The beginning of the school year is a busy time for parent teacher organizations to raise funds for events, field trips, school supplies, athletics, and more. Fundraisers also help PTO or PTA volunteers get involved with their school community to reach their organization's goals. While raising money can be as easy as requesting a donation, hosting events or contests can increase participation and provide a fun experience for families. Here are some unique fundraising ideas for your parent organizations this upcoming school year: 

It's no secret that students can get tired of eating the same thing over and over again. Offering different and new menu items can freshen up your meals and get students excited about eating in the cafeteria. Hosting a taste test event is a great way to get students involved in choosing new menu items and learning more about their preferences. A successful taste test gives students the opportunity to try new recipes and share valuable feedback before you start serving them on a regular basis.

Getting started is easier than you think! Here are some strategies to help make your taste testing event successful:

In the wake of recent cybersecurity hacks, districts across the country are on high alert and looking for ways to make sure they don't become the next victim of a cyberattack. In a 2018 study conducted by EdTech, school districts were found to be one of the least secure of the 17 industries surveyed, due in part to a lack of funding allocated to cybersecurity. This has lead to weaker security protections making schools more likely to be targeted by hackers.

There are many different types of cybersecurity threats, but one of the most common is called ransomware. This is when hackers gain unauthorized access to the data on your computer and demand money in order to regain access to it. These threats expose sensitive information of those in your school community, disrupt school operations, and have high recovery costs. This heightens the importance of reviewing internal and external security measures to keep your student and staff information safe.

Over the last 23 years, Greenville County Schools in South Carolina has hosted their annual Greenville County Schools (GCS) Scholarship Tournament. The event brings in hundreds of participants to raise scholarship money for high school seniors. Since its inception, the tournament has raised over $550,000 in scholarship funds to help over 4,000 graduating seniors. In the last few years the tournament has partnered with MySchoolBucks to help collect registrations and payments online.  

Parent organizations are committed to fostering positive change and improvements in their school communities, and MySchoolBucks wants to help! In an effort to support opportunities for growth and enrichment, MySchoolBucks is excited to partner with parent organizations this school year with the first-ever Reach2Win Challenge.

For the past 73 years, school nutrition professionals have gathered at the School Nutrition Association's Annual National Conference to learn about and discuss the latest trends shaping the future of our industry. Last week, thousands of nutrition professionals, industry members, and allied organization representatives gathered in St. Louis where the theme "Turning ME into WE at ANC" was the main focus of the event. When food service leaders have access to the resources they need to provide students with healthy and nutritious meals, WE all succeed.

School technology continues to evolve to support the operational needs of K12. Student Information Systems (SIS) have revolutionized how school administrators, teachers and parents maintain and access student records. Data such as demographics, student enrollment, class schedules, and grades are electronically and securely managed within a student information database. Now that most - if not all K12 districts use a SIS, other school systems have built integrations to streamline these processes even further. Here are 5 key platforms to consider integrating with your SIS: 

Every year the Advanced Placement Program (AP) grants millions of eligible high school students the opportunity to participate in advanced courses and earn college credit. AP Coordinators who manage and teach AP Courses have several tasks throughout the year to ensure students are prepared to take the AP Exams in May. Part of this process includes collecting student fees and ordering AP Exams through the College Board.

The School Nutrition Association's 73rd Annual National Conference is quickly approaching! Between July 14-16, over 800 exhibitors (including us!) and 3,500 decision-makers will gather in St. Louis for our industry's largest conference of the year. Discuss trends, exchange ideas, and collaborate with your peers and colleagues. We're sure there will be plenty to keep you busy at this years event!

For the past two years, MySchoolBucks and Heartland School Solutions has provided Growth Grants to school nutrition programs across the country. To date, we have awarded over $100,000 to districts who use MySchoolBucks and helped over 130 food service departments promote their nutrition programs in fun and creative ways, using funds they might not otherwise have access to. In addition to offering our food service Growth Grant program for the 2019-20 school year, we are excited to offer for the first time Growth Grants for before & aftercare programs!