Can you help me word this letter to my co-op parents?

[3lilreds in NC]

I came here to post this and got COMPLETELY distracted by the Australia/Oceania/Pluto discussion. :lol:

 

I posted a while back that our art director left our co-op, and left us with a dearth of supplies. (I love that word: dearth. Isn't it cool? One does not get an opportunity to use it often.) The other art teachers and I agree that we are going to change our plans and do different things, but we need supplies. I would like to ask each student to bring $10; the classes run through the end of April and there will be 12 classes left after this week. That will allow us to get each child their own set of watercolors and oil pastels, plus any other supplies we might need during the year. They will get to take them home when we're done.

 

Another thought was to have each family bring $1 per week, but the cost of the paints/pastels is $6.50 - there are families with multiple children, and if they do that, they will end up with $19.50 in supplies with the rest coming out of the teachers' pockets. I don't mind helping if some of the families really have financial difficulty, but it really adds up for 15 kids! If each child brought $1 per week, that would be OK, but they would end up paying more than the $10.

 

Here is my letter. I want it to be worded nicely and positively and make every one feel warm and fuzzy about our art class. Is that too much to ask? ;) TIA everyone - you are all so talented!

 

Dear Parents of Elementary Art Students,

 

With the changes that have occurred in our art program this year, we’ve decided to do a few things differently. We’ve revised our lesson plans to focus a little more on art and artists, and hope to expose the children to some fun and interesting projects.

 

In order to be able to purchase supplies, we ask that each child bring $10*. Each child will have their own set of watercolor paints and oil pastels to bring home at the end of the year, as well as a portfolio of their artwork. The cost of the pastels and watercolors is $6.50 total. The extra money will allow us to buy any materials we will need through the end of the co-op year (April).

 

We’re excited about what we’re going to be doing! I know your children will have fun (and learn something - shhh!).

 

Sincerely,

 

(the teachers)

 

* If this poses difficulty for you, please talk to us. We can work something out. All the children will be able to participate in class regardless.

[Sophia]

I think the letter sounds fine the way it is.

 

Of course, when it comes to letters requesting something from me, I prefer you just tell me what you want so I can give it to you and be done with it, lol.

 

Is there a concern that $10 is too much? Sounds like a bargain to me!

[Twinmom]

Hey...I thought that was you! You are in my co-op! : ) PM me if you haven't talked to D. H. yet...there is some financial re-shuffling going on and you may not want to ask parents for $$ just yet. Plus, there may be some available to you if you ask, once the shuffle is done! (I'm the communications "director" for DD...if you don't recognize me from my profile, I'll tell you my last name in a pm!)

 

If you end up needing to send a letter, your letter sounds fine. I'm in your classes and it would be fine by me!

 

Funny to find you here! I've read your posts by didn't realize who you were until just now. Small world.

[Twinmom]

Please don't let me be the thread killer here! Tell her what you think of the letter if you have a comment!! She may still need to use it! :D

[LauraGB]

I think your letter sounds fine. But, why are you responsible for the children's supplies? Would it be reasonable to ask the families to supply their children with x, y, and z materials and tell them where to get them for the most affordable cost? That way if a family is 2 kids, they can share. If they have 3 or 4 kids, they can just buy 2 sets and share, and so on.

 

For our co-op art class, that is what we did *and* we paid an instructor fee, *and* I was more than happy for the opportunity.

[SonshineLearner]

Well, Just to let you know, I prefer the watercolors that you squirt out... a very small dab goes a lonnnng way... and you can share with many kids. With a coupon from say... Michael's... this is much less and better than the little ones we used when we were kids in school. You can get palette's for 99cents or so, too, if you want them.

 

Just a thought...

[3lilreds in NC]

I don't *have* to be responsible for the kids' supplies, but I can get everything at such a good price through Rainbow Resource that I thought I would offer to place the order. I have looked, and I don't think you can get oil pastels for $1.80 (12 jumbo size colors) even with a coupon. Also, I thought it would be a good idea for me to hang on to them, since we have storage available at our facility, so that no one would have to remember to bring them back. Not that I'm prone to forgetting things... ha.

 

I will have to look into the tube watercolors. I suppose that would be easier and might actually work better for some of the things I have in mind. It's just that there will be 3 weeks before our next class and I was hoping to get a feel for how the parents felt about the cost so I would know what I needed to do... but TwinMom is trying to ruin all my fun :D so I guess I will have to wait.

[asta]

My son attended many art studio classes when he was younger. Yes, tube water colors work WAY better and last much longer (as well as mix better). They also come in little jars. He was also required to buy both chalk and oil pastels as well as some charcoal and an eraser that he carried in a plastic case to class along with a smock.

 

Here is what I would recommend:

 

Don't get cheap stuff. You don't have to get a LOT of stuff per kid (just the basic red, yellow, green, blue, white, black), but don't get cheap stuff. The sheer frustration involved isn't worth it. And, unfortunately, if left to their own devices, the variety you will get if you just hand out a list that doesn't specifically say "Johnny needs X brand of pastels (and no other brand)" you will get the cheap stuff. Then two things happen: One, Johnny's stuff doesn't work as well and he gets frustrated, and Johnny feels like the odd kid out because his stuff is "different".

 

Have the stuff separated into per kid boxes. When a kid is responsible for a set amount of stuff, and they know that their name is attached to it, they simply treat it better. You don't have the wild grabbing for the particular color or whatever. And no one can blame anyone else for the broken ________ .

 

Recognize that there will be things that you will have to buy no matter what: fixatives for charcoal and chalk. Wipes to get the stuff off of hands (oil pastels don't come off with soap and water, but boy are they fun to work with). Fans to keep the place ventilated. Clips to hang things off of wires or laundry lines. Easels. Mixing cups. You get my drift.

 

I'm sure you've thought of all of these things already - I was just amazed at what all went into what I thought was a "simple" art class for kids.