Mary’s School Blog

Novel UniqueFundraising Gets A Boost With Smencils

There are a variety of ways to get money for your group, school or non-profit group. This article will be aimed primarily at school groups and how they might hit their fundraising needs.

Of course there are roughly as many ways to fundraise as there are people. Yet, not all of those methods are as profitable as some might deem. So when you narrow down your list to “good and useful” fundraisers you end up with a reasonable list of options. Smencils would be at the top of that list.

Smencils are different than the established $1.00 Candy Bars that have been around in fundraising for so many years. There are certain aspects of it that make for a different reaction from students and parents alike. For one thing they are not fattening! Actually, that is a big advantage in today’s world. The other is that because they are made out of recycled newspaper they are a Green Product. Students are bombarded everyday about this kind of thing and truly get excited that they can now do their schoolwork without sacrificing another tree!

But that goes without saying the greatest and most exciting part of Smencils is that they smell. There must be something about all these factors combined that elicit an emotional reaction from students parents and teachers alike. I can not give reasons for it, but I can just tell you it is there. This can be noted by the single fact that you can go on Youtube today and do a search for Smencils and you will see student made videos about Smencils! I have been in the fundraising business since 1986 and have never seen anything like this before. From elementary age students to high school age, it seems Smencils are making an impression.

It is no surprise that school groups that sell Smencils, sell out of them very quickly. Many students will purchase and collect all of the flavors that are available.

With that said, let’s get to fundraising with Smencils. The first thing you need to do is to settle on how much money you need to raise and choose how much of that goal you plan to raise with your Smencil fundraiser. The best way to do this is to simply divide how much you need to make in profit by $25.00 and figure with the number of buckets of 50 smencils that you need to sell to hit your goal. Divide that number by the number of students or members of your group and make sure that you don’t over order. I always recommend that you under order. If sales are going strong simply order some more. Never order more than about 3 buckets (150) of smencils per seller.

Typically, a student can sell a bucket of smencils in one day at school. Many students like to buy one of each flavor. What student wouldn’t want a smencil that breaks the hum-drum of everyday life at Ye Old School?

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Can’t go to University? Distance Learning is The Answer

The inability to attend a physical university could stem from a multitude of different reasons. It could be due to financial constraints; the lack of a student loan or bursary has been the end of many dreams. it could be due to a job situation that requires further qualification for promotion, but taking time off for study is out of the question. Whatever your reason for not being able to go to the local university, distance learning provides a solution.

Although still acknowledged as a university, distance learning offers many people the opportunity to further their studies, in situations that would otherwise have proven impossible. It allows you to work at your own pace, in your own time, according to your own daily schedule. It also means you do not have to pay for accommodation or meals.

Distance learning is offered by many institutions all over the world, and aimed at people from all over the world. Distance and location becomes largely irrelevant. Similarly to any other university, you are normally required to take an aptitude test, and pass an entrance test. Foreign students who would like to receive a degree from an institution outside their country are normally required to prove their command of the language used for presentation.

There are a multitude of online universities, and just like their physical counterparts, they offer a wide range of bachelor’s and master’s degree courses. If you are concerned about the credibility of your online degree, don’t be. As long as you choose an accredited institution, Your degree will have the same value as that of someone who went to class every day.

At a physical university you have classrooms and libraries. Online this has to make way for more modern forms of communication. The fact that there is no physical classroom, simply means there is no physical contact. There is, however, plenty of interaction in online forums, video conferencing and chat rooms. Instead of a student sitting next to you, he or she could be a hundred, or ten thousand miles away.

The one disadvantage of online study is your reliance on self discipline. Because there are no classrooms and time tables, or lecturers checking up on you as you would expect at the local university. Distance learning places all the responsibility on your own doorstep, and you are accountable only to yourself.

In contrast to a physical university, distance learning makes your remote location irrelevant. It accommodates your personal schedule, your capacity, and your personal commitments. The only thing required is a desire to succeed.

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7 Fundraising Ideas for Profitable School Fundraising

Planning and managing a fundraising event can make you want to pull your hair out or perhaps start banging your head on the table out of frustration. Here are seven helpful tips that will help make your fundraiser a smooth and profitable success.

