Also, if your school raises a lot of money, do you feel like the staff/teachers take your efforts for granted or as a given because that's the way it's always been? Does your PTA get a public thank-you from teachers and staff for your efforts?
The first article was about a PTA in an elementary school in Portland. The article was about how 96% of the school's parent base and entire staff are communicating online via a free, private social networking platform. So all communication - the PTA directory, back-to-school packets, newsletters - is all online. (It's a little unclear but I assume hardcopies are available. However, their weekly newsletter is only available online.) Also, there are online discussions about school improvement, curriculum, etc. with parents and teachers.
So my first point is the issue of going all e-mail/online for communications. That in itself seems a little elitist. I have had this discussion with more than one school because the district (and the schools) want to believe that EVERYONE has e-mail and/or access to a computer. It is not so even in technology-savvy Seattle (and yes, I do get the irony of me saying this on a blog). What about that 4% of parents in that school who are virtually excluded?
On the other hand, it is saving the PTA thousands of dollars in postage AND saving the environment. That's no small thing.
Then there's an article, a good one, called Let's Make Sure ALL Parents Feel Welcome. Now we can all differ in what we feel good about when we walk into a school versus what is off-putting. This article details how even good efforts might not be good for everyone especially when you are trying to reach parents who don't speak English well or don't understand American school systems or having school events that may pose unintentional barriers to participation by all families.
For example, one school had an auction where the tickets were $25. Okay, so it is not possible to hold an event like this without charging something. But then, the article went on to say that it was held at the principal's brother's mansion which he had graciously donated for the evening. So then you create perhaps an even larger number of people who might not go, not just for the cost but because they may not have proper attire or feel out of place. From the article:
"But couldn't the same amount (of money) have been raised by an event appealing to a broader base? A broader base of support gives more peoplein the community a sense of ownership in the school and its mission and avoids the appearance of elitism."
So what is elitism in fundraising? Does it matter?
The other issue, which has raised its anonymous head here again and again, is the issue of fundraising. And I believe some of the fundraising efforts in this district relate directly to class. It is a struggle to not have these auctions which can raise so much money for the school (and, in the end, all the kids benefit from them) but are people feeling left out? Are there parents who feel quietly humiliated on the Monday after an event when others are talking about how fun the auction was or how much they spent? Many classes make items that are then auctioned off. What if you didn't even get the chance to see the object your child worked on? (In my son's 3rd grade class they made a huge serving plate with drawing of a cat depicting each child. The mom who won it generously lent it to any family who wanted it for a week so that everyone could see it.)
But many families never show up for any events even if they are held at the school. Should we assume that there are parents who really don't care one way or another and are grateful that there are parents out there who do raise the money?
Also, if your school raises a lot of money, do you feel like the staff/teachers take your efforts for granted or as a given because that's the way it's always been? Does your PTA get a public thank-you from teachers and staff for your efforts?
Comments
When our child began attending AEII seven years ago the auction was very low key, and relaxed. The auction committee rented a hall, but tickets were free (part of the inclusive nature of the school), and it was a potluck. Parent volunteers were our auctioneers, and there was no dress code. It was meant to be a fund raiser but also a social event. The themes were fun and light hearted! Attendance rates were very high. Over the years I saw the auction change. The first change was deciding to sell tickets, they started at $10, then $20, and now I hear it's up to $40. It is now a catered formal event with a professional auction planner and auctioneer. The goal is to make as much money as possible. The auction has a lower attendance rate now, though they do make more money (but not much).
Sadly, it doesn't seem fun anymore, it just feels like another fund raising obligation.
Shoreline schools send all of their PTA correspondence via email, but then of course every middle and high school student in Shoreline gets a laptop from their school. The important notices (like report cards coming home today) are sent via a recorded phone message from the principal and are sent to all families. Hopefully, we all have phones.
I guess it's just all what you prefer. There were a lot of parents that shared anonymous aboves opinion, but there were many who liked the low key approach too. Attendance was also much much higher when it was low key, I guess it was less intimidating for the families that didn't have a lot of money to spend at the auction, couldn't afford tickets, or didn't have formal attire??
I loved the inclusive nature of the school, and it saddens me to see the community gentrifying (housing prices going up = less hippies and more middle and upper income families). Couple this with the NEED to fund raise just to keep your head above water, and it's all a bit disheartening.
We used to go to our school auction every year, both to have a good time with friends and to give monetary support. Last year we didn't go - the tickets were $40 each and we cannot afford any of the live auction items.
Made we wonder how families who cannot participate in these events feel. Maybe they don't care and they are glad that other people are spending money for school.
But maybe they feel alienated and that they don't "fit in" and that affects kids too. I don't think it's healthy for schools to just blow off class issues and assume it's not worth considering.
To say that if someone doesn't have the money they should just stay home, and be glad other people go and do it for them is actually sickening to me.
