Boosterthon Info

So when kids sell Girl Scout Cookies; Boy Scout Popcorn it's ok? They aren't pimping for those organizations?

By law, all children of compulsory school age (5 to 16) must receive a suitable full-time education. As a parent, you have a legal responsibility to make sure this happens.

Belonging to Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts etc. is not mandatory it is a choice.

I choose as a parent to donate my time and money straight to Butler, not filter it through a FOR PROFIT company.

My child on the other hand has no choice but to sit in his classroom EVERYDAY for a week and a half during IMPORTANT INSTRUCTION TIME and listen to a sales pitch.

And what does my child get in return?

MY CHILD WAS EXPLOITED BY BOOSTERTHON, AND ALL HE GOT WAS A LOUSY T-SHIRT.

Butler has a PTO - not a PTA. There is a big difference. As far as back ground & finger print it has been done. This morning while at the school a staff member approached me & said that she was happy Fun Run Team is here that they are motivating the kids and sending positive messages to them.

The OP of this thread never volunteered in the school when OP was an employee and has not volunteered as just a parent at all this year.

The Bear Run money did stay in the school, but it also taxed the local businesses as there were a lot of donations made by places that could not afford to keep giving like they did every year. Some businesses contacted the Superintendent and the Principal & asked that our school quit asking for donations.

Some of the parents that organized Bear Run simply can't do everything. Organizing a fundraiser like this is a lot of work, and the people complaining have not volunteered to be in charge of any fundraisers in the school so they have no idea what goes into it.

Plus the parents that are there volunteering do work. We are not a bunch of moms with nothing to do. We are the working parents that want to help the direction of the school so we are there in what little free time we have.

The fundraising that is done throughout the school year supplements the School Districts budget. Our fundraising money has purchased the following in the last 3 years: Active Boards for grades 3-5, Activexpressions, Easy Tech, Safari Montage, volleyballs, playground maintenance & repairs, wireless access points, in the process of purchasing projectors for all classes that don't have them... This years fundraising money will go toward the same things: technology improvements, playground upkeep, Licensing fees for Easy Tech & Safari. Every year there are always some kind of budget cuts and there will be the back up money for needs that arise that the District just can't pay for.

funny how no one complained when cookie dough was being sold and that company took 60% of your money and they did nothing. PTO has to get approval from Superintendent & Principal, scheduling, set up, clean up, call parents to come get their cookie dough/wrapping paper because they forgot or don?t feel like it, we have to call on NSF checks, count everything, place orders, correct orders, make sure all prizes are accounted for, send info home, etc? Boosterthon Team does all of the work and keeps 48%. And they aren?t asking us to go to the community and ask for donations or money. They are asking that kids contact relatives from out of state to ask for donations ? this can be in the amount of $1 flat to whatever, or nothing.

Prizes were given with cookie dough sales as well and no one complained... hmm... maybe we should keep selling the junk food & not promote health, wellness and good character traits...

If the OP, or any other parent at Butler would like to organize the Bear Run next year then we would love that. Step up & do it - but don't complain until you've been on this side.

The few that do volunteer on a regular basis can't do everything. And we certainly don't like to volunteer and then get pushed around by parents who don't do anything but complain. The pushing is what makes good volunteers stop helping...


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Well, I have a sobbing kindergartner this afternoon because apparently these people called her up in front of the class and told her she didnt have enough raised for whatever stupid toy they were giving out .....nothing that you are saying above makes that OK. This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen, and I am really upset about it.

The kids have not been talking about learning at ALL this week.....all of the conversation is about raising money for this company.

They are doing this fundraising with kindergarteners? Yeesh. Yuck.

They are doing this fundraising with kindergarteners? Yeesh. Yuck.

And please don't get me wrong. I love Butler, my kids love it, and i would do anything I could to help with fundraising. I dont have a problem with the kids calling and asking for donations even. What I just can't stand here is the way its being handled by this particular group. How can you put a kindergartner in this position? Why is that acceptable? I just can't understand....

48% seems like a pretty big cut - especially considering all of the negatives we are hearing about.

Do you have a set fundraising goal you want to meet or a list of items or services (like a volleyball) the community could buy or donate? It's easy to set up a wish list on Amazon for books and many other items that get shipped right to the school.

One fun fundraiser is for kids to collect spare change they find. It's an entertaining thing for the kids and doesn't have to be a competition or take up a lot of volunteer time.

One fundraiser we did was have the kids do drawings that we put on notecards and sold. I am sure many Sowal shops would be willing to sell something like that for you at far less than a 48% cut.

We also used to get pledges based on how much we read - either by book or page. I found that friends and relatives would much rather do that than buy something.

