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Announcements PTO OverviewQuestions about Supporting our Public Schools
Why do the public schools in the Menlo Park City School District need financial support from every family? Why should my family support the public schools in the MPCSD? How can families, like mine, provide this financial support to our schools? What does my family’s donation to the PTO support? What does my family’s donation to the MPAEF support? Should my family donate to both the PTO and the MPAEF? How can I donate to my PTOs and the MPAEF? Questions about Laurel PTO Questions about the MPAEF
What is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? Who runs the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? What does the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation’s grant support? Why is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation raising more money this year than in previous years? I am not able to give the amount the MPAEF is asking per student. What should I do? What is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Endowment Fund? Can I donate stocks or bonds to the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? How is company-matching handled for the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? How do I get more involved in the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign
Why do the PTOs and the MPAEF do a joint campaign? Why are the PTOs and the MPAEF both raising money for the schools? Is it necessary to support both the PTOs and the MPAEF? Should I give time or money? How much should I donate to each organization? Can I make one payment for the PTO and MPAEF together? Will my employer match my contribution? Are my contributions tax-deductible? How can local businesses get involved? Why are we spending valuable funds on a joint campaign? This money should go to the schools. Where can I get more information? Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding
I’ve heard that MPCSD is a “Basic Aid” district and does not receive additional funding from the State when enrollment increases. What is “Basic Aid” and what does it mean? (Source: www.edsource.org) What does this mean for MPCSD? How much money does the Menlo Park City School District receive from the State of California? What are the MPCSD’s revenue sources? How will the State of California’s financial crisis impact our schools? Answers to Questions about Supporting our Public Schools
Why do the public schools in the Menlo Park City School District need financial support from every family? Funding for public schools has changed drastically since we were children. Public funding is no longer sufficient to maintain the quality of education that we expect for our children. We are fortunate, however, to live in a community where parents, extended family and community, and local businesses value public education and invest in our children’s futures. This additional funding allows the Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) to maintain and improve the programs and instruction at our four schools – Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll and Hillview. Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools Why should my family support the public schools in the MPCSD? If your children attend any of our four district schools, they directly benefit from your financial support by attending schools that have small class sizes and qualified teachers and educators, a curriculum that includes music, art, library, and more, and kid- and family-oriented events that build community at each school. Furthermore, investing in a strong public school system benefits more than just the children attending public schools – it benefits the community as a whole, including homeowners and business owners. When considering your charitable contributions and volunteer commitments, please invest and get involved in your local community in a way that directly benefits all of the children in the community, including yours. Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools How can families, like mine, provide this financial support to our schools? There are two things you should do: (1) join and support the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at the school or schools that your child or children attend; and (2) donate to the Menlo Park Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF). Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools What does my family’s donation to the PTO support? Each school’s PTO funds and organizes programs that are important to its specific school and its community of students, teachers, and parents. These include field trips, assemblies, classroom instructional materials, classroom supplies, school-based community events such as fall fiestas, family potlucks and spring picnics, and communications like the PTO school newsletter and website. Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools What does my family’s donation to the MPAEF support? The MPAEF provides direct funding for teachers at your child’s school, as well as to the three other public schools in the MPCSD. For the 2012-2013 school year, the MPAEF presented the district with a record grant of $3.35 million. This grant will fund 31 teachers and educators, maintain small class sizes, and preserve our comprehensive education program of science, art, music, library, drama, and technology. The MPAEF grant also funds teaching innovation and ongoing professional development for our teachers. Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools Should my family donate to both the PTO and the MPAEF? Yes, absolutely! Both organizations support our district schools in complementary ways. Your donation to the PTO supports many of the programs and activities that make your school unique and such a wonderful place for your children. Your donation to the MPAEF allows the district to hire and retain top-quality teachers and educators, maintain small class sizes, and provide music, art, library, drama, technology and elementary science for your children. Back to Questions about Supporting Public Schools How can I donate to my PTOs and the MPAEF? You can donate on-line to these organizations at the links provided at the top of this page. You also may visit the websites for these organizations, where you can print a membership form and mail or bring in your donation in person.
Laurel School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a volunteer organization that works to promote and support the education and welfare of the Laurel School students, kindergarten through third grade, by:
When you become a PTO member, you become a part of a Laurel family, a committed group of teachers, staff and parents who work together to create a nurturing, supportive environment where our students can shine—academically, socially and emotionally.
Funds to support all PTO-sponsored programs and purchases are generated through membership dues and through parent-coordinated fundraisers.What does the PTO fund? Working closely with Principal Linda Creighton, Laurel’s PTO-supported programs are identified to help support key school programs and activities. These include:
CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT
CLASSROOM & CAMPUS NEEDS
OUR COMMUNITY
COMMUNICATIONS: Weekly newsletter, blue folders, Laurel website, district directory for each family
The annual PTO Membership Drive aims to have 100% family participation. During this drive, we raise funds to support our PTO programs and resources that benefit the entire Laurel student body, as well as teachers and staff. The cost of providing these programs is approximately $200 per student. We ask that each family contribute to the PTO as they are able – to support your own child, additional children, or to just defray part of the costs for your own child. We want EVERY Laurel family to be part of the Laurel PTO and encourage families to give what you are able.
