Guidance Regarding 5th Grade DC Fundraiser Money

Please read the following email that was sent to all principals last Thursday, 4/16/2020, from Dr. Putnam, Associate Superintendent of HCS:

To all: 

Fundraising money for the current school year should be held until such time funds can be used for the purpose in which the money was collected.

Individuals may request refunds where raffle tickets were sold to offset the cost of a field trip. Money for raffle tickets cannot be refunded to individuals for a couple of reasons. Fundraisers are a function of the school and not the participating individual. Fundraisers always have an intended use.  Returning money to individuals would violate the intended purpose and benefactor.

Fundraising money should be kept until such time it can be used for the expressed purpose for raising funds. In some instances, students will be moving forward to middle or high school. All fundraising money should follow the particular group of students or grade to the next school and be kept until such time it can be used.

It is important for all parties to understand that fundraising money can only be used for the purpose in which funds were generated. Be sure you are aware of the full intent and guise for which the money was raised and use it in that way.

It is also important to understand that fundraising is for the overall betterment of the school. Therefore, all money collected should be used for the intended school event, activity, or improvement for which it was raised.

Payments should not be confused with fundraising money. Payments are an entirely different matter and should be returned as fully as possible to the person making the payment. Fundraising money may be used to offset school costs that were unable to be recouped due to trip cancelation.

I appreciate your diligence in working through these very tough situations. Please call me if you have any questions.

Best,

Trevor

What we will do is cut a check to Bethel Middle School for the balance of the fundraiser money and attach our spreadsheet with the students’ names and how much money each of them raised via the basket raffle. According to Dr. Putnam’s email, these funds can be used for field trips while the students are in middle school.

Thank you and please call me if you have questions,

Mrs. Hollingsworth