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$396,386 in Foundation Donations Provide Programs in
Reading & Writing, Music, and Middle School Intramurals
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Poway Unified School District Superintendent, Donald A. Phillips, Ed.D., has
announced that the donations made by the community to the PUSD Foundation will be
used at the school sites to offset cutbacks in reading and writing programs, fifth
grade music, and intramural sports.
“Thanks to the support of our school community, the students of Poway Unified will
be able to continue to enjoy many of the fine programs that have helped set Poway
Unified apart over the years,” said Don Phillips. “These funds will prove
essential as we continue to pursue our goals to measure student achievement in the
areas of reading and writing. In addition, they help ensure a balanced educational
program for all schools. This was the first year for the PUSD Foundation, and the
response was very solid for our first districtwide venture into the fundraising
arena.”
Donations to the PUSD Foundation totaling $396,386 are the result of the Community
Campaign for a Quality Education led by parents Jennifer Kuhlman and Linda Cialeo
which began in March 2003.
At the elementary school level, donations came in from parents, employees,
businesses, and community members from PUSD’s 21 elementary schools. These
contributions are being used to strengthen reading and writing opportunities and to
help reinstate a portion of the Fifth Grade Band and Orchestra Program.
Before the budget crisis, each elementary school had a Literacy Specialist who
worked in an intensive program with at-risk students and provided classroom
instruction and training programs for elementary teachers. The strength of early
intervention was resulting in students mastering basic skills and attaining success.
PUSD’s academic goal of Literacy, with a focus toward all students meeting success
in school, was now being challenged by budget cuts from the California State
Legislature, which resulted in the reduction of the number of Literacy Specialists
from 21 to 8 in Poway Unified. The donations from the PUSD Foundation will support
2.5 additional Literacy Specialists, providing 10.5 Literacy Specialists in our
elementary schools.
Contributions for fifth grade band and orchestra, plus donations to the “Music in
R Schools” campaign, organized by band boosters, resulted in the reinstatement of
four elementary music teachers.
At the middle and high school levels, while the donations were not great enough to
reduce class size as was indicated by a number of donors (the reduction of one
student per class at the high school level would cost $650,000), donations were able
to provide additional focus on the goal of Literacy. Donations will be used for
teachers and teacher training at each school site. Improving reading and writing
skills for all students will be emphasized, as the teachers will spend one period a
day working with staff to provide targeted instruction to increase student skills.
At the high school, these funds will also help maintain ninth grade Class Size
Reduction in language arts and mathematics.
At the middle school level, donations will also be used as start-up funding for an
intramural program that would establish a partnership with local youth agencies. The
intramural programs at the middle schools were cut because of the budget crisis.
The Poway Unified School District has made approximately $17.5 million in cuts and
adjustments during the past two years. About $12.5 million was for the 2003-2004
school year. This amount resulted in fewer administrators and support staff,
increases in bus fees, and cutbacks in programs at the school sites. Because 87% of
the school district’s budget goes to personnel salaries and benefits, the budget
cuts hit hard in personnel. Over 300 positions have been eliminated or reduced.
Discussions about the budget crisis began last winter, and by early spring workshops
with community members, staff, and Superintendent’s Cabinet were held to look at
alternatives for reducing millions of dollars, with any impacts to the classroom
being the last resort. It soon became apparent the cuts would go deep to the core of
the educational program.
Parents began to ask what they could do to help. In March, a campaign was launched
to raise $9 million to offset budget cuts that would affect school programs. A
letter was sent to the community from the PUSD Foundation urging parents,
grandparents, employees, civic organizations, and community members to consider
making a donation to help restore programs at school sites in the Poway Unified
School District.
“We feel very fortunate to have the PUSD Foundation reach out to the community to
raise funds for our students. The Foundation is looking forward to helping raise
funds to support our students districtwide for the upcoming year,“ said Don
Phillips.
For information about donating to the PUSD contact Irene Frank, executive
director of the PUSD Foundation at 668-4030.
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