Masako Jige is the Mills PTA Treasurer for the 2010-2011 school year. Please send any questions regarding the PTA finances to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Two questions I often hear Mills parents asking are: “Another fundraiser?” and “What are you doing with all this money?” The quick answers are, "yes," and "more than you may realize."
Some fundraising is solely a function of the school. Grade Level Enrichment Fees, Spanish tuition, Book Fairs, Magazine Sales and Kindergarten Cookie Dough sales are all examples of fundraising that go directly to Mills, something most parents readily understand. Find out more about school fundraisers here.
But PTA fundraisers are sometimes perceived as excessive and unecessary, which is not the case. Not everything the PTA sells is a moneymaker. No profit is made from the sale of school shirts, directories, yearbooks, or school supplies. Our most successful program, Holidays Around the World, serves the school and the community – but always spends more than it brings in. Our only large fundraisers are the Spring Festival and Silent Auction, and our No Hassle Fall fundraiser. We also benefit from other “passive” fundraisers such as Boxtops for Education which has earned Mills PTA over $17K in the past 7 years.
So why exactly do we raise money for the PTA? Where does that money go? How we budget and what we budget is a fairly detailed process, and I encourage anyone that would like a more hands on approach to join the Budget and Finance committee for a closer look. But a quick breakdown of our last fiscal year's budget, follows.
34% was spent on providing services directly to Mills. This includes copier rental and workroom supplies, landscaping and safety upkeep, funding a portion of the Technologist salary, brand new state-of-the art media carts, Library purchases, upkeep on the Davis Lane marquee, our combined website and weekly eMessenger, and partially underwriting Roaring Reading.
41% was spent on services for Mills students and parents. This includes publications such as the Directory and Yearbook, School Supply Packs, school T-Shirts, parent education programming, Reflections contest, and financial assistance to cover Grade Level Enrichment Fees.
20% was spent on event programming. This includes 5th Grade Graduation, Mills Amazing Race, Arts in Education family nights, Class List Posting welcome day, Kindergarten Roundup, Silent Auction, Go Green Festival and Holidays Around the World.
3% was spent outside the school. This includes special Community Outreach endeavors, donations to struggling PTAs, and the Mills Graduate College Scholarship program.
2% was the cost of doing business. For example, insurance premiums, association dues, correspondence, board member training, volunteer recruitment and membership drives – the things that have to be paid for the PTA to continue.
So every bid you make at Silent Auction, each "paw" donation, your attendance at the Spring Festival, your very PTA membership, is what funds the things that your child enjoys, your teacher expects, and you depend on - things you may never have known your money provided. And please, if at any time you have questions as to how money is being spent, or where it is going, attend the monthly PTA meeting and ask. It's your right and responsibility as a PTA member.
Traci Anderson - Mills PTA Treasurer 2009-2010, and chair of the Budget and Finance Committee 2009-2010
