Darnestown Elementary PTA Event/Program Information Sheet
Name of Program or Event: Box Tops for Education
Description of Program or Event: DES receives $ .10 for each Box Top for Education (Box Top) collected
and submitted to the Box Tops for Education Program.
The Box Tops for Education Coordinator:
(1) requests that students bring Box Tops for Education into DES via flyer and/or Mustang Magazine;
(2) distributes Box Tops collection boxes to each DES classroom and the Main Office;
(3) periodically collects Box Tops from the collection boxes;
(4) runs a contest to see which classroom collects the most Box Tops and brings the treat in for the
classroom winner; and
(5) cuts, counts and submits the collected Box Tops to Box Tops for Education program. (The program
then sends the check for the amount collected directly to DES).
Location of Program or Event: at DES.
Description of Program or Event: At the beginning of each school year, the Box Tops for Education
Coordinator places Box Tops collection boxes in each classroom and in the Main Office. The Box Tops
for Education Coordinator determines how often Box Tops should be collected from boxes (in recent
years, the Coordinator has made collections in mid-September, mid-February and late May). The
Coordinator drafts a short document for the Mustang Magazine describing what Box Tops are and
requesting that the students start bringing in Box Tops and notifying everyone of the collection dates.
(See Documents Used section below).
On or soon after the collection dates, the Coordinator takes the collection boxes home, empties them,
and counts the Box Tops collected by each classroom. The Coordinator tapes up the collection boxes
and returns the boxes to the DES classrooms.
The Coordinator prepares a chart showing how many Box Tops each class brought in for each collection
period and for the entire school year. The classroom bringing in the most Box Tops wins a treat (to be
determined by the Coordinator), such as ice pops. The Box Tops Coordinator notifies by email DES
Program Secretary Theresa Frazier in the Main Office as to which classroom has won the contest, and
Ms. Frazier works with the teacher of that class and the Coordinator to set up a time and date for the
Coordinator to bring in the treat. (See Documents Used Section below).
At the Coordinator’s home, the Coordinator cuts each Box Top to the designated size, removes expired
Box Tops, counts them into groups of 50, places the 50 Box Tops into small ziplock baggies, counts the
Bonus Box Tops, counts the total amount of Box Tops, and enters the total amounts of individual Box
Tops and Bonus Box Tops into the form on the Box Tops for Education website:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/. (See Documents Used Section below).
This form is printed out, photocopied for record keeping purposes, and sent with all of the Box Tops in
an appropriate sized box by U.S. Postal Service with delivery confirmation/signature required to Box
Tops for Education. The Coordinator receives email messages with links to the special promotions.
Occasionally the Box Tops for Education program runs special online promotions, lotteries or contests
that allow the Coordinator to participate and possibly win bonus Box Tops for DES.
Timeframe for event or program:
Entire school year. See detailed schedule below.
Budget:
Amount raised: Each year differs, depending on the number of Box Tops collected. In 2013-2014, DES
earned almost $1,200.
Expenses:
(1) Mailing of Box Tops packages twice/year, approximately $15 to $20 each time (includes postage
and insurance)
(2) Treats for classes that bring in the most Box Tops – In 2012, the Coordinator wrote a letter
requesting that Harris Teeter make a donation, and they gave the Coordinator a gift certificate
for $20. The Coordinator was able to buy a lot of ice pops in an end of the summer sale and just
used the last of the ice pops. A new request should be presented to Harris Teeter at the
beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.
Documents Used:
See attached documents:
(1) Fall Flyer 2014
(2) Chart to track contest winners
(3) Sample email to Theresa Frazier
Assistance Required:
Coordination with Theresa Frazier in Main Office to notify teacher of winning class.
Written request to Harris Teeter for donation of treat for winning classes.
