By Sara Ballenger
The Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF) presented the Los Altos School District with a check for $700,000 at the May 7 school board meeting. The check was drawn from the funds raised by the foundation’s annual appeal for the 2000-2001 school year.
“We are a parent volunteer-based organization,” said LAEF Executive Director Robyn Fay. “It has been amazingly successful when you think of a small community raising $700,000,” she said.
Larry Russell, president of the LAEF presented the board with the check.
“The reasons we continue to excel in our schools is the strong commitment in our community, and across the district,” he said.
The foundation was formed in 1982 by parents who were looking for a way to ensure funding for district-wide programs during the Proposition 13 financial crisis, Russell said.
“I would hate to think of our schools without the programs funded by the foundation,” said Margaret Gratiot, Los Altos School District superintendent.
“Picture an elementary school with P.E taught only by classroom teachers, no computer or science labs, larger classes and outdated textbooks shared by several students,” she said.
“This year’s funds have helped to support science, technology, art, music and physical education programs,” Russell said.
Funds were also given for teachers and teachers’ aides in an effort to reduce the number of students per class for the 2000-2001 school year, he said.
The possible budget cuts in the school district for the 2001-2002 school year have threatened to increase class size.
“The fact is that we cannot provide the quality of education our community wants for our children with the money we get from the state,” Gratiot said.
“I believe our community and parents will rally to raise the additional funds needed next year to sustain our educational excellence,” Russell said. “We want to avoid some of the possible cuts that have been communicated, especially larger class size,” he said.
The foundation has committed to raising a grant total of $1,053,000 for the Los Altos School District for the 2001-2002 school year.
“This commitment is made up of $853,000 of grants for educational enrichment programs, similar to grants in prior years,” Russell said.
“The LAEF Board has committed a special additional onetime grant of $200,000 to minimize the potential adverse impact on class sizes in the 2001-2002 school year, due to the projected deficit,” he said.
“Because of the budget crisis, we have called on parents and the community for heroic efforts again this year,” Fay said.
“The foundation is largely funded by gifts from parents, which makes the difference,” Gratiot said.
“These gifts equal about four percent of the district’s total budget,” Russell said. For more information, logon to: www.laefonline.org.
