April 28, 2010

Dear McKinley Friends and Families,

Unprecedented declines in state funding for public education in California are threatening the quality of education at McKinley School. The PUSD Board of Education has been asked by the State of California to plan for an additional $23 million reduction in the district budget on top of all the cuts that have already been made. At McKinley, several teachers and staff have already received their layoff notice, class sizes will increase and a number of critical programs will be eliminated.

The programs listed here contribute to the outstanding well-rounded education our children receive at McKinley, but are in jeopardy even if the upcoming parcel tax measure passes. In order to help maintain this high quality of education in these tough economic times, we must find creative ways to help bridge the funding gap. It is with this in mind that McKinley is kicking off a new tradition of direct giving to establish an annual fund on which the school can draw to help stave off the impact of state funding cuts.

Why you should donate to the McKinley School Annual Fund
As a member of the McKinley family, you already value the quality of education the school has consistently delivered and your child has received. You are what has made the school so successful since it reopened as a K-8 school in 2002. Within those few short years, McKinley has won the county-wide BRAVO Award for its stellar arts education programs and has surpassed the state’s Academic Performance Index target of 800. McKinley’s cultural and economic diversity, encompassing children from all over the world, make the school a jewel within this district and community. Partnerships with nearly every major local arts organization and the renowned Caltech give our students access to the best artistic and scientific resources our community has to offer. All of this, however, will be jeopardized as we continue to lose more of our dedicated and trained staff and the resources to implement the programs we have worked so hard to create.

In coordination with McKinley School PTA efforts, we are creating an annual fund which will give us more flexibility and allow our school to raise funds to meet these extraordinary needs, including the staff costs for the upcoming school year. A donation of $35 per student will help us sustain the programs listed above.

Accountability — How your donations will be managed
Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF), a community-based nonprofit that develops resources for all PUSD students and schools, will manage donations on behalf of the McKinley School Annual Fund. You can find out more about PEF at www.pasedfoundation.org or by calling (626)396-3600 ext. 88350. PEF does not dictate how McKinley funds are spent, and all funds donated for McKinley will stay with McKinley.  PEF charges no fees to McKinley for this service.

You may indicate that your donation is to be targeted for a particular at-risk category such as art and music or technology, or you may choose to make an unrestricted donation. McKinley’s School Site Council will then oversee use of funds and make decisions about how to allocate them in accordance with the donor’s preference or area of greatest need for unrestricted funds.

Whether your donation is large or small, your donation will make a difference. Please take a moment to donate now!

Sincerely,

McKinley School Annual Fund Committee
Marisa Sarian, Principal
Kristina Turley, Faculty member
Heidi Thompson, Parent
Karie Addison, Parent