By Mike Maciag
I am proud to be the parent of two children who are thriving in the Los Altos School District and to serve as president of the Los Altos Educational Foundation (LAEF), which organizes the community to fund crucial educational enrichment programs such as art, music, science, libraries and physical education. But mostly I’m proud to live in a community that cares so deeply about public education.
Every year our schools are ranked as the top performers in the state. Last year, out of 5,499 public elementary schools in California, every one of our schools was in the top 1 percent. In a town where every real estate flier advertises great schools, our schools make Los Altos and Los Altos Hills an attractive place to raise a family and contribute to our high and stable home prices. Moreover, our schools reflect our values; the vast majority of our community is college educated and a large percentage has graduate degrees. It is fitting that our schools are so good and supported by so many.
Of course, the quality of our schools is not accidental. We have dedicated teachers and administrators, and the community has stepped up to provide 26 percent of the district budget through additional parcel taxes and PTA and LAEF contributions.
Parents willingly roll up their sleeves and volunteer their time in our schools. A conservative estimate of volunteer hours tops an astounding 200,000 hours annually.
Still, we can’t forget the challenges public schools face in California. The state spends $7,200 to educate every student, 30th in the country and $4,200 less than New York. At this time of year, our PTAs and LAEF must kick off annual campaigns to keep our schools strong. Without the generous support of our community, including the large percentage of parents who donate an annual per-student sum requested by LAEF ($700 this year), essential educational programs such as art, music, PE and science would not exist and class sizes would balloon. We are fortunate to live in an area where our public schools are a crown jewel of the community.
Through the changing tide of local and state politics and funding priorities, organizations such as the PTA and LAEF remain true to their mission of keeping our children their first and only priority. As parents, volunteers and champions for our children, each of our contributions of time and money, however small, collectively makes a huge difference.
How do I know?
From the stories I hear on the playground about a “cool” art project and around the dinner table when my children excitedly share the details of an experiment learned as part of the science curriculum.
I urge this community to listen to our children and act accordingly, as the proof of our impact is very real.
All contributions to the LAEF are tax deductible. They can be made online at www.laefonline.org or mailed to P.O. Box 98, Los Altos 94023.
Maciag is president of the Los Altos Educational Foundation.
