Curmudgeon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>

Quote

I am VERY doubtful of your 30K number for
> in-house fundraising. Assuming a large elementary
> school of 1000 kids, you're saying every single
> kid gathered a $30 donation from their parent.
> You're saying families with two kids donated $60
> directly to your PTA, and you had NO fundraising
> costs! That also assumes 100% participation (you'd
> be lucky to break the 50% threshold in my
> experience).

>
> by all means, then, do what works for you.
>
> our target goal is $80 per kid in straight
> donation. it's a decently-well off school (i
> don't want to identify it specifically on the
> internet). i'd say your numbers are probably
> pretty close -- participation is extremely good.
>
> pta voted overwhelmingly to fire the boosterthon
> guys in favor of straight donation, which requires
> utterly minimal administrative costs.

Would love to know if you raised as much running it on your own. Neither condoning nor condemning Boosterthon, just trying to collect real facts.

Is the actual run conducted during the school or after school?

just curious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is the actual run conducted during the school or
> after school?


Is the actual run conducted during the school DAY or after school?

If a fundraiser is sponsored by a PTA, and it involves using students to generate funds, the money has to run through the school activity funds and the provisions of 1370 apply, including contract review and management.

If an event is held during the school day, it is generally considered to be school-sponsored. Recess is part of the school day. If it is co-sponsored, there is more information here on the Sponsorship guidelines. If it is sponsored solely by the PTA, you can't use any staff acting in their official roles for anything, or take time away from classroom activities. Supposedly.

If revenue is generated from cooperative activities, PTA...involving property or students, the revenue must be recorded in the school activity fund records. Reg 5810, pate 9, C. 2.
Attachments:

Elementary school students are prohibited from participating in door-to-door fundraising. Reg 1370.

If students aren't allowed to go door to door, and aren't allowed to solicit over the phone, then just how are they supposed to get pledges for this run?

Answer-the parents do it.

how do you do this? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If students aren't allowed to go door to door, and
> aren't allowed to solicit over the phone, then
> just how are they supposed to get pledges for this
> run?
>
> Answer-the parents do it.

We got our packet today which encourages the children to make phone calls and even gives them a script to use. It's disgusting. It also tells them to post on instagram and Facebook. (This is an elementary school where none of the kids are 13.)

Parents cannot see the waiver and all the terms until after registering on their site with your name, email, birthday (?!), phone number, and class code. You have to give them personal information before you can even opt out.

Oh, and at no point in any of the documents does it mention their cut.

My kid mentioned the daily huddles contain exercises and them showing off the prizes. Also they were told the other grades claimed they could "beat them" so they better get more pledges if they want to "win." Not one character lesson has been communicated yet, or at least no GOOD character lessons.

Group competition that puts pressure on individuals to participate is prohibited.

Once you give them your email it is all over with. They will add you to their list and hound you to your death.

They are really ramming this down your throats.

Do they do the run during the school day?

Yes, the run is done during the day. Despite the "we do everything" line our school is still asked to provide parents to help count laps, collect/count pledges etc.

I complained to FCPS and they told me to take it up with the school. So they will make regulations but seeing that the schools follow them is too much trouble.

We could always just raise taxes. Just one time of course.

Well, yeh, you probably need to take it up with the school.

If the kids aren't participating, what do they do while everybody is out running?

It gets worse in high school. People want you to donate hundreds of dollars for stuff. They think you are terrible if you don't. It isn't that you don't appreciate things, but between fees and uniforms and time off from work to drive them to stuff and everything else.....

Donating to the school is one thing but knowing that half that money is going to an outside for profit group makes it even worse. We usually give the school $400-500/year but until this group is gone will be giving nothing.

Our kids will be absent the day of the run, though keeping them away from the **daily** sales pep rallies is down right impossible without being a complete pain in the ass to their teachers who have no say in the matter.

Doesn't some of it go to an outside charity?
I think bugging people to pledge money is a pain in the neck.
Speak with your wallets and your child's attendance records.
They aren't supposed to be tying up the school day with fundraising masquerading as a group activity.
I know it is fun to run, but it sounds like these kids are being used.

Fed up Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Donating to the school is one thing but knowing
> that half that money is going to an outside for
> profit group makes it even worse. We usually give
> the school $400-500/year but until this group is
> gone will be giving nothing.
>
> Our kids will be absent the day of the run, though
> keeping them away from the **daily** sales pep
> rallies is down right impossible without being a
> complete pain in the ass to their teachers who
> have no say in the matter.

The issue is that most of the proponents of these boosterthon folks say they're raising more than double what they were without them. So it may be worth making the investment.

I'm just not sure what the school PTAs need to raise all this money for anyhow?