1.) Plan for Fundraising Success

Efficient planning is a major part of the success of not only your fundraising campaign but any project you have looming before you. Without a concise and well thought out plan of attack, chaos will reign and your project will be doomed to suffer. In fact, you should have a primary plan as well as a secondary plan in place.

2.) There can be Only One!

It might seem obvious, but, too many chiefs and not enough Indians is a recipe for failure. There really should be only one person is coordinates all the different parts of the planning process for things to gell correctly.

3.) Delegate Authority

Assign specific tasks to people in whom you have confidence and trust. In your planning create a list of tasks that must be accomplished and choose personnel for each task. Ensure that each of your chosen staff understands that accountability for their assigned task falls squarely on their shoulders.

4.) Promotion is Key

Be sure that things are done to get the word out about your fundraiser. Promotion of your event will ensure that you reach your goal. Publish press releases to the local newspaper. Don’t forget your school web page is a great way to post your fundraiser and get the word directly to your parents. The type of fundraiser you are planning will determine if creating flyers and asking local business to place them in store windows would be helpful. There are lots of ways to promote a fundraising event and you should use as many of them as humanly possible.

5.) Pre-Selling Make a Difference

This plan of action will work very well for any type of fundraiser. If your fundraising event is a dance, dinner, guest speaker, or other ticketed type of program that is a one night event, you can benifet greatly by pre-selling your tickets. Start selling tickets long before the actual fundraising night. When items such as cookie dough are your main product start mentioning it to friends, family, and neighbors before the fundraiser begins.

6.) Multiple Income Streams

Do not put all of your eggs in one basket. Multiple income streams have been a recipe for success in business for many years and you should be running your fundraiser just like a business. If all of your efforts are concentrated in only one program, then your market may become saturated. You might even have another nearby school start the same thing your were planning to do the week before your kick your fundraiser off. If you are located in a small town, this can be a huge blow to your school fundraising success. Try using multiple events to your advantage. This is an excellent way to reach your goal as quickly as possible and spread out some of the risk.

7.) Post Event Analysis

While not part of the actual fundraising event, this is something that you should always do. Analyze how each of your school fundraising efforts ended up. Which ones did your customers like the best? Which ones were the most successful? Which ones were the easiest to pull off successfully? You can use your analysis of your current campaign to help with your planning for future efforts. It is especially helpful to write these things down in a journal for the next fundraising chairperson to view in case all the faces on the board change from year to year. They can benefit from your experience and make each successive year even more successful than the year before.

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Pharmacy Technician Training: What Can It Do For Me?

A pharmacy technician is a pharmacy staff member who performs pharmacy-related work under direct supervision from a registered pharmacist and is tasked with duties like administering medication and furnishing patients with their needed health care products and services. In order to be an accomplished technician, a person must have important traits and receive competent pharmacy technician training from a duly authorized pharmacy tech school.

The main duty of a pharmacy technician is to aid registered pharmacists in providing patients with medicine and health care products. They are also generally involved with assisting in arrangement of prescribed medication, counting medicine stocks and applying labels. They can also deal with customer inquiries and other operations of the pharmacy.

In a typical retail or mail-order pharmacy, technicians can have distinct duties and responsibilities. This will usually depend on the state they are working in and the laws that apply in them. Doctors can send prescriptions to a pharmacy technician, and he is responsible for analyzing them and making certain that they are complete and concise before the actual preparation of the medication. Once the prescription is verified, the technician will now acquire the medicine and extract the right proportions and dosages before giving them to the patient.

In a hospital or nursing home setting, pharmacy technicians may be tasked with extra duties like reviewing patient’s records and medicine preparation. Once a pharmacist verifies the accuracy of a prescription, the technician will be the one to deliver it to the patient. He will then record pertinent information in the records of the patient. They can also be tasked with supplying medication for patients in a 24-hour period.

