Blogs in the Classroom - and now your PTA blog!

There's evidence that blogging is good.  Good for students and education.  Basically, writing and reading provides the foundation for education (read The educated blogger: Using weblogs to promote literacy in the classroom).

Now that we've agree that blogging is good for students and teachers, let's determine if blogging is good for your PTA. 

I personally believe that writing is a way to reinforce ideas - your ideas.  The process of writing clarifies and organizes as you write them.  By explaining clearly on a blog, what you really do is allow yourself an opportunity to see any problems, pitfalls or issues with what you are explaining.  The flipside is that fun and exciting things may come to light that you may not have even thought about.

I believe a PTA blog should be used to clearly illustrate goals and achievements and explain special events.  Blogs are the best 'home base' for your PTA photos and videos as well.  Take your blog posts to a new level by linking to them from Twitter and Facebook and even more rewarding will be linking to your PTA blog articles directly from the school newsletter or school website!

As long as you are thinking through what you are posting being sensitive to some very basic common sense rules, you'll be posting quality stuff in no time!

Ok, until next time!

P.S. you can check out a few of the blogs I run below.  The Fundraising PLN blog is a bit snazzy for typical use, however, the Believe school fundraising blog below is a completely free blog as is this one you are reading now. Truth be told, this Blogger blog is far easier to use than Wordpress and integrates seamlessly into your Google account.

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www.BelieveKids.com
www.Twitter.com/BelieveKids
www.Facebook.com/BelieveKids
www.BelieveKids.com/Blog/
www.BelieveFundraising.Wordpress.com

The Power of Connections - Using Twitter for Professional Development...

There's a power in who you know - your connections, your surroundings.

Professionally, you can develop online with the help of tools that are readily available to you.  Tools like Twitter for example.  Here's how.

Twitter has a search bar.  If you are curious about something, as an alternative to googling it, you can see who's talking about something right now.  Go ahead and try it.  Put in a any topic and see what happens.  Chances are, you'll realize there are a number of folks interested in, and talking about, the things you are.

Some of these folks could be the connections that help you take your personal development on a topic to a new level.  You can follow them, bookmark them, read their stuff and read the stuff they talk about.  You can even contact them. 

Give it a shot!

Ok, until next time!

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www.BelieveKids.com
www.Twitter.com/BelieveKids
www.Facebook.com/BelieveKids
www.BelieveKids.com/Blog/
www.BelieveFundraising.Wordpress.com

Friday Inspiration - Apple products and education...

Hey, I know I type a bunch of crazy stuff here on my blog and here's another installment.  For this Friday Inspiration I want to suggest you checkout apple.com.

I was a PC guy and I still am.  I've just realized I'm an Apple guy too.  My introduction (beyond classic apple desktops) was the iPhone.  What a revolutionary device.  A few years prior I was working at home and didn't even have a phone and when the iPhone was released and I got my hands on it, it was remarkable!

From then, MacBook Pro, iPad and now considering iTouch for the kids.  Where's my PC?  At work where it cranks out pretty amazing stuff.

I won't buy another PC for home I don't think but I will buy a smart TV or whatever comes along next.  My Friday inspiration is that you re-familiarize yourself with new technology.  Having said that, Apple Computer is a great place to start.

The applications for education are incredible with Apple products because of the simplified and intuitive design. They are an appropriate technology for the classroom and the future feels limitless.

Ok, until next time!

Large Corporate Donors to Public Schools

Now this is what I call school fundraising.

Project LIFT to raise $55M for West Charlotte schools

I know it's not technically school fundraising, more of corporate fundraising and foundation type grants and support but it's pretty big time.  I do see large donations as being a possible help in the battle against shrinking school budgets.   Not sure how it scales, etc. and I'm certainly not an expert in this area so I best stop there.

Any thoughts?  Just chime in! 

School Fundraising Advice & Inspiration - 3 PTA Fundraising Essentials

You're PTA is planning a fundraiser.  Here's a quick 1,2,3 of what to consider BEFORE you make your final school fundraising decision.

1) What are your volunteer capabilities?  Fewer volunteers means product fundraising may be a better bet than events.  Product fundraisers do not need volunteers in the same way events do.  In fact, a core group promoting a product fundraiser is really all you need.

2) What fundraising product will you sell?  A Fall gift & wrap catalog is your best bet for high-dollar results.  Here is an example of a fall gift & wrap fundraising catalog (this is my company but please feel free to use any competitive alternative).  Frozen foods are a close second in terms of profitability for elementary school fundraisers.  Magazines are still a good option, particularly with middle schools.

3) Do you dare get multiple fundraising offers in writing?  There's not much by way of assurance that you are working with a great fundraising company until you ask a few simple, yet straightforward questions.  Ask what the average seller raises in retail sales, ask what participation rate you are likely to experience (based on past performance from that company) and ask what your profit percentage will be on those sales.  Based on that, you can relatively accurately determine how much you will earn through each of your potential fundraising companies.  Use that as part of your decision-making process.  If making money is a priority, the data you get will be very telling.


There you have it!  3 PTA fundraising essentials!

Ok, until next time!

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www.BelieveKids.com
www.Twitter.com/BelieveKids
www.Facebook.com/BelieveKids
www.BelieveKids.com/Blog/
www.BelieveFundraising.Wordpress.com

10 Reasons Your PTA or PTO Should Blog

Just posted: 10 Reasons your PTA or PTO Should Blog.  What I like about this is that there's really no downside.  All that happens when a PTA or PTO begins a blog is that the community they serve is in the know.  Having said that, there is a bit of accountability to post respectfully, but other than that, just upside!  Enjoy!    Believe jay blog-10reasons

View more presentations from Believe Kids

Oh, you can download the full sized version as well.  Just look for the download link on the top of the presentation. 

Elementary School Fundraising - Think Profit!

Not much time to express my thoughts today.  Here's where I'm at.  Schools make irrational decisions when it comes to fundraising.  Schools consistently host fundraisers or select fundraising companies or fundraising programs that will not earn the most money.  

What's more, there's very little that can be done about it from the outside.  I just want schools and groups to know that it's ok to be thinking in terms of profit.  Not necessarily just profit percentage, but final bottom-line profit to the group.  

It's time schools got strategic about their fundraising. Time for PTA / PTO volunteers, principals and administrators to accomplish the foremost task of raising the most money they can with the least disruption to learning. 

Ok, until next time!

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Keep the conversation going on twitter or facebook and please share what you see here with others!  The direct link to this website is fundraising-advice.com

Elementary School Fundriaser
School Fundraising Blog
Twitter.com/BelieveKids
Facebook.com/BelieveKids
Believe Wordpress Blog

Fundraising Spirit Gear for Schools & Groups!

Hey, here's a link you should take a look at...  A new service for non-profits:

Spirit Gear for Schools & Groups

3 ways to support a cause through a spirit gear store, a spirit gear drive or a wholesale spirit gear offer.


Some info is at the link but at the time of this posting, I'm not entirely sure if the newer info will be available for download or not.  I will try to update the page if needed, but until then, it may be best to call and ask one of the experts at Believe for the info if you're interested.  This is a bit self-serving, but it's all for the good of the group because this is truly a remarkable service with some never-before-seen benefits.

Direct link to Believe Kids School Fundraising