Seriously, what do elementary school PTAs need to raise $30k, $40k, $50k, even more each year for?

If you raise double but they keep half, isn't that the same you would've raised anyway?

They donate 25,000/year to a charity. That's .001% of the 14 million plus they bring in. (And some years that charity involves their staff going on Christian mission trips to Africa. I pulled the 990s of some of the charities they've given too. It's right there plain as day.)

The White Oaks budget is online:

http://www.whiteoakspta.net/uploads/2/7/1/8/27180197/final_budget_2013-14.pdf

Such givers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They donate 25,000/year to a charity. That's .001%
> of the 14 million plus they bring in. (And some
> years that charity involves their staff going on
> Christian mission trips to Africa. I pulled the
> 990s of some of the charities they've given too.
> It's right there plain as day.)

Just to be clear, Booster LLC is a for profit corporation.

Mission trips are controversial, even within the evangelical community. Many compare them to vacations, and others decry them as a waste of time, effort, and money.

Boosterthon is a pernicious organization. It should be banned in Fairfax County.

After reading the comments on this page I decided to go to my kids' school and check out the daily huddle for myself. It was over 15 minutes long, and 27 seconds was devoted to "character education" – almost 10 minutes was spent recognizing individual kids and handing out junk prizes. Then they recognize them by class versus class, which is slightly less offensive to me. The class prizes however were things like 30 minutes of recess, no homework, and other ways to have them spend even less time in the classroom. If you were going to take my kid out of class 20 minutes a day for nine days straight, I have a problem with that. Not to mention the time for the original pep rally as well as the run.

This whole thing sounds like brainwashing. The staff is brainwashed into thinking it is appropriate, the kids are brainwashed, they all try to brainwash the parents and make them feel guilty if they don't approve, the PTA is just glad to get the money. The school is happy to get the money so they go along with it. Sounds very disruptive.

When you are to the point of bringing in professional fundraisers for an elementary school, you have drunk the Koolaid.

Before you judge, try actually attending one of these fun runs. The kids LOVE them!

Kids love a lot of things they shouldn't have.

Not all kids love them - the lower income kids at our school feel very left out as their classmates are singled out by name every day for their pledge success.

They sent home a brochure with the kids. Here are some of the suggested ways to get pledges - for preschool to 6th graders - from their website pledgesecrets.com

A good old fashioned phone call is still the best way to ask for a pledge, but we’ve seen families do a lot of creative things to get the word out. Check out these Pledge Secrets below to boost your pledges, earn more rewards, and help your school.

As a family . . .

Make a video asking for a pledge. Share it on Facebook, Vine, or Youtube.
Run in the Boosterthon Fun Run before? Ask your previous sponsors for a pledge. This is the BEST place to start!
Always tell sponsors what the funds will be used for.
Group text 5 work friends asking for a pledge.
Do you have a favorite store? Ask the manager for a business sponsorship.
Post on your blog asking for a pledge.
Facetime or Skype with relatives.
Tweet your pledge link.
Make a family video using your smartphone. Send it in a text message.
Get a pledge from five different states.
Email ten people asking for a pledge. Use the share function on funrun.com.
Take a family Instagram asking for a pledge.
Email, tweet, or Facebook a link to this video asking for a pledge. Sponsors can see how much fun the Boosterthon is.
Use the “Helium Video Booth” app on iPhone or Android to ask for a pledge in a chipmunk or bear voice. Text your silly video to a few family friends.
Contact the people on your holiday card list.
Ask your sports coach.
Ask your dentist.
Ask your doctor.
Ask your CPA.
Ask your realtor.
Ask your insurance agent.
Ask your hair stylist.
Ask your veterinarian.
Ask your dry cleaners.
Ask your tutor.
Ask your art, music, or piano teacher.
Ask your Scout leader.
Ask a college friend (sorority sister, fraternity brother, etc.)
Ask your golf or tennis friends.

I think people went into this with good intentions but it sounds like it has just gotten rude. Most of the people on this list get approached by numerous children and feel bad if they don't help them.

What do the children do who don't get pledges? Do they stand on the sidelines?Children aren't supposed to made to feel bad if they don't participate in fundraisers. This sounds like it is pitting one child against another. Venomous.

That's exactly what happens. One of my kid's friends told us she hates the huddles because they make her cry since she has no pledges.

The kids who don't get pledges are allowed to run but they do know who does and doesn't get pledges since the majority of the huddles are spent naming off and recognizing the winners.

This sounds downright cruel.

A lot of parents don't like to ask others for money. And they don't want to give half of any money they would pledge to an outside corporation. Or they just can't afford to do it in the first place. Fundraising is optional. This is way too much pressure to put on kids and parents. I suppose some kids come home and beg their parents to do this after listening to this every day.

