Friday afternoon, my son greeted me after school a huge smile and a heavy backpack.
“Is this all of your work from your very first week of Kindergarten?” I asked in delirious excitement.
“No, Mommy. It’s something for you,” he said handing over his load. Inside was The Entertainment Book, two catalogs- one for cookie dough and one for wrapping paper, and a letter to the parents. Gee thanks, school.
This is my third year as a parent at this school, so I know the drill and I know that the school really needs the help. Incidentally, this is also the third year that I’ve petitioned for a “Write a Check” campaign and have been refused. Apparently, our school has some very “motivated” parents who like the thrill of the sale and I am definitely NOT one of them.
I went to private school all of my life and I’ve choose to do the same for my own children. I know this part of the deal, but things have changed significantly since my day.
For one, my little sister and I actually used to go door to door unaccompanied throughout the far-reaches of our neighborhood to do our school fundraising– something completely unheard of these days. I barely let my children play in the front yard without my supervision, so the onus of raising these funds are all on me, which brings me back to my original point…
Let’s just have a “Write a Check” campaign and call it a day, shall we? No? Huumph.
In that case, here are three fundraising ideas that have captured my imagination and my heart in the past few days:
Original Works of Art
Last week, Cool Mom Picks featured an interesting school fundraising idea from Portrait Press Fundraising. Instead of shilling stuffy wrapping paper or cookie dough I wouldn’t trust to spackle a bathtub, why not offer original art from the kids in the class?
Two Brooklyn parents–daunted by the amount of money their schools always needed (but couldn’t seem to raise)–realized that if they sold an item everyone wanted, money could be raised with a lot less fuss. So they developed their Portrait Press fundraising kit, wherein each class creates artwork for a tea towel, pillowcase, or tote bag. (source: Cool Mom Picks)
It’s a very sweet idea, but…. of course, I can’t seem to leave well enough alone. I would only be interested if I could purchase just MY kids’ artwork or hand print or whatever on the object.
Frankly, I don’t really want to remember the kid who threw Scout’s shoe in the toilet and thereby forced me to carry him… and his backpack… and his lunchbox… and his sister to the car…
Yes. This is a true story. It happened a few weeks ago during camp, but I’m still bitter about it. Slightly.
Building a Library
Another idea that my co-room parent offered up for the school auction in the Spring is to have the Kindergarten paint a bookcase. Each family contributes a few book to put on it and the entire thing is put on auction. The highest bidder would get to keep the bookcase and all of the books.
It supports reading. It involves the parents and the kids, and it’s something people would actually want. I love, love, love this idea.
Priceless Photos into Holiday Cards
No one can resist adorable photos of their own child, especially when an expert photographer is taking them!
To help raise money for the school, a parent at my Lou’s daycare volunteered to do photo sessions with the kids dressed up as cowboys and girls and riding a pony. I don’t typically go for these sort of staged photos. In fact, I think they are super cheesy, but the look on my daughter’s face riding that pony…. OH MY OVARIES! I bought them. I bought them all!
The best part about it was of the surprise factor. They didn’t announced that they were doing these photos. Well, maybe they did? I don’t know since I’m so rushed trying to get to and from work from the school that I never pay attention to the signs and notices posted.
Of course, this makes me a perfect sucker for these things, because when do busy, over-scheduled, frazzled working parents have time to organize professional photos. Uh, never.
I would have gladly paid triple the amount if they had let me bring my son and given me the digital images for my Christmas cards.
What are your thoughts on school fundraising? What has worked for your school? What has flopped?
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I love love love the bookcase idea. I am on PTA at my son’s school and I think I will suggest this. They do so many fundraisers each year I feel like I can go broke (and he goes to public schools)
Our school has done Original Art, which is sort of what you said you wanted re the Portrait Press. Kids make a drawing or painting on a certain size of painting, and then you can order tea towels, key chains, mugs, mouse pads, etc. with that art on it. http://www.originalworks.com/
I love the original art AND the bookcase idea. Although I admit that I was thrilled when my daughter came home from first grade with an Entertainment book to sell instead of cookie dough and wrapping paper. At least I will get some of my money back with the Entertainment book, and surprisingly, we were able to sell two others!
I HATE HATE HATE fundraising like this. HAAAAAATE.
If we ignore the bigger issue (why do schools need to fund raise in the first place, HRMMM GOVERNMENT??), it’s just WEIRD to ask students to sell stuff. Students in Kindergarten! And it’s crap nobody wants, from a company that exists with a revenue model based on fund raising for school and…no. Just, no.
I would refuse to participate. Oh, this is a Thing for me, CAN YOU TELL??
Oh, and even if the kids are in private school? Why isn’t the tuition enough? Raise tuition! Claire’s private Montessori school did this and I was like, “But…I pay you. Is it not…enough?” It’s feel so greedy and grabby-handed to me from a private school.
iam so with you . my kids rarely play in our front yard and going door to door now a days is just asking for trouble. i use to go to door to door but that was years ago .