***DRAFT***Orangevale Open K-8 PTSO

Standard Operating Procedure 

PTSO Management of Drama Club Operations & Financials

Effective Date: July 1, 2025  

Version Number: 1

Approval Date: May 19, 2025  

Approved By: General Assembly of the OVO K-8 PTSO   

 

PURPOSE

To establish clear guidelines for the operations of the Drama Club (Drama) under the insurance and permits provided by the Orangevale Open K-8 Parent Teacher Student Organization (PTSO), ensuring compliance with all relevant policies and regulations.  To establish clear financial guidelines for all income and expenses connected to the Drama Club.

 

SCOPE

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) applies to all operational and budget relations between the Drama Club and PTSO.  

 

DEFINITIONS & ABBREVIATIONS

PTSO

Orangevale Open K-8 Parent Teacher Student Organization, including all PTSO Board Members.

 

Drama

All teachers, staff and parent volunteers who run the Drama Club program, and the students participating in the plays.

 

Events

All plays, rehearsals, concession sales, Parent Meetings, and any other gathering of volunteers and/or students working on Drama related projects. 

 

Funds

Includes all incoming monies from Student Participation Fees, Ticket Sales, Concession Sales and any other source of donations, as well as all outgoing monies to cover all expenses from Licensing Fees, Permits, Props, Costumes, Audio Visual equipment, and all other purchases (those over $750 to be approved at a General Meeting of the PTSO). 

 

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES 

PTSO Board

At the beginning of each academic year, the PTSO will appoint a Director of the PTSO Board to serve as liaison to the Drama Club.  This Director will be called the “Drama Liaison”. The PTSO will provide and pay for insurance coverage for all Drama Club activities as permitted.

 

PTSO Chair

Keep insurance current. Receive requests for Permits from Drama Liaison or Drama Club volunteer 60 days before event.  Submit Permit Requests to SJUSD Facilities.  Forward approved Permits to Drama.  Forward Permit Invoices to PTSO Treasurer for payment. Assign and manage email addresses within the Google Admin platform. 

 

PTSO Treasurer

Prepare PTSO’s Annual Budget to account for all Drama Club Income and Expenses. Pay Permit Invoices as received from PTSO Chair. Process funds from Enrollment Fees, Ticket Sales and Concession Sales. Work with Drama Club Production Financial Coordinator to respond to reimbursement requests, provide PTSO Square unit, provide cash for cash boxes, double count deposits, and provide oversight to ensure compliance with Cash Handling Policies & Procedures. Reimbursement requests must be submitted by the close of each corresponding play.  Bring Funding Requests exceeding $750 to PTSO General Meetings. A ledger will be kept by the PTSO Treasurer to track all income and expenses. 

 

PTSO Secretary

Record all minutes of PTSO Meetings including all relevant information for Drama Club.

 

PTSO Drama Liaison

• Serve as the primary point of contact between the PTSO Board and the Drama Club parent volunteer participants. 

• Attend all PTSO meetings and provide a Drama Club update at all closed Board and General Assembly meetings. 

• Use the email address: (SOMETHING)@ovoptso.org. 

• Work with Drama Club to plan plays that stay within the approved budget.  Submit play plans to the PTSO for approval at least 60 days in advance detailing dates, venues, expected attendance, and any special requirements. 

• Use Zeffy/Wix to set up ticket sales, monitor ticket sales, and update the Drama Club on ticket sales as requested. 

• Coordinate with PTSO Social Media Director to post Drama announcements to PTSO website, Facebook and Instagram pages. 

• Work with the Drama Club parent volunteer who makes the programs to add PTSO Sponsor ads to the program (this could also be done by the PTSO Chair). 

• Submit a post-event report, including attendance, incidents, and financials to PTSO within 30 days after the event.

 

PTSO Social Media Director

Post all announcements as requested by PTSO Drama Liaison.  Help create graphics when possible.

 

Drama Club Production Financial Coordinator

Parent volunteer (not a PTSO Board Member) who is assigned by Drama Club to work with PTSO Treasurer as needed.  Adhere to all PTSO Cash Handling Policies & Procedures. Handle cash, request change for in-person purchases, program Square, count everything and process the deposit to be double counted by PTSO Treasurer.

 

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT 

Budgeting

Drama Club will occupy a line item within the PTSO Annual Budget.  This line item will be funded with the intention to cover the expenses incurred by three plays per academic year.  Those include, but are not limited to: Playbills, Costumes & Makeup, Sets/Props, Concessions, Shirts, Cast/Work Party/Rehearsal Snacks, and Photography/Videography.  A ledger will be kept by the PTSO Treasurer to track all income and expenses. 

The PTSO will pay for the insurance and permits required to cover all approved and permitted activities. The PTSO will pay for the play rights and scripts.  At the close of the final Drama Club production in the academic year, the PTSO Treasurer will replenish the budget for Drama Club, Permits and Play Rights/Scripts from any funds netted after expenses have been reconciled so that there are funds available for the following academic year. 

