I'm having a Scholastic Book Fair next week. I've had book fairs thru
Scholastic during our two conference weeks for the past 5 years.
This is what I've been promised:
1. CASH
"Premium" Fair - sales between $1200 and $4000 = 25% over $4000 = 30%
I usually take in about $5000. I have 600 first, second and third graders.
About half of the school qualifies for free lunch.
THE BOOKS ARE EASSY TO SELL because for the most part they are familiar to
the kids - Clifford, Franklin, Harry Potter, Star wars....
I DO NOT put out the "junk" ie. anything that is not a book until our Family
event.
2. COSTUME
Scholastic sends a costume - usually Clifford - that we use at our family
night. I had a rep visit and give me five books to use for door prizes. He
also explained the new voucher program.
3. VIDEO
I use the video with each class the week before the fair. It is a great
introduction to some of the authors and books. The kids are always excited
to find the books they saw on the tape.
4. HELP
I use the Chairperson's Guidebook to make flyers to send home, and the
newsprint flyers go home as well. My rep (although they seem to change with
each book fair) is helpful, too.
5. VOUCHERS
Product vouchers for items from the Scholastic Instructional catalog
using credit cards - $20
conducting family event - $20
classroom wish list program - $20
community sponsorship - $20 (I don't do this - I'm not good at begging)
Poster Display area - $20
video preview - $20
student preview - $20
If fair sales are between $5000 and $10,1000 I can multiply the vouchers by
2. Looks like I'll get about $240 in vouchers. Of course, I've always
received a voucher based on a percentage of the fair. I still have last
year's voucher, since I couldn't decide what to order. None of the items
really appealed to me. I wish the vouchers could be used to buy some of the
series featured on the tape.
I used to get $400 worth of items from the fair for free. Not any more.
I used to give the teachers a 20% discount. Not anymore.
I do like the fact that I have never been questioned by Scholastic after the
fair has been returned. I can't imagine the money and the inventory ever
coming out exactly.
Someone commented on how much work this is. I copy the notices to send home,
and put them and the flyers in each class's mailbox. I call about 30 parent
volunteers to come and help me. I re-arrange some of my classes so that each
has a time slot, because we have early dismissal days during the book fair.
I show the tape as part of my classes. The kids who are with me when the
fair shows up help me set it up. I spend about 2.5 hours on Wednesday night
here but I get lots of help. I have help counting the money. And I have two
parents who come to help me pack it up. I would estimate I spend about ten
hours getting ready and breaking it down.
I'd rather be doing the book fair that a lot of other things! And I get
about $1500 from it to use mostly however I wish. My PTA would have to sell
375 t-shirts to make that much money.
If I can answer any questions, please let me know.
Karen DeFrank, LMS
Bullock School
Glassboro, NJ 08028
kdefrank@glassboro.k12.nj.us
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=
LM_NET
Mailing List Home