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The PTO raised
over a $220,000.00 in the year 2008-2009. |
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Be a Superstar! Give generously to your child’s education.
- What is the Direct Donation Drive?
The Direct Donation Drive is a way for all of us to contribute directly to the school monetarily.
- How much are we asked to contribute?
We are asking for $350 per family, but will accept any level of donation your family can afford. Our school goal for 2010/2011 is $90,000 with 100% participation by families.
- How does this compare with other schools?
The donation we request at Stevens Creek is neither the highest nor the lowest for the district. Many nearby schools ask for more (e.g., Montclaire and West Valley), while some schools in other parts of the district ask for a bit less per family.
- What will the funds pay for?
The first $35 of your donation pays for your PTO Membership. As a PTO member, your dues entitle you to copies of Monthly PTO Meeting Minutes and participation in PTO Meetings, Event Planning, and Discussion Groups.
The rest of your donation helps pay for the incredible support staff at Stevens Creek, including the following:
Librarian, School Technology Media Clerk, Art Teacher, Primary PE Teacher, Kindergarten Aide, Combo Class Aide and 4th Grade Instructional Aides.
To continue our contribution towards our support personnel, we need to get close to 100% participation from our families. Without this money, we could lose some of our wonderful programs at Stevens Creek!
- Will family sponsors be recognized?
We will update the whole community on the progress of the drive, but will not distribute a list of which families have donated.
- Why have a Direct Donation Drive?
The PTO Board believes that this drive is the most efficient way for parents to contribute to the school programs – every dollar donated goes directly to our school programs.
- Aren’t we already paying a lot in taxes to fund our schools?
We do all pay a great deal in taxes. By law, our property tax dollars are divided statewide and are not used only to support our district. Because of the funding formulas used by the state, our district and our school have fewer dollars per student than most other districts. It is surprising to many that Cupertino Union school district is in the bottom 5% statewide in terms of funding per student! As an example, Saratoga and Los Altos districts receive almost 30% more in funding than Cupertino Union. Funds provided by the parent community allow us to help make up the difference and provide more for our students.
- Is our donation tax-deductible?
Yes! Your donation is 100% tax-deductible.
• How is this Drive different from the Walkathon?
The Walkathon is a separate fundraiser and community building activity. At Walkathon time, families will have the opportunity to be listed as a sponsor on the T-shirts and to pledge for their children’s laps. Hopefully, much of the Walkathon donations can come from local businesses, family, neighbors, co-workers, and friends. The Walkathon also allows students to participate in raising funds for the school through the pledges they collect and laps they walk.
- Can I use Employer Matching Funds for the Direct Drive?
YES. This is the perfect time to apply for matching funds from your employers.
Check with your employer to see if they offer this important program. Some company programs require you to write a check to a third party (e.g. GivingStation). The third party then makes the contribution including the company match to Stevens Creek.
- Will there be another district-wide funding effort this year?
At this time there are no plans to repeat the district-wide Their Future is Now campaign as was done last year. Instead, the district is investigating alternative methods to close the funding gap. The Stevens Creek PTO will continue to monitor the district wide efforts, and will keep the parent community informed as the situation changes. It is important to remember that funding from the PTO and Their Future is Now are distinct and cannot replace each other.
Direct Donation Drive/PTO Membership Form
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