Dear Morningside Parents,
We wanted to give you additional details about the school fundraiser that began on Tuesday in the form of some FAQs.
Thank you,
Morningside Team
FAQ #1 Why are we having a school fundraiser? For the past several years we have been able to cover teacher budget shortfalls, offer additional fieldtrips, and add necessary supplies and equipment for classrooms, with existing money and COVID relief money. Last spring, we determined that we needed to raise money for the 2023-2024 school year to keep current activities and supplies in place. Our PTA holds a carnival fundraiser that allows the PTA to cover the costs of the programs they run, these funds are maintained and spent by the PTA but are not the same funds we use to cover the items listed above. Every year each school is allowed one (1) PTA fundraiser and one (1) school fundraiser. This year our PTA held an amazing carnival and silent auction.
FAQ #2 I am worried about children being excluded; will everyone get to participate? Yes! This was one of the first things we discussed when making fundraiser plans, it also came up when we discussed our plans last spring with the PTA and school Community Council. We are closely tracking every envelope and we will make sure that every student, regardless of whether their family can contribute, will participate in at least one activity on Halloween afternoon.
FAQ #3 What is the schedule for Halloween (10/31)? Our Morningside parade will begin at 9:05 with students parading through the halls, it will take about 20-25 minutes before the parade reaches the parents standing around the outside perimeter of the school. Class Halloween parties will begin as soon as the parade is over (thank you PTA and room parents!). Students will go to lunch at their regularly scheduled time, and the fundraiser activities will begin as soon as students return to class from lunch recess. Morningside staff and some Granite District staff will be on hand to run different activities in different areas of the school.
FAQ #4 What will be happening in the classrooms while students are transitioning to and from fundraiser activities? Teachers will be in their classrooms, running lite-Halloween themed activities. Students can participate while they are waiting for their activity or after they return.
FAQ #5 I want to send a check, who to I make the check out to? Checks can be written to Morningside Elementary.
FAQ #6 What will this fundraiser money be used for? Money will be given to teachers to supply admission and busses for fieldtrip, add to necessary classroom supplies and technology, increase our PE and art supplies, and add to our Mustang Mall (school behavior store where students spend their Golden Horseshoe Tickets).
FAQ #7 We have never heard of a fundraiser like this before, where did the idea come from? After getting feedback in 2019 about our Wasatch Savings Book fundraiser, we have been asking around to see what is done at other schools. We became aware of several schools in the SL Valley, and a couple of schools in Michigan that have held a fundraiser like the one we are doing this year. We were able to speak to their office staff and administrators to get tips and hear about pitfalls. We decided to try this fundraiser because 100% of the profits will benefit Morningside students, and we have control over allowing all students to participate. You may remember that in some of our previous fundraisers, that only children that sold a certain amount of product would get keychains or get to go on a limo lunch. By running the fundraiser, we can make sure that ALL students get to participate.
FAQ #8 How can I give feedback about my thoughts and/or child’s experience with this fundraiser? We will send a parent survey after the fundraiser ends to get parent feedback on preferred types of fundraising and thoughts about our current plans.