Quote

Would love to know if you raised as much running it on your own. Neither condoning nor condemning Boosterthon, just trying to collect real facts.

less gross, but more net by eschewing boosterthon.

Fundraisers are not supposed to have such a competitive spirit that children are crying. Fundraisers are not supposed to interrupt the school day. If you people don't get firm with the school system about this, they will continue to exploit your children and exploit you. The only way they are able to build this up during the school day is with the complete total support of the school system. This will go on year after year, it will spread to other schools, etc. Quit acting like wimps, start acting like parents, and be firm. This is a company that is trying make money for themselves (as well as the school). They disguise this as something fun to do and rope in the school system, and the school system LOVES money and has horrible judgment when it comes to their sources. People are messing with you making you feel like you should go along with this. Your instincts are right. Follow them.

Tiny Telemarketers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They sent home a brochure with the kids. Here are
> some of the suggested ways to get pledges - for
> preschool to 6th graders - from their website
> pledgesecrets.com
>
> A good old fashioned phone call is still the best
> way to ask for a pledge, but we’ve seen families
> do a lot of creative things to get the word out.
> Check out these Pledge Secrets below to boost your
> pledges, earn more rewards, and help your school.
>
> As a family . . .
>
> Make a video asking for a pledge. Share it on
> Facebook, Vine, or Youtube.
> Run in the Boosterthon Fun Run before? Ask your
> previous sponsors for a pledge. This is the BEST
> place to start!
> Always tell sponsors what the funds will be used
> for.
> Group text 5 work friends asking for a pledge.
> Do you have a favorite store? Ask the manager for
> a business sponsorship.
> Post on your blog asking for a pledge.
> Facetime or Skype with relatives.
> Tweet your pledge link.
> Make a family video using your smartphone. Send it
> in a text message.
> Get a pledge from five different states.
> Email ten people asking for a pledge. Use the
> share function on funrun.com.
> Take a family Instagram asking for a pledge.
> Email, tweet, or Facebook a link to this video
> asking for a pledge. Sponsors can see how much fun
> the Boosterthon is.
> Use the “Helium Video Booth” app on iPhone or
> Android to ask for a pledge in a chipmunk or bear
> voice. Text your silly video to a few family
> friends.
> Contact the people on your holiday card list.
> Ask your sports coach.
> Ask your dentist.
> Ask your doctor.
> Ask your CPA.
> Ask your realtor.
> Ask your insurance agent.
> Ask your hair stylist.
> Ask your veterinarian.
> Ask your dry cleaners.
> Ask your tutor.
> Ask your art, music, or piano teacher.
> Ask your Scout leader.
> Ask a college friend (sorority sister, fraternity
> brother, etc.)
> Ask your golf or tennis friends.

Who is doing the fundraising, the kids or the parents? How many kids do you know with a CPA and insurance agent?

Boosterthon needs to be FOIA'd then investigated-sideways. Also, what kind of freak wants to have lunch with a bunch of school kids? Oh, maybe I know the answer to that one-people like Laurene Einuis.

Most charity non-profit type organizations are just job programs for untalented people who hold a college degree.
The actual money going to said cause is always minimal.
Think about it, people with a master/slave complex who secretly wish they were gods who have been stripped of all basic humanity besides being a well-tapped phony really care about charitable causes.
They just recognize the system for what it is and rehash an organization based on the same principles.
Locks of Love and Goodwill are a earful once you open you're eyes.

If a fundraising event involves students,the money is SUPPOSED to run though the school accounts, including the contract management. Which means you can foia the whole thing. Look in the stuff posted earlier. That was clarified this year. I don't know that foia is really going to help with this. It doesn't seem to be the numbers as much as the idea that children are crying because they are upset about not keeping up with the other kids on fundraising and the tactics they are using encourages this. That is in the fundraising regulation. You take that thing and ram it into whatever body opening you think would be most effective.

If you are pissed, and the principal still thinks this is great, call Region 4 571-423-1140. DON'T email. CALL. Demand to speak to either Angela Atwater or Eric Brent. Immediately. NOW. Don't put up with anything.

I put children through 25 years of public school in two different school systems. I never had a child in tears about fundraising. They would entice them with a pizza party for the class who sold the most, but that was it. Singling out children and putting them display, making the others feel bad, is horrible. This is child abuse.

Talked with a retired teacher.They are horrified at this. If the principal won't control this, Somebody call the Super. These people have to meet instructional hours and fundraising time doesn't count. The child abuse situation is just inexcusable. Take it from two people who raised a total of six kids and know the systems and know your rights and your child's rights.

What is the $27,000 for "school support" on the budget sheet posted?

The PTAs pay for everything from LCD projectors to cafeteria tables to smartboards. If these are truly needed items then we should be appalled the school budget cannot cover them.

