Staff

At Cowles, many staff (teachers, counselors, librarian, etc.) are allotted a set budget for supplies throughout the year. These are funded by the classroom supply fees that CMPG collects from families in the fall. Your total budget will be communicated to you around October, when most classroom fees have been collected.

What can classroom budgets be spent on? 

• Daily consumables required for learning such as pencils, notebooks, crayons, etc. - but don't forget to check the arts closet. (See below for arts closet info!)

• Supplies for events, lessons, or special projects

• Items to make the classroom more cozy like rugs, alternative seating, lighting, or wall decorations. 

Note: Small appliances like fridges and vacuums and items provided by the district are not eligible for reimbursement.

How do you "use" classroom funds?

As long as the expense is within your budget, you can purchase the items!

• You do NOT need to submit a funding request to spend money from your allotted budget. 

• Send all questions about your balance and requests for reimbursement to treasurercmpg@gmail.com. 

• If you prefer to have our treasurer order you something, rather than waiting for a reimbursement, please reach out to treasurercmpg@gmail.com for assistance. Please plan on 5 business days for us to make a purchase.

In addition to classroom budgets, each grade level section is allotted a budget each year to use as a collective group. These are funded by the classroom supply fees that CMPG collects from families in the fall. Your total section budget will be communicated to your team around October, when most classroom fees have been collected.

What can section budgets be spent on? 

• Recess equipment

• Items for common areas used by the whole section

• Classroom materials for section-wide events, lessons, or special projects

How do you "use" section funds?

As long as the expense is within your budget, a rep from the section can purchase the items!

• You do NOT need to submit a funding request to spend money from your allotted budget. 

• Send all questions about your balance and requests for reimbursement to treasurercmpg@gmail.com. 

• If you prefer to have our treasurer order you something, rather than waiting for a reimbursement, please reach out to treasurercmpg@gmail.com for assistance. Please plan on 5 business days for us to make a purchase.

If you spend your own money on an expense for your allotted classroom or grade level budget OR an expense that was approved via a funding request at a CMPG meeting, you can request reimbursement.

• Send all questions and requests for reimbursement to treasurercmpg@gmail.com. 

• Reimbursement requests must include:

  • a scanned PDF receipt

  • Venmo information (We prefer Venmo to physical checks when possible.)

  • the total requested amount if submitting multiple receipts at once OR a receipt that includes personal items (We want to make sure our math matches yours!)

• Please plan on 5 business days for us to reimburse a purchase.

If you or your team would like to make a request for funding beyond your allotted classroom or section funds, use the CMPG Funding Request Form. This form sends an email to CMPG when a new request is submitted. 

• Funding requests below $200 can be approved by the CMPG board with a majority vote. 

• Funding requests above $200 must be voted on at a CMPG meeting. Please be prepared to attend and speak about your request.

• Funding requests over $5,000 must be discussed in two separate CMPG meetings and voted on at the second meeting.

  • The board will notify the school community when funding requests over $5,000 will be discussed.

CMPG works with our art teacher, Mrs. Dare, to maintain a school-wide art closet, which is funded through arts festival money and not classroom fees. If you need art supplies for your classroom, you can and should use the arts closet before using classroom funds or submitting a funding request. The art closet is stocked with commonly used art supplies (not daily consumables). Please ask Mrs. Dare for help finding appropriate supplies.