Fill out the online form, or print it and send it in. The PTA budget is used to pay for activities throughout the school throughout the year. PTA funds either cover the entire cost of an activity, such as taking the older grades to the Metropolitan Opera, or they supplement activities, such as graduation, where 5th grade families also contribute. Because of parental generosity, a child at PS 261 will participate in all the PS 261 rites of passage over their six or seven years here. So when we contribute to the school, we are contributing not only to our own children, in their current grades, but to the entire school, to our futures here-and to our pasts.

The PS 261 Budget is developed each summer, by the PTA presidents, treasurers and the principal. The previous year's expenses and our plans for the coming year guide us. The proposed budget is presented to the parents for their approval at the first PTA meeting in September. Throughout the school year, changes to the budget may occur based on the needs of the school, i.e., if a teacher or a grade or the administration might request funding from the PTA for a specific purpose. If they want more than $400 it must be voted on and approved at a general PTA meeting. The request is reviewed by the PTA Executive Board at its monthly meeting and if found to be appropriate, it's brought to the general PTA meeting for discussion and a vote. According to the PTA bylaws and the Chancellor's Regulations, our expenses cannot exceed the funds that we raise. In other words, if we don't raise the money, we cannot spend the money.

The 2005-06 budget was $75,500. Typically, largest portion of the budget, $20,000 (26 percent) is used for aides to supervise the children at lunch and help in the kindergarten. Twenty-two percent of funds go for enrichment, such as lunch clubs, class trips, and the computer lab. Almost $13,000, or 17 percent, is distributed to the teachers on the first day of school to buy supplies for the classroom. Generating PTA newsletters, parent handbook, and who's who, as well as the service contract on one of the school's copy machines, allow for communication with all parents and account for 16 percent of the budget. Arts account for 12 percent of the budget, including music, visual arts, dance, Poemagination, and the 4th grade Metropolitan Opera study. The balance covers a variety of items, including food for the teachers during parent/teacher conferences, child-care for PTA meetings, drinking water in the office and pre-K trailer (which are not equipped with drinking fountains), etc.

One of the ways the PTA raises money is through its annual direct appeal, where parents are asked to send a check of any amount directly to the PTA. This graph represents the number of families that contribute to the direct appeal and what grades their child(ren) is in. Every contribution counts, no matter how much. Please consider donating today.