We use that money to pay for services for all of the kids--we have no fees for drama, science or sports and have scholarships for every other school activity (languages, math, chess...). We pay for extra reading teachers, recess supervision, tutoring...all of the things SPS sees as 'extra.'
We pride ourselves on being an inclusive school, but if we didn't hold this 'exclusive' auction then some kids would be excluded from all of the 'extras' the fundraising pays for. I have had conversations with middle class parents who think it's morally wrong to donate to public schools--the state should be covering it--but then their kid is in the school play or goes on a subsidized camping trip...that kind of makes me crazy.
Personally, I love the auction--it's a fun community building event. I don't spend very much, but I'm thrilled to see other people open their check books to help all of the kids at the school. We all try to help our school in what ever way is possible for us. I see the auction as an opportunity for those who have money resources to share with those who don't.
Of course, the main reason for an auction is to make money, as much money as you can, but that goal is not disrupted by having an inclusive, welcoming auction. Allowing a handful of people without the means to attend and OMG, have a free dinner, shouldn't hurt the big pot in the end, and if it does, supplement the catering with a dessert or salad potluck. There is something to be said about fostering a community, and welcoming everyone, and you can do this without loosing focus of the bottom line.
It's a class issue and not just that folks don't want to make charitable dontations.
At many schools the live auction items go for hundreds and thousands of dollars. Many of the
silent auction items are pricey too. What might be a well spent charitable donation to you could easily be out of reach for someone else.
The one part of our school auction that I really like is "Fund an Item". The school chooses ahead of time what project or item the money will go to and then at the auction one can bid whatever amount they'd like, even just $20.
I like another idea posted on this thread about having auction ticket prices be pay as you wish rather than a set price.
Another organization we are involved in has given up on auctions as they take too much volunteer time and everyone gets burned out. They do have a fancy party, though, which we can't afford to go to either.
It seems to me that in origin the auctions were intended to include some items going below their true value (as happens at real auctions), but now everything is priced up to far beyond, which to me ruins the point. I mean, I *already* can't go on luxury vacations, I certainly can't afford to pay double the usual price for a weekend in a resort somewhere.
You are absolutely right that the real issue is how woefully underfunded SPS are and that this is what causes the need for these types of fund raisers. I’m glad that you had fun at your auction, but I was struck by your comment that your auction is “a fun community building event.” Is it really community-building if it disenfranchises a portion of the community?
I can’t speak to the specifics of your school. At my son’s school, less that 40% of the families bought tickets to or participated in the auction. The event netted the school about $40,000, and while that money was badly needed for special programs, I wonder if, as Mel mentioned in her original post, that money could have been raised in a way that would have affected a larger section of the community. I know that $40,000 isn’t that much for these events, and some schools raise 6 figures. In those cases, I doubt that the money could be raised through other functions.
After two years, I stopped going to or participating in my child’s school auctions. I write a check for $500 and get a donation from my employer and call it good. I know that other people like it, but the fact is that my husband and I have very few nights out together in a year, and frankly I’d have a lot more fun just going to the movies.
There are certainly ways to make auctions more welcoming or inclusive (for example, potluck instead of catered, gym instead of a more elegant venue, casual instead of black tie). The debate I always hear, and agree with, is that people are more likely to spend the big bucks if they feel that they are at something really special. If you have a nice meal and a few glasses of wine and are wearing your diamond earrings, you are probably more likely to spend $2000 on your kid’s class project. But, I disagree with Anon at 8:47 that the purpose of these events is only to raise as much money as possible. A school is not a business. It serves a community. In the end, I think the school benefits more from broader involvement than from ticket sales.
TK
Whey does it have to be one or the other???
If you attend a school that is affluent maybe the black tie, formal event is what your community prefers, and is used to. That's just fine. But if the majority of your school community is middle class or lower middle class, then it should be fine to make the auction affordable and accessible to the community. There is nothing wrong with potlucks, pay as you wish for tickets, raffles for student art, rounding up some talented parent (or student) musicians to entertain, or anything else you can think of.
The steel drum band at Summit k-12 will usually play at your auction for free (or a tip) too.
Lot's of ways to cut costs, and intimidation if need be.
And for the affluent Laurelhurst, View Ridge, McGilvra rock on with your formal black tie events, but for the more middle of the road schools we can be more inclusive, can't we????
We can not afford what many other families could. I felt badly that my child's class project was not being bid on but my husband said no way to bidding on it (it's intro bid was high). I know for a fact that there were bargains/plenty of things that went under market value. I did however appreciate the people who were willing to pay hundreds and in some cases thousands on class art projects. I didn't feel badly that I couldn't bid with them but happy that they were raising money for the school. I also appreciated that there were plenty of gift cards that you could buy at cost ($25 for a $25 gift card to Taco Del Mar as an example) so you could contribute to the school spending money on something you would be spending anyway. Tickets were $40, but you got in free if you volunteered during the auction (exp checking people in, bartender, etc.). Teachers tickets were also heavily discounted and it was great to see so many teachers there!
