When you support B.F. Day via the PTSA, you are helping to ensure that our children are getting what they need to learn and the additions that help make school fun!
CLICK HERE TO GIVE TO THE DIRECT DRIVE
How Does PTSA Funding work?
As Seattle Public Schools continues to face budget challenges, the funds raised through the Direct Drive play an increasingly important role in sustaining the staff, programs and experiences that help our students thrive. The PTSA fundraises to pay for additional school staff, classroom supplies, staff appreciation, and academic and social enrichment.
Each spring, the PTSA Board projects revenue (donations) for the following school year, asks school staff about needs and priorities, prepares a budget of planned expenses based on those needs, and presents it at a general meeting for a vote.
Families have also been vocal about not being asked for money multiple times, so we have rolled holiday gifts and appreciation week activities for staff and teachers into the overall budget. The PTSA will work with room parents and appreciation volunteers to disburse funds at the appropriate time.
Fundraising Events
Every year there are events organized by the PTSA that work towards collecting the funds required to support the programs. Some of the major events are detailed below:
- Direct Drive – 10/31-11/13/26: Largest fundraiser of the year and the only direct ask for financial support to families. Learn more about Direct Drive
- Move-A-Thon – 5/14/27: On event day, each grade gets a chance to run, walk, and be silly around a course, counting laps. Students ask friends, neighbors and extended family to sponsor them. Learn more about the Move-A-Thon
- Spring Fling – March 2027: This is an evening social event for adults, with food, fun and a focus on community building.
How Are Donations Used?
Staff Position Funding
- .60 FTE Interventionist focused on reading and math for students who need extra support.
- Keeping the School Counselor position full time.
- Adding 0.1 FTE Instrumental Music Instruction, doubling the number of students who can take lessons.
- 4 recess/lunch supervisors
All School Events & Family Assistance
- Dragon Dens, Village Day, Socials, Fifth Grade Graduation & Overnight Trip.
- Field trip subsidies and enrichment scholarships to remove financial barriers to attendance.
- Ensuring that the school counselor has resources to reach all students and support families furthest from educational justice, including clothing, emergency funds and home visits.
Admin & Fundraising Expenses (PTSA)
- Admin includes state and city PTSA dues, insurance, CPA services, registrations, printing, web hosting.
- Spring Event venue & catering, Move-A-Thon supplies, merchandise to be sold
Supplies & School-Wide Improvements
- Teachers receive stipends for classroom supplies and materials like supplemental science kits, classroom books, smart board repairs, ear protectors, sensory manipulatives, classroom décor & visual supports, stickers, balls for gym class and recess, art room supplies, etc. (Note that this is different from the school supply funds collected at the beginning of the year by the school for student consumables like pencils and notebooks.)
- Library Grant for books with diverse authors and portrayal of diverse characters, additional social-emotional literature to support classroom instruction & chapter books that support emerging readers’ interests.
- Improvements already planned for this year include Salmon in the Schools, Makers Carts materials.
Staff Appreciation
- Holiday Gifts and Appreciation week recognition for teachers and staff.
- Professional Development funds for educators to learn and innovate – a past example is training in the Orton-Gillingham methodology of reading instruction, considered “gold standard”, particularly for students with reading challenges.
Academic Enrichment: Reading, Writing, Art, Music
- Musical guest artists & special curriculum.
- Writers in the Schools Curriculum to help students discover and develop their writing voice.
- Offering “Jump into Kindergarten” to orient kindergarteners.