A great thing about being a pharmacy technician is that you are working in a safe, well-organized and clean environment with efficient ventilation and lighting. A pharmacy technician’s work involves physical and mental tasks, and one must be in excellent health for this matter. They will generally work in identical hours with a pharmacist; include working on nightly shifts, even on weekends and holidays, particularly on hospitals and other facilities which are open on a 24-hour period.

A lot of pharmacy technicians engage in an on-the-job training before working, but formal pharmacy technician training programs are also available. Certified technicians are usually given priority, but that doesn’t mean those who are not certified perform less effectively. In the US, there isn’t any clear Federal law which covers the matter of requiring technicians to acquire certification before working.

Formal pharmacy technician training, like regular education programs, will involve classroom and laboratory work, study in different areas like pharmaceutical and medical terms, calculations, recording, techniques, pharmacy law and ethics. They will also need to become well-versed in medicine names, its functions and proper dosage. Most pharmacy technician training programs have internships in order for them to have an actual experience in their field. Once they complete their training, the pharmacy tech school will be able to award them with a certificate, diploma or an associate’s degree, all of which will depend on the type of program they undergo.

In order to perform well in the pharmaceutical technology industry, a technician must have sound customer service and teamwork skills since they will be interacting with patients, professionals and co-workers a lot. They will also need strong reading, spelling and mathematical skills which they will need regularly in their work. A good pharmacy technician is keen with details, can work independently, responsible, organized, alert and dedicated in his work. Another very important characteristic of a pharmacy technician is being precise in his actions since the work involves health and lives of human beings and can’t afford being reckless as there can be life and death situations he may be involved in.

The demand for pharmacy technicians has soared with the increasing duties of pharmacists. In order to become a proficient pharmacy technician, it is important that you undergo proper pharmacy technician training from an accredited pharmacy tech school. This is a very rewarding career and can take you a long way.

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Healthcare Vocational School: A Great Career Boost

Getting a better education is a great use of your time and money, since it helps you earn more and get a better job. In the health care industry, for example, nursing and dental assistants are always in high demand. That’s why people who attend health care vocational school are generally well-paid and happy in their careers.

With a vocational diploma or degree, you can earn more than a person who just has a high school diploma. The knowledge you gain in vocational school will empower you to lead a better life than you could without such an education.

If you went to a university, you could spend four years getting your education, and you still might have trouble finding a job after graduation. However, a program from a healthcare vocational school, you should get a higher paying job quickly. Many career college even help you find a job!

The health care industry is an industry that is going to be around for a long time to come. People will always be getting sick and there will most definitely be a need for someone to help them get better.

If you think a career in health care sounds exciting, why not enroll? People need caring nursing and dental assistants just as much as they need excellent doctors. Patients will be glad to have you taking care of them when you treat them like a human being and not just a name or a number.

Competition in today’s job market is difficult, especially if you don’t have an education. Also, it is almost impossible to support a family on minimum wage. That’s why attending vocational school can be a great way to make your dreams come true.

If you like the idea of vocational school but do not want to be a nursing or dental assistant, there are plenty of options out there for you. You can enroll in a vocational school to become a cosmetologist, xray tech, medical billing specialist, or health care administrator, for example.

You will be able to find the right job to fit not only your budget but also your lifestyle. You will be earning the money you deserve and providing for your family. Enroll in a Healthcare Vocational School today and begin to see a brighter future for a better you.

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Toddler Computer Games - Why They Are a Good Idea

This article explains how online toddler games can be used as an effective resource to help your child learn. Turn off that television and log on - you will be surprised at what a constructive way it is to spend your time.

What exactly are the 5 main advantages of playing computer games with a young child?

A New Set Of Words

The first benefit is of learning new language. This happens through constant repetition. Your child will be attracted by the bright graphics and fun sounds, and want to play each game again and again.

Practise Makes Perfect

There are 2 reasons why the constant repetition of this new vocabulary helps your child. Firstly, she cannot absorb the meaning or pronunciation of any word without repetition (even if it does drive you mad sometimes!). Secondly, It gives her a feeling of control in a world where she is often confused by how quickly things change - especially herself.