We also cover a LOT of meals for people - which is surprising considering the school activity funds are apparently doing the same. In the federal government, if we attend a local meeting we have to brown bag it or pay out of pocket - no reimbursement for us.

The PTAs are supposed to support what the kids need - not be a slush fund for employee fun. Some of these schools have a 100,000 budget for their PTAs.

What kind of meals & for whom? If they drop boosterthon, they will need to look @ the numbers. I was just curious re the $27,000.

WO budget shows the directory costing $3000. At our school, people have to buy a directory.

I just made Angela Atwater's day.

She seemed very concerned, said she would look into it. I told her I would call her for updates. She said that was not necessary. I told her it was, as we are talking a) about the district being scammed by Boosterthon and b) about the kids being abused and exploited by Boostherthon.

I also asked her for points of contact at Boosterthon, which she was unable or unwilling to provide. Fine, I told her, that's what FOIA is for. She did not seem happy.

YOU call HER. Otherwise, you will never hear a thing. Give her two weeks, tops. They are supposed to be managing the contract if students are used to fundraise. And if they are running their little behinds around in circles for money, they are certainly being used. Read the regulations. It's right there. This is child abuse. Children shouldn't be crying about fundraising. I would be crying, too, if everybody else was getting pledges and toys but I wasn't because mom and dad don't believe in asking their dentist, etc. to fund their child's education, and I had to sit there while everybody else got praised.

The only reason they are allowed on school property during the school day is because the principal said it was ok.

The gift wrap people, the candy people, etc. all make a huge profit. Why else do you think they charge $15 for a box of nuts? Boosterthon is in this to make money. That is to be expected. The problem here is the abusive tactics, lurking around the lunchroom and school trying to buddy up with the kids so that they will put the pressure on mom, making this seem like a school spirit thing, making kids feel bad who don't get pledges, etc. Who in their right mind would allow people to do this to children? Answer- somebody who wants the PTA to pay for their trip to the beach, or new equipment, etc. Young children are very innocent and trusting and if somebody at school tells them to do something, they want to please and follow directions. Your job as a parent is to look at this objectively. You don't have to put up with this. So don't.

The Lurker in the Lunchroom. Sounds like a bad H.P. Lovecraft ripoff. or an indicator of pedophilia.

They are lurking around the lunchroom to build rapport with students and suck them into the scheme.

The first time one of these Boosterthon people "touches" a child, the whole thing will come down like the house of cards it is!

While I do think FCPS should ban this outright, I do agree with contacting the principal first. I called ours and he shut it down. Well, it's still going on but at a much less intense level. No more recognizing kids individually and passing out prizes at an assembly every single day.

I would bet money they aren't invited back to our school after the feedback from parents and teachers - especially since we are not on track to net any more money than we have with the "send us a check, please" fundraisers of previous years.

White oaks, or a different school?

The boosterthon people are doing what they were hired to do. Somebody just didn't think how this was going to affect the children, signed the contract, and here you are. Read the regulations. The school system is supposed to be handling the contract, because children are being used to generate revenue, and the money is supposed to run through a school account. And you then have to hope and pray they use it for things for the school. But, you can follow that. Who signed the WO contract? The school or the Booster prez?

If it were my child being subjected to this abuse, I'd call social services on the school and on Boosterthon.

CPS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If it were my child being subjected to this abuse,
> I'd call social services on the school and on
> Boosterthon.


Sounds like they got it toned down. They need to work on the major issues of who signed the contract, who is the sponsor, who missed the part about not making kids cry, who approved the use of instructional time for all of this (that is big-they are on the clock with the state), etc. Their website has beautiful pictures of smiling children having a good time. Fun runs can be fun. It was the competition thing that made it ugly. What do the other schools think about the competition issue is what I don't understand. You would have thought that would have come up before.

They can still have the run.

Boosterthon needs to be banned until they make formal, written changes to their policies and FCPS goes through some kind of competitive bid process for the fundraising.

There's just too much wrong about Boosterthon to make me believe that they have "toned it down" enough to make it a good thing.

How many other schools are doing boosterthon?

This has been a great thread because now I know what to do if they ever try to bring boosterthon back to Kent Gardens.

I hated it when I figured out how the kids were manipulated to make profit for this company.

