Per our school district all funds are kept by our school but the school has a full time bookkeeper (KM for typing) that manages to keep all this organized. Each account has a code and yes there is paper work BUT imagine if there wasn't!

I am concerned that your group as volunteers are expected to handle so much! It is strict policy in our neck of the woods that the most contact I have is a deposit to hand over or reinbursement!

I almost wonder if there is someone to discuss this issue with at your school district office. We actually have been asked to attend (the Prez and VP) meetings with a rep from the district about issues everyone many be having, ie the district wanted to know why we (all PTOs) needed to have so many fundraisers and how are we doing them. Many schools were surprised that our school does everything we can to NOT send our kids door to door. Anyway, I have a feeling the schools hands are tyed and you may need to step to the next level to find a solution/answer. Please remember that the first person you talk to may not be enough AND you may not want to go to the open meeting and start 'beating on your drum'. The more info the Board has before the meeting the better. ALSO they may try to send you back to your school to tell you to resolve it from within, good BUT be ready to let them know your more on a fact finding mission with the need for relief from all these incredible duties--then maybe in time answers may come.

WOW this is getting long.. Please keep us informed and don't become fusterated. That only makes the process with everyone go all to slow!
(Can you tell I deal with our District A LOT? Comes with being a charter school!)
As always May the force be with you!

I have to agree with PLW -- WOW!
Our school is only K-5 (900 students), so we don't have the level of clubs you do, but here is the way we handle some of the things on your list:
Room parent/class party money - collected by the teachers, managed by the individual class's head room parent (lots of trust)
Bookfair - Media center collects money, school writes check, PTO helps get vols, that's it.
Field Trip money - teachers collect, school secy writes check. Although our PTO pays for the buses (we write check to school) and all assemblies (we write checks to individual performers) as part of the PTO's annual budget and mission
Camp - money collected by school secy, paid by school
Yearbook - money collected by school secy, company paid by school.
Student Council - no involvement by PTO

I'm not sure how you undo the situation your PTO has gotten into, but it sure sounds like tons more work than typical.

Oh, idea! I just recently submitted our PTO's application for non-profit status to the IRS. I doubt the IRS would be keen on the PTO managing so much non-PTO funds, especially when the money has nothing to do with your mission. Maybe that's the ticket to changing the status quo...

Oh my GOSH! I cannot believe that you handle all of that! In our school system we have 10 elementary 3 middle and one high. There are approximately 2,000 students at the high and over 1500 in the middle schools. I mention those two because our music and sports programs serve the middle and high. The music boosters provide and raise funds for the orchestra and band and marching band activities. They hold one huge sale a year (oranges and grapefruit in November) even so each music group will hold their own fundraisers for trips and such run by their teachers (with help from music booster members involved) and the dollars are funneled through music boosters. Music Boosters provides everything from free rental of instruments, marhcing band uniforms, scholarships, summer camp fees and competition fees. The cheerleader coaches again hold their own fundraiser for needs. We also have an Athletic Boosters and in addition to that a Football Moms group. Many of our schools do a fundraiser for their student activity funds which is funneled through their accounts set up by the district. They hate these because it is so hard to get the money out. I have heard of other schools wanting their PTA and PTO's to handle these finances because their set up is such a pain. Both the Music Boosters and the Athletic Boosters have a need a ton of members and volunteers but they take care of it. The secretaries at the schools do the deposits for the school funds. None of our 15 units takes care of any of the things you have listed. Teachers collect monies for things and turn it in. That is not to say they do not ask for assistance in collecting but it doesn't go into our accounts! I have to go pick up my jaw now. I still cannot believe you are doing all of this. How does this go over with your bookkeeping and not for profit status? It must be a nightmare! Best Wishes!

Over the years our PTC has taken on the management of what we refer to as "restricted funds". These are not PTC monies, but for convenience, the School district's refusal to handle the money, and lack of knowing what options exist, we have handled them. These funds comprise a significant amount of money (over $90K in deposits). We are attempting to change our policy to state that only PTC-raised monies are to be deposited into PTC accounts. Furthermore, these can only be spent by membership approval as per our bylaws. Our school district is opposing the idea as the workload is so great (15-20 hrs/week for PTC treasurer & financial sect'y over 1/2 is for restricted funds. We did 298 deposits last year for restricted funds). For example, we take in the monies from cheerleaders for uniforms, competitions, etc, and pay out whatever requests they want, without any PTC input. I have listed the numerous restricted accounts and funding sources below.

I would like to know who in your school handles such funds, the grades at your school (K-6, K-8, middle, etc), the number of students at your school, the size of your district. We are a K-8 school with about 710 students. Our district currently has four K-8 schools.

Does your school secretary deposit these funds into a district account, and the district write the checks? Do you have a booster club? Do the individual groups use their own or personal accounts? Does the teacher or room parent handle the money? Does your PTC manage the money?

Cross Country - meet fees, snack bar sales
Wrestling - wrestle-a-thon fund-raiser
Basketball, Volleyball - Gatorade machine, awards dinner tickets, student store
Cheer Squad - parent payments, dance proceeds, snack bar sales.
Club Live - dance proceeds, county grant.
Field Trips - parent payments
Graduation Dance - Ticket Sales
Miscellaneous - pencil machine, science boards,juice machine, staff coke machine,school pictures rebate, grants to school.
Science Camp - Grade Level (Non-PTC) fundraiser, parent payments.
Student Council - dance proceeds, student store, snack bar.
Yearbook - yearbook sales.

None of these funding sources are set up or run by PTC, but by the people in the group, or the school itself.

I appreciate any information and ideas you can provide. We have a meeting July 19th, and I'd like as much info as possible by then, hence the urgency. Thanks!!

[This message has been edited by nj (edited 06-28-2001).]