Worry-Free Education

Children’s television can be surprisingly upsetting for toddlers. Online games for this age are much better - there are no real stories, only upbeat and cheerful images and puzzles. Organisations like the BBC (in the UK) also have good advert-free games on their websites.

Parent-friendly Interaction

Home from a hard day at the office? Your toddler has missed you and wants to play princesses/pirates. Problem: you need to sit down. Doing a fun toddler computer game allows you to put your feet up while giving your child your full attention. These games involve more parent-child interaction than you might think, and are a great way to have special time together if you are really tired.

The Curiosity Problem Solved

Your toddler sees others working and playing on the computer, and will be naturally curious. Avoid having him helpfully delete that vital report for work while you are making a cup of tea by offering to play a colours game with him later.

These 5 reasons demonstrate that toddler computer games do have their place as an exciting and effective teaching aid in the twenty-first century.

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Why Free Sheet Music Is Easier To Find Than You Think

Those who are musically inclined always want to expand the music that they are able to play on their instruments. Its super easy to find free sheet music of classical pieces, since those are the most common and the oldest out there. Modern pieces from hit artists are much more difficult to find, but it is not entirely impossible. There are a few places in which you can get free sheet music; including online sources online and offline sources.

The internet is a great place to start your search for free sheet music. Search engines may not pull up results immediately, but there are ways to look for old forums and websites that may contain free sheet music for the music that you want to play. It is highly recommended that you take your time in the search for free sheet music, because its probably not going to be right in front of you.

Asking around is also a good way to get free sheet music. Users that play musical instruments are generous and can probably provide you with free sheet music that can expand your playing abilities. Don’t be afraid to ask others, most have no problem with sharing their free sheet music or the sources in which they got them from.

In physical locations, such as music stores, pawn shops, and music instrument tutors you can probably find plenty of free sheet music. Many places throw away old and outdated sheet music, and it just goes to a dump. You can probably make good use of this sheet music, and definitely for free. Ask around to find out if any local places throw away old sheet music and ask if you can have it. Even school band teams may offer free sheet music if you simply ask.

Regardless of how easy it may be to find free sheet music in a physical location, the internet is still your best bet for finding quality sheet music for free.

Remember, ask around to find free sheet music. Post in forums related to sheet music and other music related things, and also scour old forums and dead websites. Even if a website has not been used in months or years, it may still be the key to valuable free sheet music.

Closing Comments

Free sheet music can be difficult for the musically inclined to find, but all is not lost. Looking around for even just an hour is sure to find you some great results.

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Programming Email Activation Keys In PHP

All major websites on the Internet today have some form of checks and balances in how they approve their new members. One such way is to implement a PHP email activation script, which will ensure that an email address is working and belongs to someone. In fact, such a script has many monetary benefits- not to mention it cuts down on things such as spam.

Webmasters who are keen on building their website and tracking the progress it makes probably already have a Google Analytics account. If so, they have likely already seen how email activation works for use in verifying a client is who they claim to be- and that they own the website they claim. Webmasters should follow this example in building trust with their own visitors.

When it comes to the large subject of email marketing, any marketer will tell you that “opt-in” accounts are worth much more than accounts that haven’t been verified. This simple fact stems from the belief that advertisers hold: verified email addresses convert into sales or leads much more often than emails that haven’t been verified. This ensures the email subscriber is a real person, and not a spam bot or deleted email account.

Cutting down on spam is also possible with email activation keys, since most spam accounts are fake or have no one checking them. By making users register for their account and activating them, this ensures no “bots” are gaining entry to our website. Most will agree that a CAPTCHA is useful for this situation, but even this technology has been proven to be broken under some malicious programs.

Email activation is especially useful for businesses, who will literally lose sales if a client has input the wrong email address on accident. In this case the client will notice he or she hasn’t received a confirmation email, and they will likewise conclude they entered the wrong email address upon registering. This can mean the difference between the next big break in one’s business and a recession in profits.

Be sure that once creating an email activation system that you mention to your users that they may need to check their junk email box to read the email. Many email services will now put almost any type of email into a junk email box unless it is from a very popular source that is verified to be trustworthy. This doesn’t mean your website isn’t trusted- just that the spam filter is overly cautious.

