[mommytlc]

I was wondering if anyone ever tried doing an Honor Roll party for all of the students who made the Honor Roll. The children already receive an honor roll ribbon and a certificate for a free Happy Meal at McDonald's. I feel like the PTO should step in to do something nice for the children. We can treat them to a program in the auditorium and give them a treat or have an ice cream party. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[mommytlc]

Sorry. I meant for this to be listed under Free For All. How do I move it or do I need to move it? Thanks.

[CrewChief]

Hey tlc... I suppose you could delete this post and start over on the other board but I don't think it really matters. With the handy "Today's Posts" and 'New Posts" links, it should pop up anyway.

As for the Honor Roll Party, I have to say I'm not a big fan of the idea. My last PTO followed an unwritten rule that whatever we supported had to benefit [I]all[/I] of the students or at least programs or rewards that all of the students had the potential to achieve.

This, in my opinion, opens up a huge issue for your group. Where would you draw the line? Would you have a party for everyone who makes the basketball team? How about the cheerleaders? Then there's Mathletes, Scholastic Bowl Team, and so on and so on. Every parent is proud of their child's individual achievements, even if they're not on honor roll or the baseball team or student council. Once you start rewarding some achievements over others, it seems to me that you're inviting parents to say, "Why those kids but not mine?" It's not as if these kids aren't already being rewarded in many ways.

At my last school, the parents and coaches of each 'team' paid for and planned any types of reward banquets.

[Holly Eighmy]

Our PTA hosts the Student of the Month luncheon each month. We get the pizza donated by Domino's for the school participating in their "Raising Dough" monthly fundraiser. We usually get 10 free pizzas each month. The PTA purchases the drinks and we draw out one of the students and give them a school t-shirt. This works out really well at our school


Hope this helps,
Holly

[ScottMom#1]

Our school, not the PTO, pays for a special lunch for all the students who reach their reading goal halfway through the year as our reading goal is what we have the most trouble reaching. It is done at lunchtime. They serve pizza, chips, brownies, and pop. I believe at least half the school earned this reward. I've noticed more and more that schools are trying to use example and peer pressure to get other kids to work for goals and it seems to be working. Needless to say, my kids always work really hard over the summer so they are ready to meet their reading challenge. They also get a bi-monthly treat for meeting their goal. Our PTO has never been asked to pay for these things.

[mommytlc]

CrewChief, I guess I never thought about it that way. Our students are already rewarded for good citizenship and we have Student of the Month rewards as well. I always feel like whatever the PTO does, it just isn't enough.

[CrewChief]

tlc - I don't mean to take the wind out of your sails. If this is a project your team wants to fund and you're all great with the idea, then go for it! I just know the community I come from and this would have snowballed into a big mess for us. Especially in small towns when students are in mulitple activities, it doesn't take long for word to get around that "the PTO is playing favorites".

Actually, I had a parent call me once and ask why the PTO bought flowers for the girls basketball team's banquet but didn't do anything for the boy's team. A mom, who just happened to be on the PTO board and had a daughter on the team decided to use [I]her own money[/I] to buy the flowers. It was crazy and I spent a week of back and forth phone calls convincing parents that we did not use PTO money.

[PMCW]

We are a K3-8th grade school and our school (not the PTO) plans and pays for an "Honor Roll breakfast" for children in grades 5-8 who make all A's (this is called the Principal's Honor Roll). We also have regular Honor Roll for grades 5-8, which is A's & B's but they don't get invited to the breakfast. The younger grades do not have an "Honor Roll" in our school. PTO doesn't have anything to do with it at our school.

PMCW

[dlf]

I personally don't love the idea of an honor roll party. I think it is more exclusionary that inclusionary ... I mean there are some kids that work hard every day and don't cut it to the honor roll...usually those children do receive some other type of recognition to assist in making them feel honored...through the school. We instituted a 'PTO Spirit Award' that is given each quarter. It is meant to recognize the child (or 2) in each class that the teacher feels comes to school every day with a great attitude and works hard to do their best routinely and has a great school spirit. It has been very heartwarming to see those boys and girls that may not have been able to be recognized for anything else come forward and receive their award. They receive 2 'bobcat bucks" that they can spend in our spirit shoppe on Fridays. That award has been great as far as getting our name out there recognizing our great children.
The counter arguement is (and I'm always thinking this way) is that this is a school and recognizing the high achievers is good as well....We had our Odyssey of the Mind team get selected to go to the World championship adn while I was very proud of them and committed the manpower of the board to support their fundraisers, I did not support committing any money for the trip as I saw the group as too small to warrant the funds created to support the entirety of the student body with as much equal distribution as we could.

Anyway..just my thoughts..
d

Our PTO is looking into doing a honor roll party also . I think it is a great idea . We are a lower income school in colorado springs and our school doesn't honor every indiviual for honor roll it only honors three for each class that is 1 for academic 1 for citizenship and 1 for overall.