 

Fund Allocation

When Drama Club became a Club under the umbrella of PTSO in July of 2024 and ceased operations as an independent Club, Drama Club had a savings account of $15,000 that became a “restricted use” part of PTSO’s general account.  Drama Club volunteers were considering starting their own non-profit, and so PTSO guaranteed that this $15,000 would remain untouched and available as a start-up fund for immediate return, if desired.  As the year progressed, it has become less likely that Drama Club would create their own non-profit and more evident that Drama Club is operating well under the PTSO.  If Drama Club officially decides to forgo the effort to become their own non-profit organization and commits to being part of PTSO indefinitely, then the $15,000 will be released from “untouchable” status and assigned to the Drama Club Equipment & Improvement Fund. This $15,000 will be restricted funding that can only be used for Drama Club related activities and expenditures. 

 

The Drama Club earns funds throughout the academic year via multiple streams of income, including, but not limited to, Enrollment Fees, Ticket Sales, and Concessions.  Drama Club aims to produce three plays each academic year; the 3rd/4th Grade Play, the 4th/5th Grade play and the 7th/8th Grade play.  All income from all plays will be pooled and totaled for the purposes of determining the total income for the year-round program.  Fund allocation will proceed in this order:

1. Pay all submitted expenses.

2. Allocate seed money for the upcoming Academic Year Drama Club consistent with what it would cost to run the program again (we suspect it will be around $5,000 per play).

3. Reimburse PTSO for the cost of permits and play rights/scripts. 

4. Support Third Grade play experience.

5. Contribute to the Drama Club Equipment & Improvement Fund (DCEIF). The amount of this contribution could vary depending on the needs of Drama Club. Drama Club is occasionally in need of large lumps of funds in order to maintain and improve large scale items, such as Audio Visual Equipment and the curtain.  Delivering on these projects cannot conflict with SJUSD policies.  These projects should be carefully planned for, with a list of desired projects submitted to PTSO at the beginning of each academic year.  The Drama Liaison will work with the Drama Club to make progress on these projects so that there is clarity on if the project is possible, how much it will cost, when it can be completed, who will do the work, etc.  If the Drama Liaison determines that a project is not able to be accomplished with funds spent within 12 months of submission, either because more money needs to be saved up or because the work will take longer than expected, then an extension can be filed.  If it is determined that the project is not viable and is cancelled by Drama Club, then the funds earmarked for said project will be reallocated.  The first reallocation effort will be to another project in the DCEIF.  If there are no viable projects available in the DCEIF, the funds will be rolled over to Step 6 and Step 7, as outlined below.

6. If 8th grade has not gifted TK/K the start-up funds that PTSO guarantees to TK/K, then PTSO may use any remaining Drama funds to do so. 

7. If there are any remaining funds, that amount will be split between the Grades and PTSO will transfer the money to the grade accounts.  For example, if after steps 1-6 there is $1000 remaining, and if there are 7 grades with two classes and 3 grades with three classes, then the formula for division of funds will be:

7x+3(x+1/2x)=$1000

x=$74.04

So the 7 grades with 2 classes would get $74.04 and the 3 Bubble Year Grades would get $111.06.   

 

Fundraising

If Drama Club needs to raise Funds for a specific high value item, Drama Club can submit Fundraising ideas to PTSO for approval. It is strongly recommended that Drama Club only fundraise for itself and not become a vehicle for select grades.  Any Drama Club fundraiser that would benefit select grades must be approved by a majority vote at a PTSO General Meeting. 

 

COMPLIANCE AND CONDUCT

Code of Conduct

All Drama Club members must adhere to the Code of Conduct established by the PTSO.  Student Behavior Contracts must be completed by all students with their Enrollment.  Student violations of the Student Behavior Contract will be reviewed by the Drama Club, and when needed, the PTSO. Drama Club parent volunteers must adhere to the PTSO Code of Conduct, Conflict of Interest and Cash Handling Policy guidelines.  Drama Club parent volunteer violations will be reviewed by the PTSO, and if needed, Site Based Management.  Any injuries sustained by any member of Drama Club must be immediately reported to the Drama Liaison, and the Drama Liaison must immediately report the incidents to PTSO.

  

Cash Handling 

All Drama Club members and volunteers must follow all Money/Cash Handling Policies as outlined in the PTSO Cash Handling Policy. The Production Financial Coordinators will report to the PTSO Treasurer on all financial matters.  Financial oversight will be provided by PTSO and Site Based Management. 

 

REVIEW AND AMENDMENTS

Original SOP took effect August 1, 2024 and will stay in effect until otherwise noted.

This SOP will be reviewed annually by the Drama Club officers and the PTSO board.

Amendments can be proposed by either party and must be approved by a majority vote of the PTSO board and submitted for approval through insurance and 501.3 C.

 

Latest Amendment: 

This Amendment cleans up the format, further outlines the Roles & Responsibilities section, and outlines a proposal for how to budget and allocate funds.  If approved, this would replace the August 1, 2024 Drama SOP.  This SOP will be presented to the General Assembly on February 24, 2025 and voted on at the May 19, 2025 meeting so that it goes into effect July 1, 2025. 

 

Written by Ava Spalding, PTSO Chair, in collaboration with PTSO Board and Drama Club Parent Volunteers in January 2025.