FILE: DK
SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FUNDS MANAGEMENT
Student activity funds are those funds raised or collected for school-approved student groups, gate receipts, and student activity card fees. The DeSoto Parish School Board shall require all student activity funds to be collected and expended for the purpose of supporting the school's extracurricular activities program. Student body representation should be encouraged whenever possible.
The principal of each school shall be responsible for all school/student accounts. The principal may assign one or more school staff member(s) to share the responsibility for assuring that accounting records are maintained in accordance with district guidelines as outlined in the School Activity Fund Manual. The system of accounting for school monies shall be in conformity with the stated accounting procedures. The principal, however, shall have the ultimate responsibility for supervising the accounting functions to be performed at the building level.
SCHOOL CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
The School Board shall require all activity funds generated by a club, organization, association, class, athletic team, or any other organization within the school to be deposited into a school fund bank account. Separate records of all financial transactions of the school fund account shall be maintained by the principal for each group. No monies shall be drawn on the school fund account without a request for withdrawal which carries two (2) signatures, one of which shall always be the principal's. No withdrawal shall occur unless the check carries the signature of the principal, or the administrator who assumes his/her duties during his/her absence.
The records of the school account shall be reconciled monthly, and a written report shall be prepared by the principal and submitted annually to the Superintendent or his designee, who shall review and consider the report for approval and notify the principal accordingly. The School Board may require and provide for an audit of the school fund of any school within its jurisdiction at any time.
All club or organization related fundraising activities shall be approved by the principal and may be subject to audits from the central office.
BOOSTER CLUBS/OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
Funds generated by an entity outside the school, such as a parents' club, community, business, civic or other similar type of organization, are considered to be independent funds under the exclusive control and supervision of the club or organization. The School Board, however, shall require all such funds, when expended for any school function, activity, or purpose, to adhere fully to all state and federal statutory and regulatory provisions.
In addition, the School Board may place restrictions on the donation and usage of any monies by an outside source, i.e. club, organization, or entity, to a school or School Board-related entity. Specifically prohibited shall be the donation to an individual employee of the School Board anything of economic value in the form of money, personalized articles, automobiles and/or their use, travel, entertainment or vacations. The School Board reserves the right to examine the provisions of any and all prospective donations to a school or School Board-related entity to ascertain the propriety of the donation.
It is the policy of the DeSoto Parish School Board that all fundraising activities conducted during the school day, on School Board property, using school employees and/or students, for school or school related purposes shall be properly controlled and have reasonable accountability applied. This requires that all funds shall be considered public funds and shall be deposited into the official checking account of the individual school and all state and local rules and regulations concerning financial management shall be followed.
In addition, any school support organization, parent club or booster club, which uses the name of a public school as the principal portion of their name and raises funds independent of the school, shall be required to annually complete a Permission to Use School Name, Logo, Colors and/or Mascot agreement and comply with the requirements outlined in the agreement.
OTHER FUNDS
Schools may have other fund accounts as part of their school activity funds. Sources of money for these funds may include vending machines, coffee fees, and teacher dues. These funds may only be used to benefit the faculty or school as a whole. Any purchases made from these funds should be done with caution, as restrictions apply to the expenditure of such funds. Any questions about purchases should be directed to the Superintendent or designee for clarification before the purchase is made.
Approved: August, 2003
Revised: October 20, 2017
Revised: November 1, 2018
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. ยงยง17:81, 17:414.3, 51:224
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 1-5-89, 10-20-17, 11-1-18
DeSoto Parish School Board