Google "Boosterthon FCPS 2014" and you will see a ton of Virginia elementary schools holding this event. I would bet few if any ran their contract through the FCPS system.

http://www.fcps.edu/LaneES/docs/2014-15%20Wednesday%20Folders/Boosterthon%20Overview%202014.pdf

http://www.kpkgpta.org/index.php/calendar/

http://www.fcps.edu/WashingtonMillES/docs/parents/WMES%20pta%20doc%20fundraiser.pdf

http://crossfieldpto.org/

http://www.fcps.edu/FairviewES/pdf-documents/September%20newsletter%202014-2015.pdf

http://www.fcps1.org/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=31011


FWIW, White Oaks decided to just do an armchair fundraiser, i.e. "send us a check," this year. So did Navy - they did a Boosterthon in the past. This year their Facebook page says their armchair fundraiser brought in 30k. Seems like the schools learn their lesson after the first attempt - but how are these people even getting in the door?

Making Angela's Day Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just made Angela Atwater's day.
>
> She seemed very concerned, said she would look
> into it. I told her I would call her for updates.
> She said that was not necessary. I told her it
> was, as we are talking a) about the district being
> scammed by Boosterthon and b) about the kids being
> abused and exploited by Boostherthon.
>
> I also asked her for points of contact at
> Boosterthon, which she was unable or unwilling to
> provide. Fine, I told her, that's what FOIA is
> for. She did not seem happy.


Did you call the wrong super? So WO did something different this year? They are getting in the door with the blessing of the principals.

Coming to a school near you - Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Google "Boosterthon FCPS 2014" and you will see a
> ton of Virginia elementary schools holding this
> event. I would bet few if any ran their contract
> through the FCPS system.
>
>

The two posted regulations say any fundraiser/generation of revenue that uses students is supposed to have the money run through the school accounts and all the other "provisions", which includes contract review, etc. even if it is sponsored by an outside organization (like PTA or other Booster clubs). I seriously doubt this is being followed in a LOT of cases. There used to be an "out" in the old 5810, where it looked like a principal could decide otherwise. It was confusing and conflicting. The 1370 has read that way for years. They cleared that up this fall. That phrase in the new 5810 has been deleted. It makes sense. And how can a PTA/PTO president contractually commit children to do something during the school day? They don't have any authority to do that. Every minute counts. If a PTA sponsors something, they retain the liability, etc. No staff are supposed to be involved. So if a child was injured due to negligence, or somebody is really ticked about the prizes (technically psychological abuse), they hold the liability. Yet, the school system is totally responsible for the children every minute during the school day, even during recess. You can't tell me they are turning the children over to the PTA/PTO and the Boosterthon staff during the school day and walking away from them. So, WHO IS THE SPONSOR? Who is liable? The staff are right there while they are doing the prize presentations and the run. Somebody chose to allow this during time that they are responsible for. And that person is the principal.

And I really don't understand the whole co-sponsor issue in the Risk Management publication. Who holds the liability? Who signs the contracts? Somebody has to "own" the event. I think maybe they need a different term.

The wrapping paper, candy, and other sales are not as clear. If the parents are doing all the selling (which you know isn't necessarily happening) then they wouldn't apply. Writing a check sounds a lot easier.

ALL fundraising companies clear a huge profit. It isn't just Boosterthon. But, they don't all ply the kids with prizes in front of the other children who don't earn any and tie up school hours. I think people latched on to the fitness thing and forgot about how upsetting this can be to children. They also forgot about interrupting instructional time and recess to push the kids to get pledges, under the guise of promoting physical fitness and character building. You have kids running, it sounds good. It CAN be good.

If you look closely at the two regulations, there is still some conflict on who does the contracts. The 5810 says the revenue from any fundraiser involving students needs to be recorded in the school activity fund records. Are they saying you can just take the money that students raised and put it in the school account, without accompanying contracts and supporting documents? I think those are part of the school fund records. Otherwise, how are you going to monitor this? You don't know what a group who doesn't have to release records to the school system is doing. They could be pocketing some of it. The 1370 says if the event is school-sponsored the contracts needs to run through the school records. It also says any fundraising drive involving students must have accounting procedures that ensure all money collected goes into a school account. Hard to do w/o a contract in the files. That you have to look at. And monitor. Why would you want a volunteer doing that?

More to figure out. I still say how can a PTA/PTO president contractually commit students during the school day. Have fun.

I have a business background. I do a lot of contracts. Excuse me, but if my kids are going to be used to raise money for their school, I want somebody from the school system signing off on the contract and reviewing it to prevent stuff like this from happening again. I don't want somebody who doesn't know what they' re doing getting my kid involved in a sketchy operation. Get it cleared up.

I just spoke to Sharon Bulova's office about this. I told them I will keep calling until there are some straight answers and positive action. The person answering Bulova's phone seemed to know what I was talking about.

I've also left voicemail (as no one picks up) for my school board member and all of the at large members.

The truth is plain and simple, Boosterthon is an exploitative, manipulative scam based on child abuse. It has no place in our schools. I am beginning to think the families of traumatized children should file a class action lawsuit against Boosterthon and put it out of business.

