Parents, how many fundraisers does your child's school hold, per year?

My kids’ schools (elementary and middle school) generally have two, one usually involving magazines and a second one involving wrapping paper. However, their extracurricular school programs may have more. I know when the elementary school was brand-spang new they added in a third fundraiser (a sponsored walkathon) in order to buy playground equipment such as basketballs and jump ropes.

My daughter is now in high school and is active in sports and several clubs so there seems to be a fundraiser every time I turn around. She has sold cookie dough, croissants, frozen pies, cases of soda, homemade tamales, tee-shirts, and candy bars, and has participated in one car wash so far. This is mostly to cover using charter buses instead of “yellow dogs” (school buses) for the 2 1/2 hour trips to San Antonio for games, but also supports the French Honor Society and Christian Athletes.

I do think that for an established public elementary school that one or two a year is plenty. However, the local parochial schools seem to have about one a month.

My kids school usually have 3 or 4. I throw the stuff out as soon as they bring it home. I would rather just pay for what my kid needs than waste time and energy raising a few bucks towards the field trip. Besides that I hate making people feel obligated to buy another tin of popcorn, or candles, or whatever crap. If it’s to buy new computers, or library books, I would like the option of just making a donation.

Too damn many! I wish they’d just ask for a donation, too. They’d get to keep all the money that way… seems like a win-win to me.

Interestingly enough, the parochial schools do offer an opt out program – you pay a flat $200 bucks and your kid (you actually) doesn’t have to sell a thing.

And I simply buy one of whatever it is so my kids can turn in their forms with everyone else.

I don’t mind donating, I don’t even mind some fundraisers; however, I think this is going overboard, now. It’s a brand new school – fully stocked and loaded. Truly, they have things in this school that no one else has, in the county.

I would love if they had some kind of an opt out program, like darwin mentioned, I’d love to go that way, instead of the stuff I usually get!

Yeah, we have our own opt-out program. It’s called the barrel.

What we donate at our daughter’s school is time. My wife and I volunteer for things left and right, but I refuse to sell a candy bar or spend another dime beyond tuition or essential supplies.

Several. Too many, IMHO.

My kids’ school has not had a single fund raiser this year. The PE teacher did ask them to get involved in “Jump Rope for Heart” and they have had a book fair, but other than that nothing. I find it quite refreshing actually. Of course my property taxes are through the roof so I guess it is a trade off.

This is in stark contrast to their school in California where they had had a minimum of three fundraisers before Christmas break. Maybe I’m exaggerating there, but there were A LOT of fundraisers.

If you have a band kid, then it is non-stop fundraising! But all the money goes into getting equipment that the school does not supply, or into defraying the costs of the spring band trip.

@steelmarket – My daughter (older) was in band. You aren’t kidding! I swear, I felt like we were always selling something.

Try having a child who is in cross country, soccer, tennis, track, kickball, and several clubs, in an athletic district that measures 150 miles in radius. The school does not supply money for nice buses or food or even housing for two-day track meets.

Our school taxes are high but don’t cover any of that.

@Darwin your daughters school has a kickball team? That’s cool!
I forgot to mention the fundraising my daughter does for cheerleading. They are not sponsored by the school (they will be once they reach HS). I participate in the major one, where they sell cards that give discounts at local buisnesses. Those football players participate too. Any other ones I skip, I pay for her supplies and travel expenses out of pocket.

In one way, it never stops (the older kids sell hotdogs once a week to fund the class trip), but in another, it’s maybe twice a year. There’s the big fundraiser in the fall, with silent auction and lots of good food. Then there are the mailings that come out once (or maybe more) during the year. Fortunately, there is none of this chocolate/wrapping paper/god knows what else selling. I hate that.

i’m not a parent, but my (high) school has an extravagant amount of fund raisers. however, not every student participates in each one. it depends on any programs they’re involved in, their grade level, the state of the school county.

for example, in broward county (where i am), our school county is in the worst condition ever. our arts programs are all suffering miserably, so there has been an increase in fund raisers. it seems as if they’re never ending though, because so many different classes are selling stuff to be able to afford what they need.