I’d like to know what other parents think about today’s article in the Boston Globe on high-end giving in the suburbs: http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2006/04/19/a_car_trips_schools_raffle_off_grand_prizes/

Do you have any suggestions on how we might use some of these techniques to raise some serious money for Boston Latin Academy? Do we have any skilled fundraisers among parents and alumni? Is there anyone who works in a development office who could help us?

P.S. Ms. Garcia-Aaronson is still accepting donations to the Sponsor a Scientist/Outdoor Classroom Fund. We hope to update the list of givers next week.

Hi Connie,
Well I am not the one to assert answers here because I am terrible at getting contributions, but in the past, the schools my kids have attended have long forgotten the bake sales in favor of auctions.  For example, my kids pre-school would be able to raise $500 in a bake sale.  In their first auction they raised $11,000.  They got better at it and by their third auction they raised $16,000.  They never went back to bake sales.  I know the BLS auction raises enormous amounts of money.  You need to get the donations.  You need organized and skilled parents.  And then you need them to bring their checkbooks on auction night.  I am happy to help out with the third part.

Jeff Fischer