^^I think the school system handles all their own stuff. You can also try your SB person, but they tend to just transfer it back to the school system.

Every fundraiser has a profit for the company. I really don't think Boosterthon is any different.

The problem here is that somebody allowed professional fundraisers to interrupt the school day, and allowed a fundraiser during the school day. And they forgot about the major issue of competing children against each other. That is expressley forbidden in the 1370. Perhaps they just meant to congratulate the students. But, when you do it in front of all the others, it is upsetting.

My opinion is that they need to update the 1370 and if students are used to fundraise, the checks should be written to the school (not a parent organization) since the money is clearly supposed to be receipted into the school records, and if the checks are written to the school, there should be a contract signed by a school official to support this. It should match. Which makes it school-sponsored. Much simpler. Why would you ever use a volunteer to sign a contract obligating children, interrupt the school day, etc. They are using the kids for car washes, garage sales, band competitions, door to door, etc. Some of that money is running through parent groups. That really needs to be processed into a school account, with checks written to the school. There is documented cash flow, etc. They have a system. They just need to use it.

It would be a hoot if Boosterthon came to a school and there was no or next to no participation. In other words, Boosterthon would lose money. Yes I know they ask for $2,000 but maybe there's a way around that. A heroic school administrator could make a lot of friends by sticking it to Boosterthon!

^^^^^^^There is a contract somewhere with terms. You don't want to stick it to anybody. You might up sticking it to whoever signed the contract and is obligated to anything. Act like adults.

Quit making kids cry due to the competition and parading around the kids who get the most pledges. That should be easy to fix. That never should have happened. Have the run, collect the money, pay Boosterthon. People knew the terms when they signed the contracts. All fundraising companies make a good profit. That is why they are called fundraising companies! Boosterthon isn't any different than the rest. They offer a product. Somebody bought the product.

Figure out who signed the contract.

The money is definitely supposed to be receipted into the school accounts. That is what the 5810 says. This is fairly new, but very clear. In view of this, who really SHOULD be signing these types of contracts?

The only way these people got into the classrooms is because school personnel allowed it. Why?

Lashing out and calling Sharon Bulova probably isn't going to accomplish anything but making people look hysterical.

The irony of all this is that the principals have been taking the public money we have been giving them for things for schools, checking into luxury hotels, going to fine restaurants, buying catered lunches galore, outfitting their staff, golfing, going to the Rotary Club, etc. And then they let tiny children be put into this position. Crying because they don't have enough pledges, watching their friends get prizes when they don't, imposing on their parents' service providers to sponsor them so they won't feel left out, etc., so that the PTA can buy their schools stuff that could have been purchased from the public money we gave them.

Think about it. :--(.

Superintendent Garza's Next Listening Tour to Be Held November 11 at Robinson Secondary School

Superintendent Karen K. Garza invites students, parents, employees, and community members to join her at any of the upcoming Listening Tour meetings scheduled for the 2014-15 school year.

Garza will provide an update on the latest happenings in Fairfax County schools and listen to ideas, comments, and questions from the audience.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 11, at 6:30 p.m., at Robinson Secondary School.

A complete schedule of dates and locations is available at http://www.fcps.edu/news/listening-2014-15.shtml. Anyone planning to attend the listening tour is requested to sign up online and indicate if an interpreter is needed.

It is not acceptable for the School Board to tell people to take this up with the schools. What's needed is a consistent policy. Given the misconduct associated with Boosterthon, the policy, for the time being should be: NO BOOSTERTHON.

If the School Board can't see this, then we need a new Board.

shell game Wrote:
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> It is not acceptable for the School Board to tell
> people to take this up with the schools. What's
> needed is a consistent policy. Given the
> misconduct associated with Boosterthon, the
> policy, for the time being should be: NO
> BOOSTERTHON.
>
> If the School Board can't see this, then we need a
> new Board.

They are required to turn it over to the school staff. If you can't come to terms with them after going up the whole darn chain, then try again.

GO OVER TO THE CHRIS CARNEAL THREAD. WHITE OAKS DIDN'T EVEN DO IT THIS YEAR. SOMEBODY STARTED A NEW THREAD.

White Oaks needs to disclose WHY they did not do Boosterthon this year.

Maybe it is the five million dollar insurance policy they require the purchaser to carry for the event. Stenwood said they could only get one million.

Issue #1 - I've contacted Boosterthon (after calling the BBB in Atlanta GA to locate a phone # for them) and questioned them about how they vet their employees. They stated they use a third party company to vet employees however would not state at what level they are vetted - whether jurisdictionally, state, or nationally. Why would they not disclose this information? I have an issue with this. I contacted our principal and the school board. Boosterthon has to provide a document to the county which states their employees have had a background check but it DOES NOT require a specific level and there is no follow up to this.

