Finances

A. Generic Proposed Class Budget

Re: Room __ Class Contribution

Dear Room __ Parents,
We are requesting a voluntary donation of $100 per child to cover the cost of the items listed below. You may also choose to “pay-as-you-go” instead of one lump sum, if that is easier for you.

Please send monies via venmo/paypal to the classroom accountant at...Or we can take your credit card.

Field Trips	$25
Carpenter Gala Ticket – Teacher & Guest/aide	$16
Yearbook (not including 5th grade)	$30
Teacher/aide Holiday Gift	$12
Teacher/aide Year End Gift	$12
Misc. Expense	$5
Approx. 24 students	$100.00

Thank you for contributing. Your contributions, whether volunteering in the classroom, donating items for the events, or the class donation, are greatly appreciated! Again, please remember that the class donation is VOLUNTARY. The amount that we collect may affect what we do as a class but absolutely no child will be excluded.

B. Soliciting Donations

There are classroom expenses that are necessary throughout the year. We have found the easiest way to collect for these expenses is to ask for a voluntary sum at the beginning of the year. Donations for the year should never exceed $100 per family. See the proposed class budget for what these funds can be used for.

DONATIONS SHOULD NOT BE COLLECTED FOR THE FOLLOWING:

• Classroom wish lists – no monetary donations should be requested for this. Teacher’s post their wish lists, and items are purchased and donated by the parents.
• Class parties (two per year - winter and end of the year), sign up sheets should be posted so all parents can contribute and this will consist only of food or items for goody bags.
• If you have extra funds at the end of the year, please consult with all of your class parents for how those funds can be used. There should always be an option to divide the amount evenly among the parents and returned.

Please keep in mind that all such donations are on a voluntary basis only, parents should not be made to feel uncomfortable or pressured into contributing. You must provide a break down to the parents, so they know exactly where their money is going. Full transparency is required at all times for classroom accounting. You can upload the budget to your shutterfly site.

C. Keeping Track of Finances

Please choose one room parent to keep track of all money that is collected and spent on behalf of the class. You will be provided a google document that you should use to keep track of your finances. The room parent coordinator will also be able to see this document.

Venmo and Paypal are great money collection tools and charge a small fee. Please do not accept cash.

You should be prepared to give an accounting of your class’s finances at any time.

If there is money left in the classroom account at the end of the year, please consider refunding the money to the parents, or confer with the parents on how the excess, if any, should be spent. Some classes choose to donate extra money to the enrichment staff, the office staff or the custodial staff, or school donation account. No matter how the majority of parents choose to spend the money, you MUST make sure all the parents in the classroom are notified how their money is spent.