I need a system for better collecting/organizing milk, lunch, book order, fundraiser money in the morning.
What I hate is the dropping of random coins on my desk and then having to ask who brought what and for what!?!
I thought of asking parents to please staple in a baggie with a note in their child's planner... but I honestly don't see that happening consistently, so I need to manage it better on my end.
Do you have slips that students fill out? Bins? Any ideas would be greatly welcomed!
In the morning I ask if anyone has money for me.. (for whatever we are collecting for)...then i put it in large envelopes. I dont let them just put money on my desk or hand it to me randomly as they walk in. They must wait till I ask for it to be handed in
My students are pretty good about bringing their money in envelopes and sometimes baggies stapled to their book orders. For the one who doesn't, I hand him a small envelope and he labels it with his name, room number (if it's something for the office), the amount, and what it's for. They all give their envelopes or baggies directly to me- in my hand.
I have a small accordion file that Scholastic gave me one year where I put book order money. Each classroom has a zipper pouch where we put in the lunch money to send to the office. I have a separate large envelope for each additional collection, like picture money.
Now that I think about it, it sounds like you collect lunch money every day(?) I don't collect lunch money daily because my students pay for several weeks at a time, so take my ideas for what they're worth.
Also, what grade do you teach? That would affect how you do it as well.
It'll be daily with milk and bi-weekly with lunch.... I'm moving to a new group - Grade 1/2. I haven't experienced anything yet with this specific group as we haven't started yet, but from past experiences in this grade level... they have been very anxious about handing in money.
I'm trying to be pro-active with this new group when we start next week with a system in place. I would like something they can do as soon as they get in and get everything unpacked instead of waiting (which may make them forget or lose it) and not on my desk or in my hand.
I like the small envelope idea.... they can write their names on it!
This used it be such a pet peeve because I felt like a bank teller with field trip money, popcorn money, lunch money, picture money, yearbook, school spirit shirts, etc. For my own sanity i had to come up with a system. My rule is I do not accept any money that isn't in a labeled and sealed envelope. I have a box full of junk mail envelopes so the kids can go get one and write on it themselves their name and what it is for. I think parents sometimes hand over the money at the last minute as they are getting out of the car in the morning, so I set it up in a way that they can do their own envelopes. In the morning kids with money just hand me envelopes when they come in, and every day I also just ask, "Does anybody have any money for anything?". With the labeled envelopes, I can just throw them all in my zipper bag, and do the actual accounting later when I have more time.
It has been years since I have used this but it worked.
I took two ice cube trays and put numbers in the bottom of each tray. I had the students put their coins (or folded up bills) into their tray and I passed it out at lunch time.
A few years ago we had Friday snack sales and I had a couple of thieves that would take money out of backpacks and others who would lose their money. I had a large pocket chart with clear numbered pockets. When they came in the class in the morning they put their money in their own pocket.
Our school requires that all students write on the outside of their envelope (note in side of baggie) student's first and last name, item ordered and cost of it, and teacher name.....so if they order milk, then they have to write milk 20 cents. This cuts waaaay down on students trying to drop money on my desk. If they do, I don't accept it, and tell them to write everything down on a sticky note and put it in a baggie. I teach 3rd grade.
Luckily, all of my parents are used to the envelope thing, so when I get book order money, they stick it in an envelope and write book order on it. I teacher 3rd grade.
If you can require you students to do this, I would.
Lunch $ - each child has a library pocket with name of it and a paper clip on the top. All lunch money goes in there. I have those all in a Tupperware like container. Also, with that is a zippered school supplies bag. If they put $ in then the pocket goes in the zippered bag. Then I zip shut the zippered bag and it goes to the office the rest stay in the tupperware. Also doesn't make the Free and Reduced stand out- everyone has a pocket.
Notes or $ : I have a basket beside my desk for everything else. Mine are pretty good about putting it in an envelope. If not we staple paper $ to the sheets or they must write there name and include it somehow. Nothing is allowed to be handed to me or dropped on my desk. It may never be seen again. I like the junk mail evelopes idea too. I've save a bunch of those for time lines.
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01-05-2012, 09:06 PM
I like the junk mail evelopes idea too. I've save a bunch of those for time lines. 
