PTSO Resources for Staff

Welcome, teachers and staff!

The first half of this page offers an overview of ways that you can help your Parent Teacher Student Organization thrive (you put the T in PTSO, after all!). The second half outlines the PTSO board’s reimbursement policies and procedures for classroom and professional development expenses, including FAQs.  

We hope that you find this page helpful, and thank you for taking the time to read it! If any questions should come up, or you have any ideas that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to contact our president at president@capitolhillmontessorischool.org and our VP at vicepresident@capitolhillmontessorischool.org. We love hearing from our teachers and staff members! 

Get Involved in the PTSO 

Attend Our Community Meetings and Events

All teachers and staff are warmly invited to attend our community meetings and events! We love to see you and to hear from you, and we need your contributions to help our community thrive.

Generally, the PTSO holds one community meeting per month and several social events throughout the year. The best way to keep abreast of these is to subscribe to our SCHOOL CALENDAR. (If you’d like, you are also welcome to join our GOOGLE GROUP/LISTSERV, too.) 

Become a PTSO Board Rep

Our PTSO is made up of all CHML staff, students, and caregivers, and together the community elects a representative “board” each June. The PTSO board meets monthly to discuss school-related issues and make collective decisions. The board consists of parent officers (although nothing in our bylaws prevents staff from running for these roles) and teacher and staff representatives.

Read about the board and the teacher and staff representatives in our BYLAWS. Or take a look at our CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS. 

Everyone is welcomed to join! If you’d like to to become a board member next year, contact our president at president@capitolhillmontessorischool.org and the colleague who is currently representing your staff group. 

Join a PTSO Committee

Our PTSO has several COMMITTEES that do much of the community’s work and provide it with new opportunities: Fundraising; Communications; Garden, Health, and Wellness; Anti-Bias Anti-Racist (ABAR), STEAM, and Middle School.

Additionally, any community member may propose a new committee if s/he sees a need. Learn about the committees and sign-up to get involved. 

Encourage Family Engagement

We are always trying to engage all of our families, but it’s often difficult to connect with many of them. Please help us by doing any or all of the following: 

  • Let your families know that, like you, they are already, automatically members of the PTSO, and there are no dues required! And we want every single one of them involved to whatever extent they can be.
  • Let your families know that to keep connected they can subscribe to our SCHOOL CALENDAR and our community GOOGLE GROUP/LISTSERV.
  • Let any of our board members know if you identify a parent who is looking to get more involved or who would make a great board member, committee chair, or committee member.
  • When it comes time, help us to publicize our fundraising and social events.
  • Share with us your ideas for how we might increase family engagement. 

Enroll in Easy Giving Fundraising

These opportunities will take a small percentage of the price you pay and donate it directly to our PTSO, with no extra cost for you! Learn how to sign up below. 

Reimbursements

Reimbursements for Classroom Materials and School Programming Costs

The PTSO reimburses teachers and staff members for purchases that they have made for the benefit of our school and students.

Of course, it is always a good idea to check with the administration first. Principal Adutwum may have an item that you need on order, or she may have a budget from DCPS that can cover it.

If not, the PTSO always makes funds available. This year, our budget has three categories of funds for these reimbursements:

  1. “Use it or lose it” funds that have been designated in the PTSO’s yearly budget for classroom materials and other school-related costs;
  2. “Use it or lose it” funds that have been designated for grade-band programming; and
  3. Funds that families have earmarked for specific classrooms. 

Here are more details on each of these categories:

1. Reimbursements from “Use It or Lose It” Funds for Classroom Materials and Other School-Related Costs

Teachers and staff purchase materials and then submit to the PTSO for reimbursement. If seeking reimbursement from this category of funds, be aware that those funds are “use it or lose it” for each fiscal year, meaning that the purchases must be made between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023. In other words, after June 30, 2023, FY2022-23’s funds are forfeit. (On this topic, see FAQs 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 below.)

For SY22-23, reimbursement rates are as follows:

  • For classroom teachers whose first year at CHML is SY21-22, the PTSO reimburses up to $1000 each, total. New teachers are reimbursed at this rate for only SY22-23, their first year. 
  • For returning primary guides, lower elementary guides, upper elementary guides, and middle school classroom teachers (i.e. middle school homeroom teachers), the PTSO reimburses up to $500 each.
  • For staff members who are not classroom teachers and/or who work with students directly (i.e. specials teachers and resource & support specialists), the PTSO reimburses up to $500 per staff member for school-related purchases and payments. 

Reimbursements from “Use It or Lose It” Funds for Grade-Band Programming

The PTSO reimburses grade-band cohorts for school-related programming purchases. These funds, too, are “use it or lose it” for the FY22-23, and so purchases and payments must be spent by June 30, 2023. (See FAQs 3 and 7 below.)

Each group determines collectively how to use this sum and can submit up to $1,000 per group for reimbursement.

Currently, the PTSO does not offer grade-band programming reimbursements to the specials teachers group or to the resources and support team. 

Reimbursements from Funds that Families Have Earmarked

The PTSO manages the funds that families have donated directly to classrooms. When they donate via PayPal or check, families sometimes specify “for Ms./Mr. XYZ’s classroom,” and then that sum is earmarked by our treasurer for that sum to be available to that teacher for additional reimbursements. 

Like the funds for classroom materials and school-related costs, teachers are free to use these funds at their discretion, and they do roll over and can be used for reimbursements either during this year or in future years.

Reimbursements for Professional Development Costs

Additionally, the PTSO supports professional development (which we know benefits our students, too!).

