Broadlands School
Consolidated Expenses Scheme
Information Sheet
2008
This information sheet outlines the way in which the ‘Consolidated Expenses Scheme’ operating in our school is managed.
The traditional ‘School Fees’ paid by the parents of children attending most New Zealand schools, are in fact, voluntary donations. However, Broadlands School ‘Consolidated Expenses Scheme’ is significantly different from the traditional ‘School Fees’.
The annual Consolidated Student Expenses of $120.00 (i.e.$30.00 per child per term) has been set to help meet the costs of those items and activities that the ‘Operations Grant’ does not cover. Using this income, the school provides all stationery required by the students, travel to/from, Cluster Events, Class Trips and Shows.
The following BOT- approved policy statement documents the philosophy and management of our ‘Consolidated Expense Scheme’.
Broadlands School
Financial Management
(Consolidated Expenses) Policy.
Rationale
The Board of Trustees and staff have the responsibility of developing appropriate Policies and Procedures to provide accountability for and control of the School’s financial resources.
Purposes
To document procedures relating to the administration of the School’s ‘Consolidated Expenses’ Scheme.
Guidelines
1. The Board of Trustees has implemented a ‘Consolidated Expense Scheme’- whereby parents are encouraged to pay a single amount of money to the school; with the school then providing all stationery and also meeting the costs of all extra-curricular activities including visiting shows and school trips –apart from major school camps – etc. The advantages of implementing this system are as follows:
- Parents are not faced with continual requests for small amounts of money for individual items.
- The financial planning of families is assisted by parents knowing that their only expenses owed to the school after their children’s Consolidated Expenses have been paid, is the cost of any major school camps.
- When visiting shows or school trips are planned (i.e. bookings made, etc) the Principal and staff are not faced with the prospect of them having to be later cancelled because parents do not financially support the activity.
- Classroom teachers do not have to waste time on minor clerical tasks (e.g. keeping detailed lists of stationery items supplied to individual students).
- The time the School Secretary spent ‘processing money’ is substantially reduced – meaning that she had more time to work with children
- The security issue of having small amounts of money around the school all the time (or the situation of staff having to visit the bank several times per week to deposit small amounts of money) has been eliminated.
- Because money from parents tends to be paid in large amounts at a time (or through regular automatic bank payments) the time spent by our staff and accounting agency ‘tracking payments’ is substantially reduced.
2. When the School Budget is approved each year- it shall be clearly stated what the Budget Coding and Financial allocations and general activities will be.
3. When each child is enrolled at the school – this Policy will be shown/explained to the parents, who will then be asked to verify (in writing) on the school Enrolment Form whether or not they wish to participate in the Scheme.
4. At the end of each year parents will be given the opportunity to ‘opt in’ or ‘opt out” of the scheme for the following year.
5. The following procedures shall apply for parents who decide to ‘opt out’ of the Consolidated Expenses Scheme’
- The parents will be able to decide (on a case-by-case basis) whether or not their children will participate in specific extra-curricular activities that (for parents who are involved in the ‘Consolidated Expenses’ scheme) are met from funds generated through that scheme. However if they decide that their children will participate in a particular event – they must pay the full cost.
- Before any activity of this type takes place they will receive a ‘Parent Consent Form’ with an account for any expenses involved (which may include a ‘Handling Fee’) – enabling them to make an informed decision on whether they will pay the additional cost, or request that their children not participate in the specified activity. If they wish their children to participate in the specified activity, they must return the ‘Consent Form’ and the money at least one full day before the event takes place.
- In the event of any such parent deciding that their child should not participate in any extra-curricular school activities – the child will be provided with appropriate alternative educational activities, working under the supervision of a trained teacher.
Review
This policy shall be reviewed as per the ‘Governance Manual’s Triennial Plan 2008-2010’ for ‘Audit, Monitoring & Review’.
Conclusion
The School will have appropriate Policies and Procedures to provide accountability for and control of the school’s financial resources.
In very simple terms, (from the school’s point of view) the implementation of this scheme is streamlined our workload – enabling our staff members to commit more time working with children & therefore, improving outcomes for student achievement.
This Scheme – in fact – ‘consolidates’ the costs of extra-curricular goods and services (e.g. student stationery, school trips and visits, etc) provided by/though the School that cannot be legitimately paid for using the Operations Grant funding provided by the Government.
Specific funding allocations have been made in the BOT - approved 2008 School Budget for the following services to be provided to each child from funds gained through the ‘Consolidated Expenses Scheme’ Structure:
- An individual allocation of school stationery;
- Additional school stationery items – to be shared by all children in the class;
- A number of School trips and visiting shows;
- Reporoa Valley Cluster Events
In addition, our school provides a number of extra services at a greater level than most other schools – e.g.
- The BOT has provided additional staffing to ensure that every student who has difficulty coping with the normal classroom situation has access to very intensive Reading Recovery and Special Needs programmes.
- Our school provides a weekly School Newsletter to every student.
- Our Student Progress Folder is much more detailed and extensive than the traditional one-page report provided twice a year by most other schools.
- Each child receives a Dictionary when they leave the Year 6 class.
- Regular prizes are awarded for such events as Speech Night, Year 5/6 Social, Lip Sync competition, etc as they arise.
- Extensive opportunities for Student Leadership for which Badges are awarded, and attendance at Kids’ Conferences.
Please could you indicate whether or not you wish to be part of our School’s ‘Consolidated Expenses Scheme’ by crossing out the option that does not apply on the appropriate section of the School’s Enrolment Form.
Should you have any further questions about the Scheme – please feel free to contact the Principal.