Frankly, I'd rather see some of this energy put into lobbying the School Board for more funding for the schools, so that fundraising was not such an issue. It's disgraceful that the schools are properly equipped.

Well, I have a sobbing kindergartner this afternoon because apparently these people called her up in front of the class and told her she didnt have enough raised for whatever stupid toy they were giving out .....nothing that you are saying above makes that OK. This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen, and I am really upset about it.

The kids have not been talking about learning at ALL this week.....all of the conversation is about raising money for this company.

That is utterly horrible and reprehensible. Have you called the school regarding this? I am sorry to hear this. :(

That is utterly horrible and reprehensible. Have you called the school regarding this? I am sorry to hear this. :(

I have not. The fact is, the kids are not forced to do it, and Im sure that's is what Ill be told. Thats is momof2kids' line throughout this thread...the problems there are that 1) we were never informed of this 2) by the time we even knew they were doing it, they had the kids all lathered up into a frenzy about how great and fun it was going to be and 3) I probably wouldn't have told them couldn't do it b/c I wouldn't expect it to be handled as it has been....

You definitely need to call the school. They need to know about this.

I hear someone was picketing yesterday!

If the OP, or any other parent at Butler would like to organize the Bear Run next year then we would love that.

US98 Sports would be happy to help organize and promote this and any other athletic pursuits that can serve the dual purposes of not only raising and helping with health and fitness awareness, but also serve as a fundraiser.

Please contact Brian at brianm@us98sports.com, if anyone is interested. I believe his son will be in Butler Kindergarten next Fall.

I have not. The fact is, the kids are not forced to do it, and Im sure that's is what Ill be told. Thats is momof2kids' line throughout this thread...the problems there are that 1) we were never informed of this 2) by the time we even knew they were doing it, they had the kids all lathered up into a frenzy about how great and fun it was going to be and 3) I probably wouldn't have told them couldn't do it b/c I wouldn't expect it to be handled as it has been....

Don't worry, Tammy Smith tried to smooth it all out in the "Bear Facts" this week.
Remember she tells us, they come in to the classroom to teach short "character education" not a sales pitch or handing out prizes to the students that got sponsors while those children who's families can't afford to sponsor sat and got nothing.
She also goes on to tell us that classrooms that get lots of sponsors get special treats like kickball games, while the classrooms that couldn't afford to get sponsors get to continue on with the regular routine.
Tammy even made mention that Boosterthon raised $36,000.00 last year, but she forgot to mention that was BEFORE Boosterthon took their cut of the fundraising money.
I'm glad Tammy Smith the Principal can lay her head down and sleep well knowing that she supports exploiting the students so that both Butler and Boosterthon can get a cut of the loot.

She also invites parents to attend the "fun run" on Wednesday. I know I'll be there supporting my child, after all.........

MY CHILD WAS EXPLOITED BY BOOSTERTHON AND ALL HE GOT WAS A LOUSY T-SHIRT!

This topic has been nagging me for awhile now...ever since the former, not bitter teacher decided to voice his opinion about the fundraiser Boosterthon. I have read all the comments and I am bothered by all the negative comments being made, especially since a lot of what is being said is being blown way out of porportion. I would like to address some of the comments and give you the point of view of a teacher at Butler.
First, the young men involved in Boosterthon are a positive presence in our school. The students enjoy seeing them and listen to them when they talk about having good character. Character education is part of our curriculum and these quick lesson just reinforce what we have taught them all year. They send good messages, not give a "sales pitch." They do encourage getting pledges but in a positive manner. There is no pressure and no one is made to feel bad if they don't participate. No one is forced to get pledges and it is strictly voluntary.
No one is put down and everyone gets a t-shirt which the kids wear with pride. They love getting signatures that serves as a reminder of there friends in class.
Another point someone brings up is that there "sales pitch" is during "important instruction time". Well, I am a teacher, and I can guarantee you, that the five minutes it takes for them to talk to the students has not impacted my teaching or their learning. There is less work involved in Boosterthon for the teachers then in the way it was done before and less class interruption.
The experience in my room is that the kids who want to get pledges are enjoying the process and the kids who don't get pledges are enjoying the process. I haven't heard any negative feedback about not getting prizes.
Boosterthon in my opinion is a "no pressure" fundraiser that encourages excercise and good character. Oh, it also has nothing to do with the "haves" and "have nots." where do people come up with this?

teachteach, WELCOME.:welcome:Your first post on an educational subject is a breath of fresh air in the educational aspect of the area. Please post often on educational and all subjects. Yours is a slightly different opinion from what we usually see, IMO.

Well beachteach since this is your only post to Sowal, looks as though you were sent by Tammy to do some damage control. If you don't mind being suckered by an outsourced sales pitch that uses children to make money for their company then more power to you!

Teach on!

Also, Your spelling is lacking.