Issue #2 - why do they have my childrens names???? Why would the school system provide their names?? Why are my childern issue a code in conjunction with their name??? The code part is understandable, that's to track how much money our kids individually make Boosterthon. But what is happening to OUR childrens names after this event?

Issue #3 - Why, if a class does not raise any money, are the other students told NOT to clap when the class is called? Children that DO NOT participate are singled out!!! What kind of "LEADERSHIP" is this teaching?

I am going to my childrens school this afternoon and listen to their message to the students. This should be interesting.

Please post the # for Boosterthon.

There are too many things WRONG about Boosterthon. I'd like to call them myself.

The list of students is technically "directory information" under FERPA rules. So, unless you have opted out of the school directory, anybody in the world can have your child's name and association with the school system, your name and home address and phone number if printed. I don't know if they release all this under the FERPA directory terms to people if there isn't a school directory. I know the picture people sure know how to find us in high school.

The School Board Auditor has just been presented with the serious issue of having fundraisers during school hours. This looks to be a flat-out violation of school regulations. It was in regards to a different situation. There are several schools conducting fundraisers during school hours. It isn't just Boosterthon.

The School Board Auditor has also just been presented with the issue of students being used for fundraising, as the regulations clearly state that parent group revenue resulting from using students is required to run through a school account. This again was regarding different situations. The issue of liability and records was also brought up, and the problem of records access when these are held by a private corporation instead of the school system. I strongly suggest you INSIST on full records and contracts being available if your child is being used to raise funds. Very loudly.

Feel free to contact the SB auditor for your concerns. The School Board was also presented with a copy of the material.

The issue of "no clapping" and singling out non-participating classes is just rude. FUNDRAISERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL ARE 100% COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. Don't ever forget that.

Stand up for your children and your rights.

Who gave them the list of names?????????????
Attachments:

I have gotten more soliciting from the school directories. Be careful what you put in there. People take those things and make up marketing lists. They go everywhere.

Every real estate agent in the county uses those directories. Along with anybody else who wants to sell you stuff. A lot of them have the class lists in them, or the name of the teacher is right along with your child's name. Who DID give them our children's names?

The school system went to the trouble of making sure there were back ground checks so people could come into the classrooms during school hours and use children to fundraise. I guess it is good they had some background checks, but this was definitely planned out then. Is this the wave of the future? Junior marketing school by outside contractors?

there's a woman who withheld $2,000 of PTA money for her own use, fx co va, who served TWO YEARS in prison for doing so. she argued she wasn't a qualified accountant and didn't know, she lost

VIRGINIA is a commonwealth law state, it goes by history of rulings that is,

so if today any PTA are stealing money under any flag of "fund raiser" someone must compensate the woman for her two years in jail and her LOSSES otherwise

i hope you all are kidding. because stealing is illegal (false funraisers) and if i were that white girl who was in JAIL two years and found out some fucking foreigners were doing the same and getting away with it

i'd want them damn hung

Did I sign permission to give my son's name to boosterthon? I don't remember doing this. If the school system didn't have a contract with them, then why did they have the names? The pta doesn't have the authority to pass on a list. It looks like the pta doesn't have the authority to have a list unless I consent to that.

Incognito please Wrote:
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> Did I sign permission to give my son's name to
> boosterthon? I don't remember doing this. If the
> school system didn't have a contract with them,
> then why did they have the names? The pta doesn't
> have the authority to pass on a list. It looks
> like the pta doesn't have the authority to have a
> list unless I consent to that.

Good points. Why did I have to opt-out of a fundraiser instead of opt-in after professional fundraisers had already been given access to my child's name w/o my permission?

Since Boosterthon is a for profit company, they don't have to disclose very much.

It is very possible that Chris Carneal and his pals are making vast amounts of money off of the exploitation of children. Without some transparency, we'll never know.

If the PTAs and principals won't disclose information about Boosterthon, then the County should slash the school budget, and tell the schools they are pretty much on their own since they have entered into this secret treaty with Boosterthon.

Mr. Carneal is doing nothing but offering services for people to purchase. He is entitled to make a vast amount of money so that he can pay his overhead, including himself. That is why people run businesses. If the parents and the school system don't like the way he does it, or find that the terms are not agreeable, then whoever signed these people up needs to quit signing these people up.

That's the problem - the elite few sign on the dotted line and the rest of us are stuck. Hope they enjoy their free lunches at McCormick's and their junket trips.

If the schools were open and said "We are keeping only half your money and by the way your kids are missing the equivalent of an entire day of instruction" i'll bet a lot fewer parents would get behind the idea.

