Connecting Schools With Great Fundraising Ideas.

In case you’re not as big a fan of Law & Order SVU as I am and don’t spend nearly the amount of time watching repeats of it on the USA Network, then maybe you haven’t heard of an amazing new campaign being promoted heavily on this channel.

It’s called “The USA Character Approved Awards” and our very own topic of school fundraising has landed right in the middle of this extraordinary promotion.

For a little background, here is their mission statement, as I found it on their website:

The Character Approved Awards honor the characters of the U.S.A. who are changing the face of American culture. Character Approved honorees are innovators in their field who influence our opinions, our style, and our view of the world. They surprise and inspire us with fresh ideas. They are celebrated by their peers. And they have an authentic style that’s all their own.

This year, in what they claim is their inaugural campaign, they have announced seven honorees, one each from the worlds of music, art, food, architecture, fashion, new media, and giving. continue reading

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If you are reading this blog, chances are you are a pretty involved parent in your child’s education. You are most likely involved in fundraising activities, field trip chaperoning, room mothering (or “fathering”), and the countless other opportunities to play a vital role in your child’s education.

I would also guess that you have a pretty good relationship with your child’s teacher. After all, the teacher sees your child for six or seven hours a day for 180 days per year. That’s a lot of influence he or she can have on your offspring. Of course, it’s a good idea to know who that person is.

As a former elementary school principal, I witnessed the spectrum of relationships that parents have with teachers, and I’ve heard the “secret” teacher lounge chatter about those relationships. Therefore, I think I can offer a few suggestions on ways for parents to say thank you that will be truly meaningful to and appreciated by your child’s teacher.

1. Volunteer in the Classroom
Most classrooms are overcrowded. That is to say that the ratio of teachers and aides to students is higher than anyone would want. This isn’t only distressing to the parents, but it is also a source of great concern for the teachers. By and large, teachers really do desire excellence, but many times, the numbers make that an elusive goal.

Therefore, I would find a way to volunteer your time as a part-time classroom aid. I’ve seen a mom volunteer one hour per week to listen to students read. The teacher really appreciated that, because the kids got more individualized instruction.

Maybe it’s something you can only do once per month. However, if you pool your time with three other parents, that’s a once-per-week help the teacher is getting, and that’s significant. continue reading

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If you work in a school that relies on significant financial contributions to meet your yearly budgetary goals, it is possible that at some point there will be or has been a breakdown in confidence within the organization. As a result, donations have dropped, enrollment has likely declined, and school spirit is in serious jeopardy.

In essence, the overall health of the organization is very poor and the prognosis isn’t very good.

At these times, if the board of directors wishes to save the school, drastic measures must be taken to both “stop the bleeding” and set a new course to the future.

Below, I have suggested ten ways for schools to regain the trust and confidence once shown to it by parents, alumni, and donors.

1. New Leadership
The quality of leadership is vital to the overall success of any organization, especially a school. If your school is in dire straits, I would look at the person in charge of the day to day operations, whether he or she is called the principal, administrator, or superintendent. What has this leader done to either help or harm the community? What has he or she done to foster alumni development and what is the current status of donor relations? Has enrollment increased or decreased? All these factors are important when judging the leader. These questions can be summed up, however, when gauging the predominant “mood” of the school. If the teachers and students aren’t energized and happy to be in the school everyday, I would submit that the leader is not doing a good job. continue reading

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Whenever a leader of an organization is poised to make some dramatic changes to the operational structure of the institution, it is likely that there will be a level of resistance from the people within the community. It is often difficult, in such situations, to get everyone to buy into a new system without a substantial amount of education, persuasion, trust, and time.

If the leader imposes change without this “buy in” from his people, it is likely that his efforts will fail, or at the very least, come at the high price of alienation and division.

In my experience, one way to help bring people into a “change” mode is to first make boldly positive alterations to the physical environment of the organization. The actions need to be noticeable and significant in appearance only. No policy changes should be attached to the physical modifications. These are strictly having to do with inanimate objects.

The goal of this demonstration is to show people that change can be attractive and beneficial. It helps them make the connection when the leader starts implementing new policy. If they see some dramatic new landscaping or completely re-decorated office, they will eventually realize that the leader has a vision, that and the world won’t come to an end.

If the people see enough examples of this “safe” kind of change, they will start to build trust in the leader, which will allow him to slowly bring about the institutional adjustments that are needed, without resentment or mis-trust.

Below, I have offered a few examples of physical transformations I have either made myself or have witnessed just before an organization undergoes significant changes. continue reading

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OK. So you’ve now run three auctions, two golf outings, seven raffles, four school carnivals, over ten spaghetti dinners, and sold 2,000 pounds of cookie dough. Now, however, your youngest child is graduating from high school in May, and you’re finally done. It is time for you to rest, to pursue your own interests, to follow your children into their new adventures.

The responsibility of ensuring the PTO has enough money for all the “extras” must fall to someone else. Someone with kids that age. Someone who has the energy for all that is yet to come.

But who, you ask yourself, can possibly lead in the way you did?

Let’s take a look at six traits you should consider in picking a replacement leader: continue reading

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