FAQs
GENERAL
Why is the School Benefit a Readathon this year? Because it’s FUN and it helps to directly fund important things for Hazel Grove like classroom supplies, teacher appreciation, supplies and vouchers for teachers, alumni scholarships, grade level parties, field trips, yearbooks, spirit wear, 6th grade graduation, heroes of the hallway, cultural arts assemblies, family events, and much more.
When is the Readathon? The Readathon is March 2nd - March 24th, 2023. Mark your calendar!
Where does the money I raise go? The Readathon is one of two primary fundraiser for the PTA, providing about 50% of the annual PTA budget. Donations help fund teacher classroom supplies and instructional material, teacher appreciation supplies and vouchers for teachers, alumni scholarships, grade level parties, field trips, yearbooks, spirit wear, 6th grade graduation, heroes of the hallway, cultural arts assemblies. The other half goes to pay for school supplies for each student in order to reduce the number of items on the school supply list.
How can I help with the Readathon? Help your child by ensuring they have time for fundraising – help them make a short video to send out, help them to make the time for phone calls or emails to friends and family. We have some communication tips on the How it Works page.
My child is a slow reader, is there support for him/her? Yes! All the usual support is available at school. Your child’s teacher is aware of your child’s ability and will ensure that he/she is included and supported throughout the day.
What if my child cannot get donations or I cannot afford to donate? The PTA is very sensitive to the fact that not everyone can or will ask for donations. What is most important is that all students participate in the Readathon process even if they do not collect donations. Please contact your teacher if your child is having trouble getting donations. Your teacher will help your child to connect him/her with an “angel donor” from the PTA if needed.
DONATIONS & PLEDGESTAR
What is Pledgestar and why do we partner with them? Pledgestar is a website that helps many schools and community organizations to collect donations for their fundraising events. We like working with Pledgestar because it helps students reach a broader audience but doesn’t require them to worry about handling money. Students receive a custom link to their personal web page, which can be shared with friends and family to request donations.
What is the suggested donation amount? While there is no suggested amount, we are hopeful that each student will do the best they can to raise as much money as they can for our school. Based on the $10,000 fundraising goal, we are hoping for each student to raise about $100.
Why is there an individual goal and can I change it? Our emphasis is on participation and not on a set dollar amount to raise. Keep in mind that the Readathon is a fundraiser, the individual goal simply reflects the average fundraising amount per student that will help us reach our overall school goal (less fees and expenses). The goals are a standard feature of the Pledgestar website however you can change the goal for individual participants.
Can I customize my child’s participant page? You can customize your pledge request by adding a photo and personalizing the letter. We recommend that parents work with their children to compose personal emails to friends and family that include links to their personal fundraising web pages and express their personal fundraising goals. A phone call or visit to family and friends, followed by an email, is a great strategy that creates a more personalized approach while still taking advantage of the simplicity of donating via the website.
Are my online payments secure? Yes, the site is encrypted. You should be able to see it at the top of the browser. All traffic gets redirected from “http://” to “https://”, which encrypts it using SSL (same technology that banks use).
Is my donation tax-free? Yes! The Hazel Grove PTA is a registered Section 501(c)3 nonprofit and donations qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. (Tax ID#23-7166193)
Can my child still collect donations the old-fashioned way? (Door-to-door) Yes, but due to COVID-19, we prefer all donations to happen online. If your child does not have computer access or prefers to personally solicit donations, they will still have the traditional envelope option. Download and print our pledge sheet to begin cash or check collection. Please note that students must submit their envelope donations by March 24th, 2023 to be counted online toward their and their class’s totals. Completed envelopes should be turned into your teacher.
WINNERS & FUN STUFF
Individual Read-A-Thon Prizes
Read and Raise $25: Pizza Voucher for Personal Pizza from Summit Pizza
Read and Raise $50: HGE Water bottle and Mini Squishy
Read and Raise $100: HGE Read-A-Thon T-Shirt
Read and Raise $200: Eat Lunch with a Staff member of your choice
Read and Raise $300: Earn be a Staff Member for the Morning/Afternoon.**
** We will ask each student who reaches this level to select two from the following list of options. The office will work with the staff members and student to get the special time scheduled.
Students can choose to shadow the following staff members: Mrs. Merrell, Mr. Gibbens, The School Secretaries, Coach P, Mrs. Leeper, Dr. Morton, Mrs. Graham, Mr. Roland and the School Librarians.
Top THREE Fundraisers will earn a Family Fun Pack from SKYZONE
The student with the most minutes read will earn a Family Fun Pack to MAIN EVENT
CLASS LEVEL PRIZES
Class Who Reads the Most: Movie and Tospy’s Popcorn Party
Class Who Raises the Most: Movie and Topsy’s Popcorn Party
All Classes with 100% participation (all students Register and Read) will earn Hawk Bucks!
If we Raise $10,000 and Read 30,000 minutes, Mrs. Merrell will take a PIE IN THE FACE
Prizes will be distributed at school on Thursday, April 6th
Additional questions? Email the School Benefit Team: hgeschoolbenefit@gmail.com