I agree with previous posters that the fundraising should be geared for the demographics of the school and that the fundrasier should work at including everyone/making it affordable in different ways. There will always be parents who would rather spend their babysitting money on a date night alone at a restaurant or movie and that's okay. I personally enjoyed socializing with lots of parents whom I normally don't socialize with outside of school. Each to their own! As long as there are enough people wanting to attend and participate to raise a decent amount of money for the school and enough volunteers willing to help, then go for it.
At the same time, there is no requirement so parents who don't have easy computer access or just prefer paper copies can do so. I'd be willing to bet that with some more marketing the percentage of web usage will continue to go up until it reaches 90% or so.
I know of another school that requires an e-mail address/is web only. I haven't heard any complaints, but I'm sure there are some families that it is a struggle for and they must make some kind of accommodations for them.
I'm not sure if this was a serious comment or not. A lot of the special programs funded by the school are geared toward the most at risk kids and those families who really cannot afford extras in their lives. For example, my PTA funded the art program. Now, my child is very intersted in art and we actually already pay a significant amount for activities outside of school, but I was glad that we were funding it for others because I think art is important for ALL kids, and school art programs are probably more important for kids from lower income backgrounds, because those parents may not be able to pay $60 to take their family to see Roman Art from the Louvre like I just did (which was worth every penny, by the way, but still an expensive family outing).
How I wish our school had an email only/opt-out choice for paper communications. All those newsletters end up in a pile on our kitchen counter. I'm not sure how high the participation rate needs to get before you completely eliminated paper, but 95% sounds pretty good.
-TK
I'd be interested in hearing how electronic distribution works in diverse schools. Any info on how your schools deal with translations for ELL families would be welcome as well.
Wow, now that's something to think about?? How would we accomplish this??
How would we divvy up the graham crackers at snack time? I suppose only the children whose parents were financially able to support the auction would get the grahams?
And ditto for classroom supplies. But then what would the teachers do with the lower middle class or low income kids who don't receive any supplies? How do they write, erase, glue?? Lot's to think about.
And as for music and art, I suppose they could just have pull outs for the affluent kids, while the less fortunate kids remain in their classrooms and do not get exposed to music or art.
But what about things like gardening? How do you divide that between classes? What about funding teacher training? Of course we could divide entire classrooms between affluent and not so affluent, and only offer the training to these teachers... that might work??
So much to figure out, the possibilities are endless.
I am so proud to live in such a forward thinking city, so innovative. Always finding ways to solve our issues.
How appalling.
(1) auctions run by friends of ours for a small Catholic elementary school that raised $30K-$40K.
(2) Laurelhurst elementary school auctions that raised $80-$100K.
(3) auctions for expensive private schools that raised $80K-$250K.
The simplest way to donate to in any of these auctions was the 'fund-an-item', but in most of the auctions this item would seem of dubious value for the school.
With $100 tickets and catered food, auction (3) just involved excess and self-centeredness.
Tickets to (2) were the cheapest at $12 for a salmon dinner on paper plates and were the only casual kind. They were very friendly and had great involvement of the teachers, raising money for the PTA to half fund a teaching position that allowed the school to keep a popular junior teacher. Nonetheless, despite the great result, I felt that there was something awkward. There was a competitive aspect: Who is going to spend more on their kids?...like the parents bidding over $2K for weekend babysitting by another popular junior teacher.
Despite a level of formality and $30-$40 tickets, the small Catholic school auction seemed the least awkward, and not because it was run by friends. It was because the kids were involved in serving and cooking the dinner and the people at the auction were not just parents spending on their own kids; they included parishioners from the church who wanted to help out.
School auctions tend too much to be parents showing off how much they support their own kids and tend not to involve the kids doing anything. Unfortunately, it only takes a few people out of a large crowd to create this atmosphere and I can see how if can put people off.
We usually spend $300 or so at the auction but try to only purchase things we would purchase anyway, and were usually able to get them at face value or cost (without tax).
Besides not having to pay sales tax for the items we purchase, we also get a tax break when we do our Federal taxes!!!
What feedback (thanks, acknowledgment) does your PTA get for fundraising? Or do you ever feel it is taken for granted?
In general I think that the teachers are individually very grateful for the efforts of parents in the school, but I've never received (or asked for) any formal appreciation. I haven't really ever thought about it in those terms. We spend a lot of time thanking and supporting the teachers for doing such a good job with our kids.
The principal does sponsor a volunteer luncheon to thank the PTA. But it was to thank both Parents and Teachers from the administration.
We have had kids make thank you cards for businesses and individuals who donate big things to be auctioned. That seems appropriate.
Someone mentioned including the kids in the auction, that makes me feel a little uncomfortable because then kids would know which parents spent alot and might go back to school and talk about it. We have High School age alumni come back and serve dinner: they get community service hours, we reduce our costs and it lets more of the committee members sit down and enjoy dinner.