EMERSON SAVED!: SUBMITTED BY CATHY SACKS

I asked Tracy Beckwith of the Davis Schools Foundation if there was any way the DSF could help us put our money toward ensuring that we have three junior highs. Here’s her response.

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Please feel free to share the following with families that may have questions about the Davis Schools Foundation and/or where to make their donation during this time of crisis for our community and schools.

Briefly, though, to give perspective to the Davis Schools Foundation and to lay out the basics, there are some 400 + education foundations in California communities where they have for decades, in some case, made the difference between the basic, minimum funding provided by the state and superior, high performing, enriched public education systems. We have been in place for three years. The Davis Schools Foundation is an all volunteer board composed of parents and community members. No one is paid or compensated,and, yes, we can fund teaching positions. We are a 501(c)3 and all donations are tax deductible.

The mission of the Davis Schools Foundation is to provide an excellent education for ALL Davis public school children through programs and the funding of teachers in grades K-12. With this unprecedented budget deficit, the Foundation is faced with a Herculean job, but we are focused and will relentlessly drive towards the goals prescribed in the "buy-back guidelines" found on the website (www.davisschoolsfoundation.org). The fund raising deadline is May 15th when the school district must report to the Yolo County office of Education the funds it has to operate/balance its 2008/2009 school year budget.

Prospective donors should know that the Davis Schools Foundation can and will send funds raised to the district with the attachments prescribed in the "buy-back guidelines." In other words, your dollars will go towards exactly the priorities set forth. The Foundation, does not, though have a say over how facilities are used. This is a function of the elected trustees of the BOE and state law. Likewise, we cannot guarantee a specific teacher will return to a particular classroom for the same reasons.

The monies raised, though, by the Davis Schools Foundation will provide flexibility to the BOE....flexibility that can ease pressure to consolidate classrooms, programs and school facilities.

This is an important message for all Davis parents, but Emerson/DaVinci/Montessori families in particular.

While there are no guarantees, the bigger picture and longer view is that even if classrooms and/or schools are closed, next year your/our/my children will be sitting in a DJUSD desk in a DJUSD classroom with a DJUSD teacher next year. Would hesitant donors/parents really feel better about sitting on their Dollar-A-Day ($365 per child) knowing that those classrooms could have been smaller, or that their child could have had a librarian or science pull out, or that more 7-12th grade class offerings could have been restored if they had given? In other words, our children will need to be educated no matter what.....the question is under what circumstances do we want that to happen?

Holding back on a contribution to the Davis Schools Foundation does not penalize the school district and/or administration. It penalizes our students - our children. Moreover, if folks don't approve of how the school board has managed its money in the past, please know that giving to the Foundation is giving to money that is pre-prescribed in its spending. Those guidelines were developed in consultation with parent groups (PTA presidents and site council leaders) and are an organic, parent driven message of funding priorities. The district cannot take the money the Davis Schools Foundation grants and use it as they wish. Thus, if one really wishes to hold the BOE accountable, donate to DSF and know that 41 teachers will return to class rooms and that our children's educational offering will be better/richer/safer.

Kirk Trost will likely be coming on the Board of the Davis Schools Foundation with the express job of verifying spending accountability at the district.

Thanks Cathy. These are difficult (and sad) times for our schools and community. I/we welcome any and all questions. I/we welcome any and all contributions which can be sent to the address below.