Donate
PTA’s main mission is building community and child advocacy. We plan and run events such as Walk-a-thon, Family Science Night, Field Day, and more. We also maintain discretionary funds for teachers and the Principal, along with managing Staff Appreciation.
We ask families to donate ***$325-550*** per student to support our annual goals. Gifts of any amount are appreciated.
Almond PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.
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Ways to donate How does PTA Raise money Donation Planning FAQ
Ways to Donate
Join the PTA
Visit your profile on ClassroomParent and select the green “Join PTA” button. Only members are allow to vote on PTA programs and how funds are spent. We also occasionally offer member-only pricing on Almond apparel and events.
Please note that donating to PTA is NOT the same as joining!
Donate to Almond PTA
When going through the steps on ClassroomParent to become a PTA member, you will be invited to contribute financially to support our efforts. This allows us to focus on school community building and classroom support while reducing the need to coordinate volunteer-heavy fundraisers.
If you are already a PTA member, visit https://almond.classroomparent.com/e/campaigns/donate-to-almond-pta
Donor Advised Fund
EIN: 94-6171201
Corporate Matching & Paid Volunteer Time
We encourage you to find out if your employer has a matching gift program.
Also, some employers will donate money to the Almond PTA for the time you spend volunteering for our events and programs so make sure to ask about this benefit!
We greatly appreciate families using the ClassroomParent link to Join PTA as this saves significant administrative work. Additional donations are welcome via whatever method is most convenient for you.
Paypal
Check
Please make your check out to “Almond PTA” and deposit it in the PTA drop box in the front office or mail to:
Almond PTA 550 Almond Ave. Los Altos, CA 94022
Your Time
The PTA relies on donors and sponsors, but our most valuable asset are our families. Please consider participating in PTA meetings and events, joining the Executive Board, or becoming an event chair or committee member.
To sign up for individual volunteer opportunities, visit the volunteering page on ClassroomParent.
How Does the Almond PTA Raise Money?
Revenue Generating Fundraisers
Fundraisers are programs and events whose primary purpose is to raise money in order to fund a variety of programs at Almond School. These events are our most volunteer-intensive, so the PTA often examines how to better improve the margin (money raised versus money spent) of each event. This list includes:
PTA Membership
Back-to-School Donation Request
Walk-a-thon & Silent Auction
Spring Gala & Live Auction (alternating years)
Community Service Fundraisers
Community Service programs or events may raise funds for Almond, however, the primary intent of these programs/events is to build pride in our school, strengthen our school community, and foster relationships among families.This list includes:
Apparel Sales/Almond Wear
Yearbooks
Community parties such as GLOW, Poker, and Little Black Dress
Teacher-sponsored ticketed parties
Book Fair
Family Dining Nights at local eateries
Walk-a-thon and Spring Gala are beloved community events in addition to generating revenue
Self Funding Programs
These programs may look like fundraisers but are “Self-Funding” because any money collected is only intended to cover the cost of that program.
These programs are:
Chorus
Drama
Donation Planning
The start of the school year is full of requests, and all the emails can be overwhelming. Almond Elementary is a free public school, and you are never required to give money to access the excellent education provided. However, the school district and associated organizations do rely on donations to provide the extra programming that takes us from just another public school to a California Distinguished School. These programs only exist because of the generosity of our donors.
We recognize that not everyone is in a place to donate the full amount requested, and that’s okay. We also recognize that the donation of volunteer time is just as valuable and are grateful to the parents and community members who run our events and programs.
Here’s a general summary of which organizations and people ask for donations and when:
| Who | What | How much | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Almond PTA | Dues & Back-to-School campaign; Community events like Walk-a-thon, Read-a-thon, and biennial Gala | $30 dues/family + $325-550 per child | August |
| LAEF | Donation drive; Funds pay for specialized staff such as librarians, PE teachers, music teachers | $1500 per child | August |
| Lead Room Parent (LRP) | Contribution to class fund for class parties and teacher gifts | $50-70 per child | September |
| Classroom teacher | Donations for field trips and school supplies; no student is denied participation due to inability to pay, but field trips may be cancelled if insufficient funds are raised. | $50 for school supplies; field trip ask varies widely by grade level | Timing varies depending on when your child’s class is scheduled to go on field trips |
Will there be more requests?
PTA and LAEF accept donations on an ongoing basis. If you haven’t joined, you will receive reminders between the start of the school year and the December recess.
The PTA also organizes various events throughout the year to help fundraise while providing meaningful opportunities to come together as a school community:
Walk-a-thon (October): free to participate; fundraising via pledges, silent auction, t-shirt and ticket sales
Read-a-thon (January): free to participate; fundraising via parent and family donations
Gala & Live Auction (every other year): paid event; additional fundraising via live and silent auction
Community Parties: ticket sales
FAQs
Why is the room parent ask separate from the PTA ask?
Class funds are used for class parties as well as personal gifts for your homeroom teacher. This ask is separate because PTA funds cannot be used for personal gifts or gift cards.
Can’t I just write one check and be done with it? Why so many different asks?
Leadership across PTAs, LAEF, and LASD are investigating how to make this a possibility, but it potentially would require significant restructuring.
Why do some of the same things appear on PTA and LAEF budgets?
Generally when something appears on both PTA and LAEF budgets, LAEF is paying for the staff to run the program and PTA is paying for the stuff. So LAEF pays for librarians and PE teachers while PTA takes responsibility for funding for PE supplies and library books.
Why do we need both PTA and LAEF?
LAEF supports all nine schools in LASD: seven elementary schools and two junior highs. They collect donations that pay for librarians, music teachers, PE teachers, and specialty teachers for junior high electives. Thanks to LAEF, every LASD student has equal access to these valuable resources.
PTA is tasked with community building at individual school sites. All 9 LASD schools have their own independent and autonomously operating PTA. We plan events to bring the community together as well as run programs that can enhance your child’s educational experience, such as the drama program, Eagle Flyers running program, and more.
PTA does need money to operate, but the monetary donations are far eclipsed by the value of volunteer hours we receive.