Is your school ready to take on a Toonies for Tuition Fundraiser? But don’t really know what to do? We’ve put together a list of popular yet creative Pinterest-worthy ideas for a school fundraiser that’ll have your students laughing, teachers smiling and parents engaging while getting total gratitude from us for your contribution and commitment to giving other kids from across Canada access to Catholic education.

Okay, here goes:

Host a Nearly New Sale: With so many children in school, there are plenty of parents who have closets busting with outgrown clothes. In the school gymnasium, host a Nearly New Sale, where parents can donate used children’s clothing and invite the community to the sale. All proceeds can go to Toonies for Tuition. Hot Tip: Put specific guidelines on the clothes that you’ll accept. E.g. clothes no older than three years and outline brand-names you’ll take so that quality clothes are donated.

Read more: Five Pinterest-worthy Toonies for Tuition Fundraiser Idea for your School

Back in June, CCSTA President Marino Gazzola and Executive Director Julian Hanlon travelled from Ontario to Saskatchewan to meet with federal politicians to discuss one thing: the Theodore Case.

This comes after the Court ruled that the government must stop funding non-minority faith students to attend separate schools (read: CCSTA's Statement on the Ruling).

As such, CCSTA wanted to demonstrate its support to the Saskatchewan Catholic School Board Association.

So, they arranged to get in front of politicians to talk about the situation and what it means – and could mean – for Catholic education opportunities in the province.

Working alongside Matt Triemstra from Ensight Canada, Mr. Gazzola and Mr. Hanlon had many meetings with individual MPs and caucus members from Saskatchewan.

“We first provided them with information about CCSTA in general, and more specifically to inform them of the background and current status of the Theodore matter,” explains Mr. Gazzola. “We were successful on both counts.”

Read more: CCSTA Execs Meet with Saskatchewan Politicians, talk Theodore Case

Welcome back to school!

It’s hard to believe summer holidays are already over. Whether it was a rainy season in Ontario or a heat wave in Manitoba or simply gorgeous weather out East (we’re looking at you, Nova Scotia!), we hope you at least had the chance to unwind and get refreshed for the new school year.

We know we are.

Now that we’re back in the office, we’re evaluating our goals for the upcoming school year, and we’re ready to get started; including the political front.

This year, we will be focused on the Trinity Western Case. We have been granted intervenor status along with OCSTA, ACSTA, SCSBA AND AFOCSC. The ACSTA AND OCSTA will be taking the lead on the case and we’re awaiting for a date as to when it will be moving to the Supreme Court. We will soon provide a more detailed breakdown of this scenario and next steps later this fall.

We will also be monitoring the Theodore Case as it moves to The Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. Based on a legal opinion, CCSTA won't be seeking intervenor status at this point. When – and if – the case moves to the Supreme Court, we will seek intervenor status at that time.

Meanwhile, CCSTA President Marino Gazzola and Executive Director Julian Hanlon had a very successful two days in June lobbing the Saskatchewan MPs on the Theodore case. Stay tuned for a story on that as well.

When it comes to funding for students who wish to attend a Catholic school in Canada, we’re focused on continuing to build our Toonies for Tuition campaign. It’s gaining great traction, but the financial support requests far outweigh the available dollars. We’ll continue to encourage schools, churches, community groups and individuals to host a fundraiser on behalf of Toonies for Tuition.

Read more: New School Year, New Goals