Estimated Hours Spent on Event or Program planning:
TOTAL number of hours per school year: approximately 43.25 hours
Total includes:
(1) Collection box distribution and collection: 30 minutes each time (6 times x 30 = 3 hours)
(2) Counting Box Tops for contest: 2 hours each time* (3 times x 2 hours = 6 hours)
(3) Drafting chart showing number each class collects and summary: 30 minutes (3 times x 30
minutes = 1.5 hours)
(4) Notifying contest winners and scheduling time/date for treat: All done by email, 15 minutes (3
times x 15 minutes = .75 hour)
(5) Buying and bringing treat to winner: 30 minutes each time (4 times x 30 minutes = 2 hours)
(6) Cutting, counting and mailing Box Tops: approx. 10 hours (depends on number collected)*: (3
times x 10 hours = 30 hours)
*If Coordinator has time, Coordinator may combine counting of Box Tops for school contest with
cutting/counting of Box Tops in preparation for mailing. This would avoid duplication of efforts by
counting the Box Tops twice.
Materials required
Box Tops collection boxes (already have)
Packing tape to retape the collection boxes after opening them to count each collection
Good scissors – Coordinator’s hand gets tired
Small ziplock baggies – either snack or sandwich size
Computer and printer – for drafting documents, emailing with Theresa Frazier, and entering information
on Box Tops website, and printing Box Tops form
Box for mailing
Packing tape
Points of Contact:
Box Tops for Education website: http://www.boxtops4education.com/
Theresa Frazier, DES Main Office
Any other helpful info:
This is a good position for someone with younger children or anyone else who may not be able to
volunteer at DES in other ways because most of the work is done at home.
Planning Calendar
Please list the key events and due dates for the event or program in the table below.
Month
mid-August
Activity or key due date
Prepare description of program for Mustang Magazine, with description of
Box Tops and dates of collections
Submit description to PTA President at beginning of school year
Tape bottoms of collection boxes and update contact information on boxes as
necessary
Distribute collection boxes on or before first day of school (if possible)
September
October
First collection by early to mid-October; re-distribute collection boxes
Prepare chart of each classroom’s collection number and submit to PTA
President for Mustang Magazine
Notify Theresa Frazier of winning class
Buy treat and arrange with Theresa Frazier and teacher to bring treat in for
winning class
Count, cut, bag Box Tops
Enter in total number of Box Tops on form online
Make copy of form and retain for records
November
December
January
Package Box Tops with form and mail to Box Tops for Education Program
(must be postmarked by __)
Mail Box Tops by Nov. 1
School receives check directly from Box Tops for Education Program
Second collection by end of January; redistribute collection boxes
Update chart with second collection numbers and submit to PTA President for
Mustang Magazine
Notify Theresa Frazier of winning class
Buy treat and arrange with Theresa Frazier and teacher to bring treat in for
winning class
Count, cut, bag Box Tops between collection date and March 1
Enter in total number of Box Tops online
Print out form and make copy of form and retain for records
Package Box Tops with form and mail to Box Tops for Education Program
(must be postmarked by March 1)
February
March
April
May
Mail Box Tops by March 1
School receives check directly from Box Tops for Education Program
Third collection by end of May; complete contest chart; coordinate treat
parties with Theresa Frazier and teacher of winning classrooms
Update chart with third collection numbers and total yearly collection
numbers and submit to PTA President for Mustang Magazine
Notify Theresa Frazier of winning classes for third collection period and school
year total
Buy treat and arrange with Theresa Frazier and teachers to bring treat in for
winning classes for third collection period and year end total
Count, cut, bag Box Tops – keep at Coordinator’s home until next school year
Keep collection boxes at Coordinator’s home until next school year
Document 1 – Fall Flyer 2014
EARN MONEY FOR DARNESTOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THREE WAYS!
We want to remind returning Darnestown Elementary School (DES) families and let new families know
that there are three ways you can earn money for DES:
I.
Grocery Store Initiatives
DES benefits from donation programs sponsored by our three local grocery stores (Harris Teeter,
Safeway* and Giant). When you sign up to become a PTA Member on the PTA website, please provide
your grocery store loyalty card numbers to link your cards to DES.
*Credit card payments made at Safeway are no longer included in Safeway’s eScrip donation program.
Other methods of payment, including debit card payments, still count toward contributions.
II.
Target
We also want to seize the opportunity to obtain donations from Target’s educational donation program,
Take Charge of Education. Through this program, Target will donate to DES 1% of purchases made ONLY
WITH Target’s REDcards (Target’s credit or debit cards). To link your REDcard to DES, please go to:
https://www-secure.target.com/redcard/tcoe/enroll
DES has been assigned the Target School ID number 58121.
