Have recently sat in different school meetings where it is becoming quite clear how poorly California is managing our kids future and their education. As most of us know many teachers received pink slips recently, and our school was not spared, we had 4 pink slips to hand out informing them that they will not have a teaching job come 2009-10 school year. That was the extent of what I had heard for our school, up until a few nights ago.
The latest meeting was led by a very passionate principal of a school within our district. She has been teaching/principal in the district for 17 years, and feels very strongly about the kids in the schools and their future.
Our school district is facing the biggest reduction in funding from the state that it has ever received. For the past several months the district has been meeting with employee, management and community groups to discuss how to address this deficit. Much of the conversation has revolved around how to keep providing an excellent educational experience with limited resources.
Since 93% of our budget represents people costs, the deficit would mean larger class sizes, classrooms cleaned less often, grounds with weeds and overgrown grass, less parent and student assistance provided in school offices, longer bus rides for students, less time for principals and vice principals to address student and parent needs, and less support in and for the classroom.
The State of California is addressing its own fiscal crisis and we cannot rely on the state to help us continue our excellent programs. We can, however, take charge of our own fiscal stability by directly supporting our community’s schools with donations to Save Our Schools campaign.
At first glance of course I was thinking… how in the heck can we expect to go to the school parents and ask them all for more money, again.
HERES WHAT I LEARNED:
SAVE OUR SCHOOLS or “SOS”
Mission: to raise $1,000,000 by June 1st, 2009.
100% of the funds raised will go toward reinstating employees, with the primary focus on those positions that directly affect programs for students. Once those positions are restored, funds will go towards restoring hours for employees who received a reduction in their scheduled hours and filling unfilled vacancies.
If we dont take action what will happen?
Class sizes will go up, instructional aide time will go down, secretarial, custodial and maintenance hours will be reduced. This will directly affect every child in our district educational experience.
What would it take to raise this money?
If every family and employee in the district made a commitment to raise $350 we would have a total of $1,000,000!
the scary thing is… alot of the same arguments can be made with the park they want to build up the street, and ALL THE SAME people are being hit up to pay for that as well. And the building of the park was only an additional yearly tax of $57. And its in jeapordy of passing.
So, I guess Im just writing this, to put the facts all down on paper… decide what it is that we really should do… the MOST affected students will be Kindergarten through 3rd grades, as these class sizes would increase from 20 to 25, the 4-5th will remain at 30, and 6-8th will remain the same as well. The instructional aides, counselors, librarians, custodians and secretaries will effect ALL the students, in ways we cant even calculate.
I’ve decided $350 is worth giving me the piece of mind that I have done my part to help my children receive the best possible eductation they can, after all, this is the SOLE reason we moved to El Dorado Hills.
Let me know if you plan on joining in the SOS drive 
