Recomendations for my kids school camera?

[Spinning]

I finally talked our school into purchasing an new digitial camera. They have been using one that has a floppy! UGH!
It needs to be around $300, simple to use.
Any ideas?

[P_Schneider]

How is it going to be used? Sports, still shots, indoors, outdoors?

[Gaffle]

My father just purchased a F20 from Costco. The price was something like $150 with a 512 xD card. Very easy to use, and half the cost of your budget. Something to check out for sure.

[Spinning]

The camera will be used for candid shots of the kids. Assemblys, which I no a point and shoot isn't the greatest but in the cafeteria there actually is a lot of good natural light and since it will be during the day it isn't as big of a deal.
It would be pictures of kids getting an award but taken up close, such as the winners of the spelling bee, geography etc....Dr. Suess day, Halloween pictures.....basically snap shots. I have 2 more years left at the school and will still be using my camera (fuji S6000) for many events.
Teacher may take it on field trips. It would be used by the teaching staff, maybe parents everyone once in awhile. I thought about the fuji s5200. I had the S5100 and it worked great around the school. Plus it was very easy to use.
I like the idea of rechargeable AA batteries for the ease and if they get stuck they can use throw aways.
The board approved about $350. So I would need a case, batteries, a card (I thought maybe 512) and of course the camera.

[core!]

Little out of topic and it is so touching for me to see how much care you take for your school..!Very nice to see that my friend.

[Spinning]

Thanks, my kids school is great and very receptive to pictures.
We just started a broad cast club, upgraded our school news paper and we create a monthly activity slide show the kids get to watch.
Initially our princ. wasn't big on pictures. But after getting many in the local small town paper he has changed his tune! The kids love seeing their faces in print. Plus as they say, the proof was in the pudding...he had to watch a slide show that had pictures from my camera mixed in with pictures from this camera.....science fair pictures....well he now thinks a new camera is needed!

[nesbitt_bub1]

the s5100 is probably a little too large and heavy for little hands. Something smaller that they can hold properly is probably a safer option. The output from the camera probably doesn't need to be all that great either... Kids arn't going to notice a little grain in there shots. So I'd probably be looking at buying 2 or 3 cheap $100 camera's with decent sized cheap memory cards. Ant cheap point and shoot would probably be ideal. The other bonus is if a camera gets dropped or broken. Then the camera doesn't need instantly replacing as you have the spare. And on school trips you can take all the camera's out and have the kids in smaller groups.....

Just my 2 pence... :D

[P_Schneider]

F20 would probably fit the bill too. The fd on the f31 could be useful as well. Both are within your budget.