- How much is the 8th Grade Washington, D.C. fieldtrip?
- This amount changes yearly. In 2007/08 School year it was over $700. The exact amount is announced in January or February each year.
- When should I sign up?
- As soon as your child is a Liberty Middle School student, which in calendar terms for 6th graders, is August 1st or anytime after. Enrollment is open throughout the school year.
- Can I involve my family and friends?
- Yes you can, when they sign up, as long as they have your students “legal name” AND student ID number so that the PTO can track the 2% earnings.
- How should I start with so many programs to choose from?
- A suggestion for reading the packet is to start with a GROCERY store that you USE THE MOST. As you adjust your spending habits, you can add another program.
- How many fundraiser programs are there?
- There are 3 programs:
- PTO Monthly Gift Card Program (offered only during the school year) which includes groceries like Giant Eagle.
- Kroger Community Rewards (use all year round)
- LMS offers Magazine Sales in the FALL. Watch for information on this by October. This is through the school, not PTO, but helps to offset the DC trip.
- Can I really accumulate enough funds to make a difference towards the 8th grade field trip?
- Yes you can, if you start early and use the programs offered. Look at it this way. Just through the Scrip program alone, if you spend $500 per month (for groceries and gas and/or other gift cards). Now multiply that by the 2% earnings, and it comes to $10.00 earned per month. This totals $120.00 per year. (See actual formula below).
Spending $500 per month for 1 year in Scrip:
| $500 (used in Scrip) |
$120 Subtotal |
| x .02 (earnings for the student) |
x 2 years (6th and 7th grade) |
| $ 10 (earnings per month) |
$240 Subtotal |
| x 12 (for 12 months, or 1 year) |
$ 50 (8th grade: 5 months) |
| $120 Subtotal |
$290 Grand Total |
When is the cut-off date for 8th graders to earn 2% from the Scrip programs towards the Washington, DC trip?
- Monthly Scrip Gift Card cut-off is January’s order date, this school year January 8th due to holiday vacation.
The D.C. trip coordinator needs all accumulated amounts finalized and sent to them by the 1st week of February each year to place the first down payments.
How do I know how much I have accumulated for the DC trip?
There are four ways:
- The easiest way to receive totals is to place an order in January and/or on the LAST Scrip Order of the year in May. It can be as easy as just ordering one gift card. You will get a complete breakdown of all the Scrip Programs in an update to you with your delivery.
- You can keep copies of your orders and receipts and multiply the Total x .02.
- Fundraiser totals for each student are tallied three times for the D.C. field trip coordinator: at the end of the 6th and 7th grade school years and in January of the student’s 8th grade year.
- For 8th graders, the school sends a letter home twice during the year: once in the fall (with 6th and 7th grade totals) and a final letter in February/March with the cumulative totals earned for all fundraisers.
Why are orders for GIFT CARDS and Giant Eagle only once a month?
The program needed to be simplified because when this was twice a month it became very hard to have the turnaround times so close together. Parents would also say it was difficult to remember all the dates, or keep track of them. By having it once a month, this eliminated the pressure for the volunteers who were putting the orders through, getting them sorted and delivered to you, and keeping track of your % totals earned).
When are the Scrip ORDERS due and delivered?
2008/2009 school year orders need to be placed online by the 1st Thursday of each month to be DELIVERED the 3rd Thursday of each month. NO ORDER is placed in December. In January it is due on the 2nd Thursday and delivered on the 4th Thursday due to holiday break.
Why do I need the student ID number?
This is how PTO tracks the DC 2 % earnings, by the student’s ID number and student’s “Full Legal Name” (Legal name which is used on school records).
Why do I need to sign the Scrip Order Form?
There have been only a few times in the past when orders have been placed in book bags and thought lost. It is really best to have a Neighborhood Contact, or you come in to pick it up. By signing the form, it gives you other options on how to receive your order, but this also gives the PTO the right not to be responsible if it should get lost by the student.
Can I pay my department store credit card bill with gift cards and/or use gift cards to pay my bill on-line?
Some stores will let you. Since businesses hold the right to change their policy, it is highly suggested you contact the store you wish to do this with and ask about their policy.
Are the earnings transferable in the Olentangy School District if we get redistricted to another Middle School in this district?
Yes they are. They are transferred to the next Olentangy Middle School your child has been redistricted to only when the student is in the 8th grade AND only if the student goes on the DC trip. You need to let the Scrip coordinator AT YOUR NEW SCHOOL know that you are earning at LMS. They will let you know how to change to the new school.
Can I take the earnings of the DC trip with me if we move out of state or if we move to a different district in Ohio?
No. This is an Olentangy Liberty Middle School PTO fundraiser in Powell, Ohio and is non-transferable anywhere out of the Olentangy School District. If you move out of the district, your earnings will go to either the LMS Caring Fund or help offset the costs for the D.C. trip.
Can I transfer my funds to another child at Liberty Middle School if we move out of district?
No. The earnings that you accumulated will go into either the LMS Caring Fund or help offset the costs for the Washington, D.C. trip.
I have more than one child that attends Liberty Middle School. How do I include them on these programs?
There are several fundraiser programs during the school year. Besides PTO’s Scrip Program, there are magazine sales in the fall. You can use a different child for each fundraiser program. If they are in different grade levels, it’s best to start with the child that will go to Washington, D.C. first. It’s really up to you. For multiple children of the same age, you can put one on a grocery program, one on the GIFT Card Program, and/or one on magazine sales.
I have twins. How do I include both of them on the Scrip Programs?
For recordkeeping, you can only put one child on one program at a time; simply check to make sure you have included the correct student ID number. You can put one child on a grocery program and one on the GIFT Card Program, so they both benefit. You can go with three programs, if you wish, but each program can only have one child enrolled at a time. If you collect enough for one student, you can contact one of the Scrip contacts to find out how to change the name to another child. As mentioned before, there is a magazine sale in the fall. You can put one child on the sales program.
Can I sign up my elementary child for the Scrip Programs at Liberty Middle School? I was able to find out their student ID number and would like to get them started to save for the Washington, DC trip.
No. This is for LMS students only. It is important that you support the elementary school fundraiser programs where your elementary child currently attends.
Can Neighborhood Contacts carry Gift Cards and sell them in their neighborhoods?
No, we have a system to track your % earnings and decentralizing it would be too cumbersome to manage.
Can I use my credit card to buy Scrip online?
No, our Scrip Program only accepts payment via PayPal direct electronic checking account deductions.
I manage a business which sells gift cards. Can the Scrip program sell them to the parents at LMS?
This is hard because we want to include everyone. Unless you are a Great Lakes Scrip Company (GLSC) customer (that is where we order the gift cards), it is very difficult for us to pick up the orders, advertise for them and also keep track of the 2% earnings. Read the following question concerning Cameron Mitchell and you will understand why.
Can we add Cameron Mitchell to the Scrip Gift Card Program?
Cameron Mitchell is a separate vendor and these cards are not mailed to us and need to be picked up. They do have very high earnings, and many parents would like to see these sold at LMS. Since this program is a separate program it would need to be treated as a separate business (see question before this one). Some of the elementary schools do purchase their cards. You can contact a nearby elementary school to help support that school.
Last modified: April 20, 2009