In this blog I have repeatedly emphasized how we wouldn’t have the great schools we have today in San Carlos without the San Carlos Educational Foundation. The amount of work and dedication in this group is nothing short of amazing, it is one of the things that sets this community apart from so many others.
Last year, SCEF raised approximately $1.3 million, and decided because of the continued and worsening State budget crisis, to set a very aggressive goal this year of raising $1.7 million. Frankly, although I admired the moxie (particulary in a weak economy), I thought this was a big stretch goal, and most weren’t counting on that money for the District. But continuing its many-year streak of hitting its goals, SCEF did it again — it just announced that it met the $1.7 million goal. Amazing!
I put this into context by remembering that when I joined the SCEF Board in 2004 (I served there until 2007 when I decided to run for School Board), we had raised approximately $400,000 (and it was less than $300K the year before). The SCEF’s current fundraising means that it supplies SCSD with over 7% of its budget — a truly staggering figure.
Although private fundraising can’t match the State’s amazing ability to cut our public funding, the work of SCEF will go along way to keeping our programs intact. In fact, it’s no coincidence that an agreement reached between the San Carlos Teachers’ Association and the District included some mitigation of the originally proposed cuts in compensation, as the District will likely have a better financial position in the Fall partly due to SCEF’s achievement (and also due to the work of the Superintendent on securing grants and starting our SMART-E “enterprise” activities). Also, the Board will take a look at the District’s financial position in September and hopefully be able to restore some of the program cuts made (which could include librarians and music – note that the originally proposed cuts to Vice Principals have already been reversed).
In any case, I want to give a big shout out to SCEF, the two co-Presidents, all of its board members and volunteers, and of course all of the parents, businesses, and other community members who so generously donated to the cause. It obviously makes a huge difference in the life of our kids!
Thank you Seth! What a fantastic ending to a long first year as Co-President of SCEF!
It has been great to work together with our school board trustees, our school sites and our school district. Additionally, the support we feel from our community has brought us to where we are today – the SCEF board is a very strong group of volunteers but we need these kind of kudos to carry us through! SCEF can’t do it for our kids without the encouragement and support of our parents, businesses and broader community.
Thanks again,
Jennifer
As the proverb goes, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Thank you, Seth, and THANK YOU SAN CARLOS!
Sallie, the other Co