Booster clubs for athletics, band boosters, PTO’S and the like often provide great relief for schools and districts in raising money for equipment, band uniforms, elementary playgrounds and needs that really help programs, where school budgets are tight.
However, there needs to be some checks and balances. There have been many instances of embezzlement, or malfeasance that can be very embarrassing if annual audits are not in place. Another concern is that with raising large sums of money, there is also a false assumption that the Booster club officials, not district leaders, have unilateral decision-making authority.
In his Book Beyond Theories and Degrees: The Alley Smarts of Educational Leadership, author Dr. James Fitzpatrick in Part 3 discusses how district and building leaders can work collaboratively with Booster clubs and PTO’s in appropriate and legal ways that saves a school or district from embarrassment and a loss of community trust.
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