In Conclusion

Getting the benefits of a PHP email activation system won’t take much effort- they are quite easy to create. If you don’t have the skills, asking a developer to do it for you won’t take much cash on account of the ease of the project. Consult freelance websites for more information, or pick up a tutorial to code it yourself.

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How to Avoid the Scholarship Con Artists

It happens every year. High school seniors and their parents are defrauded by scammers…people who promise to help them receive scholarships and financial aid they wouldn’t otherwise be awarded.

One financial aid organization believes these scammers defraud families out of more than $150 million dollars each and every year. Others think that figure may be far too low.

They do it by preying on families worried about the cost of college: families who have never been through the financial aid process before and thus know little or nothing about it.

The con begins with a letter from a company with a name that makes it appear to be a counseling organization dedicated to assisting students. Of course, the company has no interest in helping anyone.

The letter often looks like it comes from a top college or university. That is not an accident. The font, the grade of paper, and the logo are chosen by the scammers to give the letter an “academic” look. It’s junk mail alright, and its far more malicious than most, but that’s not what it looks like. As a result, instead of throwing the letter away, many families open it. That’s mistake number one.

The letters always start by creating anxiety about the high cost of college.

But, the letter goes on to say, there is no need for worry. We can work with you to ensure that you receive lots of financial aid. Often there will be rhetoric about helping students find some of the millions of dollars in unused aid. In some instances there will be talk about teaching you “secrets” that colleges and universities do not want you to know.

What all the letters have in common is that they invite families to a free “seminar”, often at a local hotel. Because the letter offers the hope of extra financial aid, and because the evening is free, many families accept the invitation. That’s mistake number two.

Those who attend the meeting are made to listen to a group sales pitch which takes on the themes of the letter…college costs are very high, but do not worry…we can get you the financial aid you need. Trust our experience and you’ll be fine.

The group pitch is followed by individual meetings with people who are referred to in the sales profession as “one call closers”. Although they may call themselves counselors, they are anything but. Their job is to pressure families into immediately writing checks that may exceed $1,000 for an essentially worthless set of services…and they are all too good at their job.

It’s sad. And, it happens every year. Don’t let it happen to you. Get all of your financial aid advice from your school counselor, college financial aid office, and reputable publications and websites.

Avoid being scammed. Do not ever, under any circumstances, pay for financial aid or scholarship advice or assistance.

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College Rankings; Do they matter?

Few decisions are more important than choosing a college. The quality of your college experience, how much you spend on your education, and how well prepared you will be for the professional world will all be determined by the college or university you elect to attend. No wonder so many publications rank colleges: our thirst for information about colleges is almost limitless.

High ranking colleges may gain increased recognition in the corporate world, resulting in their graduates being in greater demand. And, students at highly ranked colleges may develop greater pride in their institutions and increased confidence in themselves.

Rankings may be based on several factors, including the average starting salaries of graduates, admissions selectivity, the level of alumni donations, and reputation among educational peers.

McGill University, often ranked very highly, is an example of what it takes to be seen as a leading institution of higher education. McGill offers over 300 fields of study, enrolls top students from around the world, and has produced eight Nobel Prize winners and 128 Rhodes scholarship grantees.

College rankings attempt to measure an institution’s ability to maintain high standards and deliver the kind of quality education which allows students to realize their full potential. To the extent that they are able to measure those characteristics, they can be very helpful to prospective students and their families.

Because students should learn as much as possible about the colleges and universities on their short list, it makes sense to review several ranking publications. Any one source might provide information which would make an individual institution a better choice for a particular student. Or, the reverse might be true…any source could provide a reason to rule out a college under consideration.

All too many students choose a college without doing the necessary research. As you might imagine, such students are far less likely to earn a degree than those whose searches are more focused and more diligent.

College rankings should never be the primary determining factor in which college a student chooses to attend. However, the rankings can be helpful when putting together a list of institutions to be investigated and considered. And, while rankings should certainly not be the only tool in the toolbox, they can be an important one if used with care.

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