Background Info

When you're new to the Noble PTA, you might not know what we're talking about when a specific program or event name is mentioned.  This page is designed to help with that.  Expenses are things the PTA spends money on, and Revenue items are things the PTA receives money from.  Some items are listed in both sections of the budget, usually because there is an upfront cost but then the PTA expects to receive some money eventually.  On this informational page items are listed under their primary purpose (either a program the PTA funds or a fundraiser the PTA hopes to earn money on).

Expenses (Things the PTA spends money on):

• Classroom funds: The PTA gives a certain amount of money to each teacher to spend on their classroom.  Some teachers use this for supplies for the kids (think art supplies or fun projects), some use it for field trips, and some on books/games/classroom posters (100's tables, ABC posters, Periodic table, etc.).  The PTA doesn't limit what they spend this money on, so each teacher can choose what's most appropriate.  This makes it a bit easier to help our kids without the red tape that often ties up money from the district.  Also, these funds are available all year until the teacher has used their allotted amount, unlike district funds which must be submitted by a certain deadline that is a couple months before school ends.

• Library funds: The library has class funds just like each classroom does.

• Reflections: This is a national PTA art contest.  It is held at the beginning of the school year.  Noble PTA takes information and forms from National PTA and tailors them to our program.  We then ask students to create art that fits that year's theme and rules.  We find judges to judge the entries and promote the winner(s) to the next level of competition.

• Fall Festival and Spring Carnival: These are fun events held outside of school hours where the kids can come to school and see their friends and have some fun.  We usually have carnival-type booths and food sales.  We always have to spend some money, and we sometimes expect to make money on this event either by selling tickets or selling food/stuff.  For this reason, it is listed in both the revenue and expenses sections of the budget.

• PTA Operating or Business expenses: It costs money to run a PTA, especially if we use any tools to help us run it.  We may spend money on bank charges, Square fees, insurance, accounting software, the mobile app, the domain, postage, printing fees, tax services, custodian fees (for any event on-campus), and childcare and food for PTA meetings and teacher appreciation.

• Assemblies: The PTA funds school-wide assemblies.  There is usually a teacher who volunteers to arrange the assemblies since it requires so much coordination with the school.

• Project Cornerstone: This is a YMCA program where parent volunteers work with the teachers to come into the classroom and read a story to the kids and usually do a craft or activity, and a discussion.  The topics are anti-bullying related.  Generally, parent readers go into the classroom once a month.

• Garden: The PTA keeps the school garden in working shape.  This may mean funding supplies or labor.

• Childcare: the PTA provides childcare for some events, notably our PTA meetings.  We sometimes pay someone to do this.

• Art supplies/classes: 

• Safety Patrol: The PTA primarily funds the end-of-year party for the kids who help with drop-off and pick-up times at the front of the school.

• Terracycle: The PTA sometimes funds the end-of-year party for the kids who help with Terracycle, which is a recycling program for the campus.

• Science camp: The 4th graders fund-raise for camp, and the 5th grader families pay for the kids to go, but PTA often funds the buses and/or chaperone teacher costs.

• Merry Maker Night: The PTA runs an event before the winter holidays for the kids to craft holiday decor.  Traditionally, we just set out craft supplies and let the kids be as creative as they can without a lot of instruction or structure.

• Movie Nights/License: The PTA pays for a movie license from Swank that allows teachers to show movies in their classes.  We can also show movies for a movie night if desired.

• Talent show: This is a Spring event designed to let the kids show off their talents.

• Spelling Bee: This is a Spring event for 4th and 5th graders.  The teachers run a spelling bee to put forth a handful of winners, who then compete in an event at our school.  Some years Noble winners may compete at bigger events, up to National level.

• Drama program: This is usually a Spring event.  In the past, we have run it on our own, and we have partnered with a company that runs this for us.  The cost and amount raised depend on which of these two we do in any given year.

• Science Olympiad: This is a spring event.  It is a science knowledge competition.

Revenue (Things the PTA receives money on):

• Amazon, Boxtops, Gift cards, : These are all fairly passive means of getting donations.  Amazon refers to Amazon Smile, a program that gives the PTA a portion of Amazon sales done through their Smile program.  Boxtops are now done by scanning receipts into their app.  Gift Cards are sometimes sold at the front of the school and give a portion of sales back to the PTA.

• School supply kits: There has been talk of the PTA offering school supply kits through Yubbler.  If your teacher has signed up for this, they set up a basic supply kit with supplies they would like all children to have.  The parents can customize their order from there, and know they are getting everything they need and nothing they don't.

• Concessions: This is basically selling food/drinks/etc. at events.  It is listed in both the expenses and revenue categories since it costs money to supply the food and we sell it for a (hopefully) profit.

• T-shirts: These are listed under both revenue and income because  we spend money first to get a bulk discount, then get it back from the families as they purchase the supply we bought.

• Knight Bites (formerly Restaurant nights): The PTA sometimes partners with local restaurants for a specific night where Noble families can order dinner (or sometimes another meal) and a portion of the sales go to our PTA.

• Move-a-thon: This is a big fall event that is primarily a fundraiser.  It replaced the more simple Walk-a-thon we had done in years past.

• Conference Week: During parent-teacher conference week, we may offer childcare for a suggested donation.

• Auction: This is sometimes done during the Spring Carnival.  We sell donated items by auction.  In recent years, this event has been an online Silent Auction.

• Yearbook: The PTA often buys some yearbooks for later resale, and we usually make back anything we spent.  Usually parents can also buy directly from the yearbook company we partner with, which is additional revenue for us.

Other terms:

• Passthrough *: Anything in the budget that's labeled as a passthrough means the PTA does not get or give any money.  We're just a conduit for the money, since sometimes the school isn't allowed to do certain things that the PTA is allowed to do.  An example of this was the first Boosterthon.