Boosterthon takes pics of your kids and uses them in marketing materials. That really pisses me off. They are supposed to not do it to the kids whose parents signed the opt out form with FCPS. But we didn't because we don't care if our kid's pic is associated with his school. I do however care if Boosterthon is taking his picture and using it.

Come on Wrote:
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> That's the problem - the elite few sign on the
> dotted line and the rest of us are stuck. Hope
> they enjoy their free lunches at McCormick's and
> their junket trips.
>
> If the schools were open and said "We are keeping
> only half your money and by the way your kids are
> missing the equivalent of an entire day of
> instruction" i'll bet a lot fewer parents would
> get behind the idea.

+ 1

Chris Carneal has learned to hide in the shadows. If someone were to shine a bright light on him and his operations, the whole thing would shrivel and die.

The School Board Auditor is looking into this matter. Several principals are going to be called on the carpet for letting this continue.

Boosterthon is a scam. Get used to it.

The sb auditor is looking at why OTHER fundraisers are being held during the school day and why money raised by students is not being run through the school records, along with the contracts. Has somebody brought THIS group up to the auditor? Has anybody obtained a boosterthon contract yet? This is very strange. The school system obtained the background checks, but no contract is available?

And WHERE did they get the student lists? The school system is supposed to have some type of formal business agreement with confidentiality terms in order to release those names to an outside party. Who signed the contracts?

Unless it is tied into my kid's GPA, I will never donate or market to Fraudithon.

Boosterthon sounds exactly the same as the Apex Extreme Fun Run scam which is ripping off elementary schools in the southwestern US. Based in Phoenix and just did a major screw job on Denver, Colorado school. Great stuff in this post. Like the "Fraudithon" term. This is so corrupt. How is it going on all over the country. How can PTOs be so stupid to contract with these scam artists. Does anyone suspect PTOs get kickbacks? There must be an explanation outside of ignorance as to how these scammers worm their way into our schools and get the PTA to let them rob, rape and pillage the school.

Boosterthon is the greatest thing ever. They come in and set everything up, the kids all have a great time. I like it because it's like a day off for me.

teacher 2 Wrote:
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> Boosterthon is the greatest thing ever. They come
> in and set everything up, the kids all have a
> great time. I like it because it's like a day off
> for me.


You DO get half a day off total. So do the kids. That's the problem. Instructional hours are supposed to be used for instruction, NOT fundraising. And they can't tie fundraising participation to your child's GPA or any other academic indicator.

OK, here is the trivia for the day. Reg. 8424 applies to fee-based pta-sponsored CLASSES, CAMPS, etc. that are given in school facilities. So, this probably would not apply to Boosterthon.

"Page 6 paragraph H- The School Board reserves the right to audit the managing organizations' financial and management records at any time, either by division internal audit personnel or by an outside auditor. This shall include all books of original entry, accounting, and other records and documents deemed relevant to verifying the accuracy of the financial statements and transactions related to the activities conducted in FCPS facilities."

So, if a PTA president signed a contract with Boosterthon, and it was held during the school day no less, WHY can't somebody get a contract? If FCPS can pull a contract and records on a summer PTA art class, etc., why should you not somehow be able to get a contract on something that HAPPENED ON FCPS TIME? The principal/school system is responsible for anything going on during the school day.

Have fun with this one.
Attachments:

"An axe to your head if you ever make me make another Fun Run call!"

-Hank
Breaking Bad

Found out some PTA/O's are funding massages for the staff. So, we are allowing fundraisers, on taxpayer time, to pay for massages for staff. And we are hitting up our family, friends, and neighbors for this. Didn't we already find out that people are paying for parking passes and public building rental for massages for the staff? I know they do a lot more than funding massages, but the irony of this is beyond belief.

A while back someone said there had not been a really juicy corruption scandal in Fairfax.

Well, this may be it. It sure does look as though the PTAs are exceeding their authority AND getting kickbacks. So far we have seen that these kickbacks include fancy lunches and trips to Atlanta. What else is going on?

It just sounds like nobody knows who is supposed to do what.
So our kids are out begging for money and missing class for massages? Oh come on.

Are they doing the massages on taxpayer time, also?

Umm, so about those character-building sessions - ya know, the ones that are financially supported by that 48% of child-generated funds...?

They cover the same subjects as FCPS counselors, according my school's principal (not at White Oak). But the principal also says that reinforcing those sessions is an appropriate way for the for-profit fund-raising organization to use school time.

So kids are going door to door,parents are frantically trying to get pledges from everybody, time is taken out of the school day, to pay FUNDRAISERS to build character in our children. And we are paying staff to stand there and NOT TEACH while these FUNDRAISERS are talking about character lessons.
The character lessons are a marketing tool to justify their costs!!!!!!
Character is taught AT HOME. For free. It is called PARENTING.