TLcare.....I would be interested in knowing what school your children attend. Sounds like we may be talking of the same?!

ilovetech, I am not sure how you would know when papers are sent home to students at different schools in the Janesville school district when your children are from Monroe. But either way speaking for myself something like a budget calendar at the beginning of the year would be nice. BeloitGuy, its funny because I have heard alot about the differences between Beloit and Janesville's schools and they do seem to have some ideas we could learn from.

I must add here that at my children's school they ask for field trip money, t-shirt money, or milk money 10-14 days in advance. They need to arrange chaperones, so in no way could they be asking with such short notice. Maybe the notes you are getting are reminders because for some reason the first note was misplaced or didn't make it home the first time.

I agree with the beloit teacher who said arrangements can be made for those who cannot pay. Our PTA has a contingency or scholarship fund for just that purpose.

beloitguy: I have lived here for 17 years and it's continually gone up as far as my taxes are concerned. With GM and other businesses going out who will have to make up those numbers? The tax payers. They are not going to cut the budget, I will have to pay more. They need to run their budget just like a household budget, don't spend more than you have. I don't see that happening in the near future.

Whoa - The JSD is making a budget now for next school year. The problem is you are doing that based on projected numbers. The third Friday count will let you know exactly how much you will receive from the state. Predicting Janesville's numbers can't be easy with GM and everything else closing.

TL and Nukka - Your schools are poorly run if field trip notices are coming home a day in advance. I teach in Beloit and we send notes out AT LEAST two weeks in advance. If a student is unable to pay within those two weeks we worl with the families to make sure that students are able to attend.

What they need to do is not spend more than they take in! I can't overspend my budget, they shouldn't either!! When they do it's my paycheck that gets smaller with all the taxes that go for our schools. It gets bigger every year and I'm sick of it!! Stay in your budget and cut back just like the rest of us. Janesville is not made of money, at least I don't have a money tree in my backyard!! But they won't, they will find "creative" ways to increase the taxes and their budget! I'M SICK OF IT!!!!!

TLcare....I could not agree with you more!!! Just the other day I said that I am going to write my child's elementary school a letter telling them just how disqusted I am with them sending home these notes in need of money "THE DAY BEFORE" they need it for whatever field trip they are going on or whatever project they will be doing. Even the PTA sends out flyers for "fund raisers" the day before the events. Now the schools know what is happening in this economy....what are they thinking!?! It REALLY unnerves me tremendously every time I get a "note" in need of money on such short notice. They sent one home friday in need of money monday for some t-shirt project that they "decided" to do! THEY "DECIDED"? I am not aware even of what it is all about....granted the cost was $2.00, yet and still that's $2.00 off our family budget.......Come on schools...get your head in the game!

I am a single mom of two. It would be nice if they thought of the families of children in the school district when in comes to finances. Maybe a budget calendar at the beginning of the year and when things are going to be due such as milk money, field trip money, ect. It seems like every week my elementary age child comes home with a note needing money for this and that. It is hard to jump with money like that.