o much for ringing strange doorbells to sell candy and wrapping paper. Schools are altering their fundraising policies in an age of heightened security concerns. This means more in-school events and fewer door-to-door sales.
In Chesterfield County, elementary pupils are prohibited from participating in fundraisers that would require them to sell things or solicit in order to raise money. As a result, schools are creating community partnerships that allow them to receive a portion of a night's sales from businesses like Ukrop's, CiCi's Pizza or McDonald's, says Tim Bullis, the school system's director of community relations. Any fundraisers conducted by students in middle or high school must be submitted in writing to the principal for approval.
Hanover schools have also banned door-to-door sales for elementary students, with parents picking up the slack by hosting spring field days and fall festivals. Middle and high-schoolers can sell items door-to-door with the approval of the superintendent, and any other kind of sales are subject to the principal's OK. Most of the time, though, students raise money with events like plays.
Powhatan has a similar policy in middle and high schools, although elementary students are not allowed to raise funds at all. In Henrico, extracurricular fund drives cannot require students to sell items door-to-door, and all fundraising activities must be approved by the school principal.
Outside organizations — notably the Girl Scouts — still conduct traditional fundraising. But Janice Williams, spokeswoman for the Girl Scout Commonwealth Council of Virginia, notes that the Scouts promote a buddy system for door-to-door cookie sales, and many troops partner with businesses (often grocery stores) to sell cookies on-site.
