CV19 - Got a cheque for 50% of voluntary contribution back - Nice surprise

JimmyVik

I had forgotten all about the school voluntary contribution.
Was a nice surprise when I opened a letter containing a cheque for 50% of it.
Now to get to a bank to cash it
One of the other parents said the school announced it a few weeks ago. I didnt hear a think then.

If you havent got yours yet keep a look out for it.

rainbowtrout

That's probably specific to that school...

byhookorbycrook

Looking at the costs that schools will be facing on reopening, I can’t see this being a widespread thing . Can’t see the DES shelling out for PPE, hand san etc.

JimmyVik

You might be right.
Spoke to one friend who got it back from their school also.
A couple of other friends didnt get anything from their schools.
Both have said if they dont get at least 40% of what they paid in voluntary contribution back now, they wont be paying any voluntary contribution ever again.
Also said that they will never make the mistake to pay this in ponce go ever again and will pay monthly in arrears from now on, even if they do get 40% back now.

I guess my kids school and the other school in the area giving it back are usually good about things like this so are very proactive.

byhookorbycrook

I’d say wealthy above “ proactive.”

JimmyVik

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I’d say wealthy above “ proactive.”

I wouldnt class those two schools as in any way wealthy.
They just have good principled leadership.
As far as im concerned its only right that they give back at least 40% of the "voluntary" contribution that they received for the school year.

As my friend said to me, while making the case for paying in monthly installments in arrears in future - What about the parents who paid monthly? Are the schools going to go to them and tell them they owe 4 months of their voluntary contribution? Now that would be cheeky and offensive. So treat everyone fairly and give back what is overpaid.

Or else dont get any next year. People will now test the word "Voluntary" with the school.

And schools shouldnt be thinking that the cost of opening the school next year should be passed on to the parents. Thats totally unfair. Let the dept of education fund the schools properly.

KildareP

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

Looking at the costs that schools will be facing on reopening, I can’t see this being a widespread thing . Can’t see the DES shelling out for PPE, hand san etc.

100%.

The voluntary contribution usually funds light, heat and photocopying.

While all three will have been effectively shutdown since this all kicked off, thereby generating a fairly substantial cost saving, come September they'll all be back in play along with the new PPE and hand sanitiser costs on top.

Which leaves your average BoM two choices:
(1) No refunds (except maybe to outgoing 6th Class/6th Year students) and put the "savings" made this year towards inevitable increased costs next year but keep the voluntary contribution roughly the same for next year
(2) Refund all of the savings made this year and then seek an increased contribution in September to cover all of the new additional costs which are likely to arise on top of the existing costs which are now back in play again.

A delicate balancing act as to whether (1) will will cause too many to withhold for next year out of anger or whether enough will appreciate the goodwill shown in (2) this year to agree to happily pay up an increased contribution for next year.

byhookorbycrook

JimmyVik wrote: »

I wouldnt class those two schools as in any way wealthy.
They just have good principled leadership.
As far as im concerned its only right that they give back at least 40% of the "voluntary" contribution that they received for the school year.

As my friend said to me, while making the case for paying in monthly installments in arrears in future - What about the parents who paid monthly? Are the schools going to go to them and tell them they owe 4 months of their voluntary contribution? Now that would be cheeky and offensive. So treat everyone fairly and give back what is overpaid.

Or else dont get any next year. People will now test the word "Voluntary" with the school.

And schools shouldnt be thinking that the cost of opening the school next year should be passed on to the parents. Thats totally unfair. Let the dept of education fund the schools properly.

I’m not trying to be rude , but if you think the DES will ever find schools properly , you are hugely naive . Even the (in)famous Eddie Hobbs couldn’t make a well managed primary school break even on DES funds .

Do you honestly think schools bag-pack, run school fetes, cake sales , clothes collections for the fun ? Teachers are exceptionally conscious of the hardship many families experience , but it’s a fact that schools can not operate without extra financial input from parents .

All of which leads me to believe that your school must be very much the exception to the norm.

km79

I am not hearing anything about any refund of the "free" 3rd level fees of 3,500 I paid for my son.........the college effectively shut down all lectures. He got a few podcasts. Did essays instead of exams.
When should I expect my partial refund

JimmyVik

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I’m not trying to be rude , but if you think the DES will ever find schools properly , you are hugely naive . Even the (in)famous Eddie Hobbs couldn’t make a well managed primary school break even on DES funds .

Do you honestly think schools bag-pack, run school fetes, cake sales , clothes collections for the fun ? Teachers are exceptionally conscious of the hardship many families experience , but it’s a fact that schools can not operate without extra financial input from parents .

All of which leads me to believe that your school must be very much the exception to the norm.

You dont actually know anything about my kids school, or my friends kids school. They are straight down the middle schools. Nothing special about either.


I only started the thread to say thanks really. Not to get into a discussion as to whether it was the right thing to do, which I think it is.




Since they gave us money back, we are delighted and happy to give them their contribution at the same rate next year. It will be monthly though.


But if that school asks for more next year they will get nothing from us. They have goodwill now, but if it turns out to be just to keep us sweet to increase fees then they can go whistle next year for anything.


It never sat right with me that parents had to pay for heat and light in the school in the first place, or anything actually.

rainbowtrout

JimmyVik wrote: »

I wouldnt class those two schools as in any way wealthy.
They just have good principled leadership.
As far as im concerned its only right that they give back at least 40% of the "voluntary" contribution that they received for the school year.

