What is the “Flatirons Challenge”?
Flatirons Challenge is our school’s one-time, annual effort to raise funds and solicit volunteers to enrich our children’s school experience. These dollars support critical services including paid para-professional assistance in the classroom and staff development and provide all the funding for field trips and culturally enriching assemblies.
Why was the Flatirons Challenge ahead of its time when it began five years ago?
Many parents feel they no longer want to “sell, cook, walk, wash cars, run, or beg for any school fund raising project.” Many of us are too busy, and just want to make a single donation in which 100% of our gift goes to the school. The Flatirons Challenge has been successfully doing just this since the year 2000, ending what had been eight different fundraising programs each year. What we ask is that you add up what you might have spent on the candy, car washes, gift wrap, school carnival, and silent auction items and simply write one check for that amount. The idea is to focus the critical resources - our volunteers - out of fund raising and into classroom enrichment programs.
How does it work?
You will receive a letter during the month of October asking for your participation. You will be asked to participate through a financial contribution and/or volunteering. Volunteering is a core value at Flatirons. We have always had strong parental participation in the classroom. It is part and parcel of what makes Flatirons such a terrific school. Some parents will choose to write a check, some will choose to volunteer in the classroom, and some will do both.
The PTO budget seems to have doubled from two years ago. Why?
In 2005 the school board began allowing PTOs to pay for non-licensed instructional support in the classroom. In our parents’ survey last year 94% of us said it would be “very important” to raise these instructional support dollars. The amount of funds we’re allowed to raise for this new initiative (based on our number of students) is $33,000. The PTO decided last year to try to raise these funds on top of our usual budget. That resulted in our budget (and fundraising goals) jumping 80%.
How do the dollars get spent?
| Instructional support |
45% |
| Classroom supplies and teacher wish lists |
19% |
Curriculum enrichment (assemblies, field trips,
bully proofing program, etc) |
17% |
| After school programs |
4% |
| Staff development |
4% |
Community building (skating party, back to
school picnic, etc) |
4% |
| Outdoor classroom maintenance/landscaping |
3% |
| PTO admin (babysitting, legal/accounting, etc) |
2% |
| Staff Gifts (appreciation week, retirement gifts, etc) |
1% |
For more detailed budget information, see the PTO page.
Is it true that we have to give some of our Flatiron’s Challenge dollars to the school district?
Yes. The opportunity that BVSD has given us to hire additional para-professionals in the classroom also requires that 10% of the fund we raise for this instructional support be redistributed by the district to schools that do not have our same fund raising abilities. This is an effort at equalization on the part of the district. For Flatirons that means $30,000 of the $33,000 raised for this instructional support remains in our school. We don’t have to give back any of the non instructional support dollars we raise.
Why can’t I tell you specifically where I want my donation to go?
The PTO voted on this year’s budget in May of last year. This helps Mr.Boesel in planning and hiring for the following school year. We want and encourage any parent to come and be part of the budgeting process and the PTO process in general so that your voice can be heard. The Flatirons Challenge is an opportunity to come together as one community to benefit all the programs that help enhance our children’s learning experience.