Dawnette,
I too work at a small charter school, but its an arts charter with a theatre major. Budget constraints are still there, however.
The hardest thing is the small stuff. For the longest time I was fronting the money and having to be reimbursed from the theatre budget (which was derived from ticket sales only at the time). Now, I have several methods of purchasing:
The first is Purchase Orders which work out great for long term stuff.
Second, I have been authorized at the local hardware and lumber yard by my school (who already has established accounts) to sign for purchases.
These are great for the school because the tax ID is already there and it is easy to track.
Thirdly, I use Amazon Prime through the school. for everything consumable and odd costume/pros I cannot find readily. With a two-day delivery, it has solved a multitude of problems.
This last season, for the first time, we offered season tickets. the small loss of income ($5 over three shows) generated great seed money for the ensuing season alleviating rights and other up-front costs.
Lastly, fundraising through ads and a parent booster group this year has been a godsend. It also has the administration pleased that we have so much community buy-in.
I hope this helps. Best of luck!
Yours in Art,
Jason
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Jason Robert LeClair, MA
Artist/Arts Educator
Director, Thespian Troupe 7444
Beacon Charter High School for the Arts
Woonsocket, RI
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-12-2017 14:48
From: Dawnette Dryer
Subject: Purchasing
Hello! I work in a very small charter school. I started my drama program from nothing and have been growing consistently over the last 5 years. Because of this growth, I am beginning to get a lot of push-back around my purchasing for the shows: what I purchase, when I purchase, how I purchase, etc. I am not provided with a budget, all the money I spend, the kids and I have to earn. Rules are beginning to arbitrarily appear and usually in response to something I need.
So, here's my question:
How does your school (especially if it is small) handle purchasing for your productions? Do you work completely off of accounts? Do you have to be thinking three weeks in advance for every tiny item? Do you wind up buying at more expensive locations because it is more convenient for them? Do they make decisions to change an item on your request because the one you wanted was out of stock...without waiting for your response? How do you manage all the last minute "stuff"?
I would love to hear how other schools do this.
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Dawnette Dryer
Education Specialist
Plumas Charter School
Greenville CA
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