Let's just say, hypothetically speaking , that you wanted to use some Scholastic Bonus Points to buy some books for your own family (the bonus points having been earned from your students' book orders). Would you consider this to be acceptable or not?
I used some of my points for an iPad. I do use the Ipad for researching lessons, etc, but it's mine. My school doesn't have issues with use of points unless its blatant...for example years ago a teacher was retiring....she had tons of points...she used them up and had a TV,some technology, cd player, etc sent. all at once. To herself. At the school address...
I don't think it is a big deal. Scholastic is an optional thing and not owned by the school. I buy books with almost every order and know that I spend far more than the points I use spends.
I have given my points to other teachers. Since it's usually my own ordering that tops up orders to even earn points, yes, I think they are mine. But everything I order is for the classroom anyway.
I spend plenty of money through scholastic...at least half of those points are probably from my contributions! Everything I have bought with points, even for my classroom, I consider mine.
A large portion of the money spent is mine, but I use them for things for my classroom. I do order books for my family, but I buy them. I save my points up during the year and use them to buy books for my students for Christmas (Charlotte's Web this year). It takes all year just to get enough. I can't imagine how long I would have had to save to get an ipad. I'm lucky to get $50 in orders once every two months.
Christy...I also use points to get my class books for the holidays and end of year as well...I use points for teacher resources, books for class library. The iPad was the first 'for me' item I got with points. I kept it on the DL, but my school doesn't balk at these things. I got my iPad two years ago for just less than 20,000 points. I'm up over that amount in points again...
When my children were younger I would purchase books for them using the points I had earned. When my kids outgrew the books I brought them into my classroom for my class library. I never had a problem with it because many of the points earned were from my own money I spent on classroom books. This has never been an issue in my system because our students are poor and seldom buy books which means we seldom earn points. Plus, if the school system said anything there would be a major protest since we spend so much on our classrooms.
Hmm.. that's a tough question! Usually with my scholastic points I put them towards my classroom or have given them directly to the students.. We are in a school that doesn't have a lot of resources/money anyways though. If YOU put your own money towards scholastic too, I don't see a problem with it! If you don't, then I don't know
I always use my bonus points on things for my classroom. Almost all of my bonus points come from parent orders, though.
I think it would be tough to say the points are yours. You wouldn't have them unless your students ordered materials. If you ordered tons of books and moved schools, you could take them with you and justify that. A teacher in our school, Frank, ordered a TV with his points. When it arrived, the principal ordered it barcoded and put into the library. Frank was really mad. I only use points to order classroom books.
I'm jealous you guys can really get that many bonus points. My parents don't really order books. Does Scholastic have a policy on it written somewhere? I'm on the fence on this one. You do all the work in sending home the forms, tallying orders, entering them in--without that the kids wouldn't be able to order.
I'm so happy to not work in a school like this. I'm not required to pass out Scholastic order forms..I do because my kids like them, families like the prices and selection and I can use bonus points and special orders to get resources for my classroom. That said, I use my personal time to place orders, count and send payment. I use prep time to organize and 'deliver' student orders. I figure an occasional usage of points for something outside of specific classroom materials is ok...and as I said in a previous list, it's not something my school monitors as long as its not blatant.
I agree, scholastic is an optional program for teachers. Teachers have to take the time to pass out flyers, collect money, put orders in, etc... A large majority make purchases through scholastic for their classrooms in addition to what parents order. Teachers can do with the points what they like.
I think that the bonus points should belong to the teacher. If you're unsure, you could always find out if your school or district has a specific policy about this. If it were me, however, I wouldn't ask and I would just use the points as I wanted until explicitly told otherwise.
I would be furious too! Besides, why couldn't he have it set up in his classroom???? I work in an afterschool program and my director ordered several tech items for our program (laptop cart, elmo, etc). THey are all stored in the library, which is locked after school hours. Makes it VERY hard to get the stuff. And the one time I decided to keep the stuff in my room, I got balked at by a teacher because SHE wants to use the items, even though it belongs to OUR program. Some people... Anyways, I would be furious too because I have also worked only in poor poverty schools. The points I have are because of the books I purchased for my kids for holidays/birthdays or for our classroom library.
