Mini Society Parent Information

Selling food items and drinks is prohibited in an effort to ensure the health and safety of all students. This also encourages creativity and diversity of products and services that the students offer in their businesses.

Any item brought to school for use in Mini Society, as a sellable item, is considered an "import".

$5 (American dollars) is the spending limit for goods imported to Mini Society for use in businesses, sale at auctions, or other transactions.  This is the MAXIMUM TOTAL amount a single student may spend for the rest of the year on Mini Society items.  This $5 limit also includes items owned by the student (or family) that have value in American dollars.  For example, if your student wishes to bring sand-art bottles made from materials at home, the cost of the materials used should be noted on the form at the bottom, and will be deducted from the $5 spending limit for imported goods.  Those used items you have at home should have a garage sale fair-price in U.S. dollars on the import form.

*NOTE*  Items donated to the warehouse do NOT get deducted from a student’s $5, but cannot be reserved for that student’s use.  The resource warehouse should be the main source of a student's business resource supply, rather than importing many items from outside Mini Society. Using resource warehouse items makes production costs more easily related to product pricing.

All “import” items must be accompanied by the completed import form and signed by a parent.  Please do not sign such forms until they are COMPLETE, especially the dollar value.  If the amount listed does not seem reasonable, you may be contacted before your child is allowed to sell the item in Mini Society.

Finally, there is no “free lunch” in Mini Society...every resource is valuable.  Parent help, supplies, information, and wisdom are DEFINITELY valuable resources, and should be purchased by the student in Mini Society currency.  (Mini Society-related only; please continue to give free advice for homework, questions about life, etc.)  This is an extremely important concept for everyone to learn: that everything has a price, usually in money, time, or happiness.

You may choose to do several things with the Mini Society currency you earn.  We will have a final auction during the last week of school (time to be announced), that you are welcome to attend and spend your Mini Society currency.  You may choose to have your student purchase Mini Society items for you during regular market days, or stop in and make your own purchases.  You may choose to pay your student in Mini Society currency for chores above and beyond those that are their normal duties.  Most of all, have fun and be creative!

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