On the heels of its Spirit of Excellence Gala and Auction, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation has launched its latest campaign to raise money for schools in IUSD, and every dollar that comes in will be matched by the City of Irvine.
Image
Dear IUSD community member: Last year, voters in our state passed Proposition 30, which thankfully spared our schools from yet another round of devastating cuts. But did you know that California still ranks near the bottom in national education spending? And it gets worse. Of all the districts in California, the Irvine Unified School District is one of the lowest funded as a result of the state’s new allocation formula, which was crafted to buoy lower performing school systems. The good news is there’s a local organization that continues to work hard on our behalf, marshalling its resources and leveraging our community’s generosity to help maintain IUSD’s standing as a world-class school system. You’ve probably heard of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, which raises money for our schools and facilitates a number of innovative programs. Well, IPSF is off and running this year with a new campaign, and the City of Irvine has offered to match every donation. That means if you donate a dollar to IPSF, the City will kick in an additional dollar, potentially generating up to $1 million in matching funds. These funds make a difference where it matters most – in the classroom. At the elementary level, proceeds from this campaign pay for the qualified instructional assistants who work directly with your children, increasing the amount of one‐on‐one interaction. In our middle and high schools, class‐size support funds equate to additional staffing hours that reduce student‐to‐teacher ratios in critical subjects. In addition, IPSF supports music education for students in kindergarten through grade six, as well as grants that enable our teachers and counselors to leverage new technologies and 21st century learning strategies. Though any amount is appreciated, IPSF and IUSD are asking you to consider a tax-deductible contribution of $100 by the end of the calendar year. This revenue will make an immediate impact in our classrooms, and just imagine what our school system could do if each of our 17,000 families participated. Keep in mind that IPSF is the only organization with the reach and resources to impact every school – and every child – in our district. If you’ve ever considered making a contribution to preserve excellence in the classroom, or even to help maintain the property values that are linked to our schools’ performance, now is the time. To make a donation, or to learn more about the partnership between IUSD, IPSF and the City of Irvine, please visit the foundation’s website by clicking here. As always, thank you for supporting education in Irvine. Sincerely, Terry L. Walker Superintendent of Schools