Of course, there is no obligation to obtain a REDcard. But, if you do not currently have a REDcard but
would like to apply for one to support DES, please go to: https://wwwsecure.target.com/redcard/request-terms
III.
Box Tops for Education
As many of you may know, DES collects Box Tops for Education (Box Tops) to benefit our PTA and the
many programs we support at DES. Last year we received about $1,200 from Box Tops for Education!
Many products contain Box Tops, such as Kleenex tissues, Zip Lock baggies, and General Mills cereals.
For a complete list of products, see: http://www.boxtops4education.com/products/participatingproducts.
If you are not familiar with Box Tops, here is an example:
Each DES classroom has a Box Tops for Education collection box. Just cut the Box Tops along the dotted
line, put them in a small plastic bag, and send the bag into DES with your child to place it into the
collection box. DES will receive 10 cents for each Box Top collected.
We will hold three contests to see which class brings in the most Box Tops during the collection period.
The winning class for each collection period will receive a special celebration in class (usually ice pops or
some other treat), and we will also have an overall winner for the entire year. We will send out
reminders and announce the winning class in future editions of the Mustang Magazine.
The three collection periods are:
1. August 25 to September 26, 2014 – send in all of the Box Tops you’ve collected over the
summer!
2. September 29, 2014 to January 30, 2015
3. February 2 to May 22, 2015
If you have any questions regarding any of these three programs that benefit DES, please contact Laura
Baxter at baxhan@comcast.net or (301) 963-4161.
Document 2 – Chart to track contest winners
The final Box Tops count for the school year has been completed and Mrs. Waechter’s class won for the
third collection period! That class brought in 605 Box Tops, with no other class even coming close to
that number.
Mr. Thompson’s class has won the contest for the total number of Box Tops collected for the school
year, with 920. Mrs. McKenna’s class was close behind, with 881.
Thanks to everyone for sending in the Box Tops. We earned $761 for DES through the Box Tops for
Education Program! Don’t forget to continue to collect Box Tops over the summer because we will start
collecting them again in the fall!
Class
Collection #1
Collection #2
Coll. #3 Total
Mrs. McKenna
149
564
168
881
9
244
226
479
Ms. Kerns
16
303
261
580
Mrs. Heitzler
101
204
77
382
Ms. Gavin
168
372
277
817
Ms. LaClair
159
272
118
549
Mrs. Diamond
199
175
148
522
Mrs. Miller
99
235
161
495
Mr. Thompson
160
653
107
920
Mrs. Smeller
123
112
102
337
Mrs. Fawley
136
25
108
269
Mrs. Rose
159
145
124
428
Mrs. Waechter
31
135
605
771
Office
50
130
180
TOTAL
1,559
Mrs. Souder
3,439
2,612
TOTAL 7,610
Document 3 – Email to Program Secretary
From: baxhan@comcast.net [mailto:baxhan@comcast.net]
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2013 7:29 PM
To: Frazier, Theresa H.
Cc: suegottlieb@comcast.net; Mindy McCue; amandakarst@gmail.com
Subject: Final Box Top winner & class parties
Hi Terrie - This is Laura Baxter writing with the results of the final Box Top collection. Mrs.
Waechter's class won the third collection, with 617 Box Tops. Mrs. Waechter's class also had
the most Box Tops overall, with 1,417 (Mr. Thompson came in second with 1,273). That
means that Mrs. Waechter's class wins ice pops for the class - I hope that they have time to
squeeze it in this week. Also, Mrs. Heitzler had won the second collection period ending in
April, but I was never contacted to set up the party (and I forgot to follow up, sorry). So, they
could still have a party this week as well.
Could you please let both Mrs. Waechter and Mrs. Heitzler know that they can contact me if
they want ice pops this week? I could bring in the ice pops and cut them open for the students if
I am available when they want to have the party.
Finally, is there a Mustang Magazine coming out this week? If there is and you have room for
additional items, I've attached the final results of the Box Tops collections. Thanks!
Laura