As my friend said to me, while making the case for paying in monthly installments in arrears in future - What about the parents who paid monthly? Are the schools going to go to them and tell them they owe 4 months of their voluntary contribution? Now that would be cheeky and offensive. So treat everyone fairly and give back what is overpaid.

Or else dont get any next year. People will now test the word "Voluntary" with the school.

And schools shouldnt be thinking that the cost of opening the school next year should be passed on to the parents. Thats totally unfair. Let the dept of education fund the schools properly.

You know all too well what voluntary contributions pay for: photocopying, toilet rolls, payment towards utility bills. Schools may save on some of those costs since they shut down in March, but they will have extra costs come September.

Before we shut down, maybe a week beforehand, my principal was pro-active about getting hand sanitizer for the school. He had dispensers installed on the walls around the corridors and bought in 40L of the stuff in buckets. It cost €1000. There will be extra cleaning costs next year, if schools are operating on a part time basis and classrooms are sanitised between groups etc.

Your friends seem a little mean spirited in their outlook. Operating costs are going to increase for schools next year with the extra PPE and related cleaning materials needed on top of the regular bills. But I'm sure they'll be delighted when they get a letter home telling them their child will have to bring their own cleaning products to school to clean their own desk and chair every day because the school can't afford them.

Not sure why you've decided now is the time to complain about the funding of schools. Schools have always relied on voluntary contributions. I know my parents were paying them when I was in primary school in the 80s.

Do remember, primary schools and many secondary schools operate in Ireland on a private basis under the trusteeship of usually a religious order. Maybe you should be writing to the trustees to ask them to stump up some money.

JimmyVik

I think the schools have been taking the p1ss with the voluntary contribution for years, but I paid it. I will rethink that decision over the summer.

Lets agree to disagree.
But thankyou to the school anyway for doing what is right and refunding 50% of the money paid this year.

rainbowtrout

JimmyVik wrote: »

You dont actually know anything about my kids school, or my friends kids school. They are straight down the middle schools. Nothing special about either.


I only started the thread to say thanks really. Not to get into a discussion as to whether it was the right thing to do, which I think it is.




Since they gave us money back, we are delighted and happy to give them their contribution at the same rate next year. It will be monthly though.


But if that school asks for more next year they will get nothing from us. They have goodwill now, but if it turns out to be just to keep us sweet to increase fees then they can go whistle next year for anything.


It never sat right with me that parents had to pay for heat and light in the school in the first place, or anything actually.

You do realise that your anger is misplaced? Schools aren't asking for voluntary contributions to gouge money out of you for the craic, they're doing it because they have no other choice. If you want something done about it, why don't you start lobbying your local TDs and try and get funding for schools put on the political agenda.

If all the parents in your school take the same stance as you next year, don't complain when your child comes home saying school was cold because there was no heating, or that there is no soap in the toilet block or that they are not doing art as much as they used to because there aren't enough materials.

It may not sit right with you paying a voluntary fee, but don't go blaming the school. They have no choice.

rainbowtrout

JimmyVik wrote: »

I think the schools have been taking the p1ss with the voluntary contribution for years, but I paid it. I will rethink that decision over the summer.

Lets agree to disagree.
But thankyou to the school anyway for doing what is right and refunding 50% of the money paid this year.

Why? Do you think someone is pocketing the money? Just resting in their bank account? Or do you think it's being used for supplies for the school?

Talk to a few teachers, particularly primary school teachers, you'll find they spend quite a bit of money out of their own pockets over the course of the year in discount stores buying stationery and craft supplies for their classrooms. Because they wouldn't get them otherwise.

Teachers pay for their own tea, milk and biscuits in staffrooms. There isn't money for these things. You would never see that in the private sector.

Of course you have the option not to pay the contribution, but if enough of you choose to do that, don't be surprised when there is a knock on effect.


Let's do some simple maths. My school bought in 40L of hand sanitizer in March for about €1000. It came in buckets so presumably cheaper than buying little bottles in the supermarket. So that works out at €25 a litre, which sounds about right as a 50ml bottle is about €2 in most shops.

So let's say a school of 100 students installs dispensers and students use the sanitizer twice a day, each time using 1ml. That's 200ml a day is used throughout the school and I'm not counting staff in my calculations. That's a litre per week, or in financial terms €25. That's €100 per month just to use hand sanitizer. It's not considering any extra soap the school might buy for increased use for handwashing, it's not taking into account extra cleaning products for sanitizing classrooms. It's just hand sanitizer.

km79

Op has cross posted in After Hours as they think they will get a “fairer debate “ from “more normal parents “

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2058078622/1/#post113465239

mtoutlemonde

km79 wrote: »

Op has cross posted in After Hours as they think they will get a “fairer debate “ from “more normal parents “

https://touch.boards.ie/thread/2058078622/1/#post113465239

Didn’t get much credence there either. Maybe the OP should start a social welfare or traveller thread in open hours, they’re the norm over there with lots of debate as he isn’t going to win this battle. I’d say he would be the first into the principals office in December when the heat wasn’t on for his darling(s). Some people have their priorities all wrong.

TheDriver

I'm closing this thread as it is clear there is cross posting in other threads