During this FY22-23, each teacher and staff member is entitled to be reimbursed up to $500 for professional development. These funds, too, are “use it or lose it;” that is, the original payments must be made by June 30, 2023 or the funds are forfeit. (But see FAQ 8 below.)

Submitting for Reimbursements

We encourage you to submit for reimbursements as soon as possible. All reimbursements for purchases and payments made between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 should be submitted by July 8, 2023. (See FAQ 1 below.) Follow these steps: 

  • Print and complete this REIMBURSEMENT FORM. (NB: The form asks you to specify the “type” of funds. Use “classroom/other,” “professional development,” or “grade band programming.”)
  • Gather and copy your receipts (these must be included).
  • Email copies of the completed form and receipts to both of our treasurers at treasurer1@capitolhillmontessorischool.org and treasurer2@capitolhillmontessorischool.org, and cc Principal Adutwum at kim.adutwum@k12.dc.gov. 
  • If you would like to receive your reimbursement by check from the PTSO’s National Capital Bank account, be sure that you have included a physical mailing address.
  • If you would like to receive your reimbursement via PayPal (which is faster!), be sure to say so and include your PayPal address in your email.

Electronic submission is preferred. If you would rather mail hardcopies, please contact the treasurers at the above email addresses and arrange for a mail to address.

Our treasurers are usually quick to reimburse via PayPal or bank check, usually 24-48 hours after the receipt and form are submitted. If you would like the funds before making the purchase, you may submit an invoice first. Alternatively, if a parent would like to pay, she/he may and have you, the teacher, sign the reimbursement form so that she/he will be reimbursed.

Reimbursement FAQs 

1. Yikes! It’s July 8, 2023 and I forgot to submit my reimbursements for FY22-23! Can I still do so? 
Yes! We accept all reimbursements for purchases and payments made between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023, until July 8, 2023. We’d really like to close out our books by then. After July 8, we’ll accept the previous year’s reimbursements on a case-by-case basis. 

2. I am a resources & support specialist, or I am a specials teacher. Can I be reimbursed for any school-related expenses?
Yes! Submit the form and specify “classroom/other” or “professional development” in the box that asks for funding “type.” You, individually, are entitled to be reimbursed for up to $1000 of “classroom/other” funds and $500 of “professional development” funds for purchases or payments made between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023.

3. I’d rather not pay for these classroom materials out-of-pocket. Can the PTSO make this purchase for me directly if I provide a link?
Only in the rarest of circumstances. We certainly understand that it can be difficult to shell out money. Unfortunately, it is unsustainable for us—volunteers with day jobs—to become purchasing agents for our teachers. It’s hard enough to keep track of reimbursements!  Remember that you can be reimbursed via PayPal within three days and often sooner. Nonetheless, if you see no other solution, send an email to our president and treasurers and explain the situation, and your request will be considered: president@capitolhillmontessorischool.org, treasurer1@capitolhillmontessorischool.org, and treasurer2@capitolhillmontessorischool.org.

4. Can I save this year’s PTSO-budgeted $500 and combine it with next year’s money to make a big purchase? 
Unfortunately, no. The funds that the PTSO budgets for classroom materials and other related expenses are forfeit if they are not spent by the end of the fiscal year (that is, by June 30, 2022). 

5. How do I raise money for my classroom? Some teachers have hundreds of extra dollars beyond the PTSO-budgeted $500!
Some teachers have extra money because some of their families have chosen to donate directly to their children’s classrooms by specifying in the PayPal “Notes” section or on their checks that the money is earmarked for that classroom. Unlike the money that expires at the end of the fiscal year, this earmarked money rolls over and can be used years into the future. Many families, especially newer families, simply don’t know about this giving opportunity. You could tell your families explicitly (especially if there is a big purchase on the horizon), ask your classroom parent(s) to remind them, encourage your families to get in touch with the PTSO so that they are clued in about this and all kinds of matters, or all of the above!  

6. Can I “donate” my funds to a colleague’s classroom or expenses if I haven’t used mine and s/he needs extra? 
The PTSO board is willing to consider requests like this on a case-by-case basis and may have some follow-up questions. Please reach out with specifics to our president and treasurers.

7. What do I do if I need something really expensive for my classroom? 
Tell us! It’s never a bad idea to email our president and treasurers explaining your need. The board wants to find solutions for our teachers and, ultimately, for our kids, and so we can brainstorm together. We may be able to find parents who can help with grant-writing or other fundraising.

8. I haven’t submitted for any professional development funds in the last few years, but I have a lot of costs now. Can I get “credit” for not having used the funds in the past and submit for more than the entitled $500 now?
While our individual cap is $500/year, the PTSO board is always willing to consider exceptions and extenuating circumstances, etc., and it has from time-to-time approved extra reimbursements for individual teachers, especially for their professional development costs. If you believe that you have a strong case, submit a completed REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL PD SUPPORT along with your REIMBURSEMENT FORM to our president and treasurers.

9. I wish the PTSO could make purchases for us, could make more money available for reimbursement, etc. How can I help make changes to the current policies?
Thanks for asking! We wish we could take more off your plates and give you tons of cash to spend on our kids and your professional development, too! We always need more wo/manpower and more money. Encourage your classroom families to get connected and get involved. You’d be surprised how many families—including, possibly, even your classroom parents— don’t know anything about the PTSO. The more volunteers we have, the more work we can do for you. The more volunteers we have, the more money we can raise. And the more money we raise, the more we can direct back into our classrooms and to our wonderful teachers and staff.