Families interested in supporting additional students - please consider a scholarship for a additional children. Your gift is greatly appreciated.
All donations to Laurel School PTO are tax deductible and may be eligible for corporate contribution with corporate matching funds available through your employer. Please inquire with your human resources department for information and forms.
Back to Questions about Laurel PTO Who is on the 2012/2013 PTO Board? President: Jenny Freiermuth
Vice President: Stacey Jones
Treasurer: Diana Haven
Financial Secretary: Ken Wang
Auditor: Carol Pistorino
Corresponding Secretary: Belinda Borgo
Recording Secretary: Stephanie Seegar
HRP Coordinator: Lisa Lajous
Communications Coordinator: Amanda Bower
Parliamentarian: Traci Christie
Back to Questions about Laurel PTO What are the responsibilities of these Board positions?
For specific information about Board responsibilities, please click these links to review the PTO Bylaws, Standing Rules and Financial Policies.
Back to Questions about Laurel PTO How can I donate or contribute my time and resources to programs, events, or a class? Whom do I need to contact? Anyone interested in donating time or assistance in a classroom, on campus or with community building programs can volunteer during school hours and/or after school.
In classrooms, volunteering may include providing food and/or supplies for classroom parties, assisting students, helping with class projects, assisting the teachers in many ways, or helping in art class or in the library. Each classroom has a volunteer headroom parent(s) (HRP) who helps coordinate all volunteer activities. To become an HRP, please contact HRP@laurelpto.org.
In addition, each school’s PTO has many committees that work on a variety of programs focused on campus activities and community programs. These include for example, serving hot lunch to students, providing front office support, as well as organizing and staffing our school events, including book fair, Fall Family Potluck, Valentine’s Day Bake Sale and much more.
Interested parents should contact the student’s teacher, headroom parent (HRP) and/or the PTO Committee Chair. Committees are always looking for more help! If you think you would like to do something but don’t know where to start, contact someone on the PTO. They will be happy to inform you of their activities and the types of help they might need. In addition, watch announcements, read the newsletter, and review the website for other requests for help throughout the year. To volunteer, please send an email to volunteer@laurelschoolpto.org.
Click here to view Laurel's Calendar on Laurel’s PTO website for all meeting dates. You can get involved by simply calling or emailing any of the board members or committee chairs. Whatever time you have available, we will be able to find something that interests you and fits your schedule.
Some PTO committee positions require a substantial time commitment, but others can be done in less time and during off-hours such as might be ideal for working parents and family members. A committee sometimes consists of only one or two volunteers; others necessarily require more people.
Each school’s PTO’s success is based on the strength of its volunteers. Parents are welcome in the school and their support and assistance are sought in a variety of ways. When parents volunteer, both families and schools reap benefits that come in few other ways. Getting involved at any level is also a great way for parents to get to know other parents and staff.
As much or as little as you are able. Laurel’s PTO consists of parents who work full-time inside and outside of the home. Some folks commit significant amounts of time to fundraising or other committee work while others get involved for a few hours on a discreet project, such as collecting and counting Box Tops for your child’s classroom. Any amount of time you can give is welcome and appreciated!
You are one of many working parents at Laurel school, many of whom are involved in the PTO. There are still many opportunities to support the programs we have.
For a complete list of ways working parents can get involved, please refer to our PTO Committee list.
The PTO raises money each year to provide vital and valuable programs and support services for students at our school. For example, funds are provided to the library and to teachers for classroom supplies, instructional materials and computer learning subscriptions that may be used to enrich the regular curriculum. The majority of PTO funds are raised in the fall in the Annual Membership Drive, but it does not cover all the funding areas. Additional fundraising events are necessary and include book fairs, Fall Family Potluck, bake sale, Laurel Spirit Wear sales, and more.
The annual budget is proposed by the PTO Board and approved by the PTO general membership. Discussions take place at the scheduled PTO meetings. Please come and share your ideas about what the money should be doing for our school.
No! While fundraising is an important part of what the PTO does, it is simply a means to an end. The PTO sponsors many programs and none of these would be possible without its fundraising programs.
While each organization aims to supplement what the District is able to provide, each organization has a different goal. Each school’s PTO funds specific school-based programs, supplies, and events. The Foundation funds crucial staffing, an engaging curriculum, and innovation in the classroom – all on a district-wide basis. Please give to both organizations as your family is able.
Back to Questions about Laurel PTO Answers to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation What is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? The Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) is a non-profit organization committed to raising funds to support quality education at the four public schools of the Menlo Park City School District: Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll, and Hillview. The MPAEF is supported by parents, community members, and local businesses. Over the past 30 years, the Foundation has been the primary fundraising organization for our schools and has granted over $X million to fund essential credentialed teachers and specialists, educational programs, and professional development for teachers. In June 2012, the MPAEF granted a record $3.35 million to the district, representing 10% of the district’s 2012-2013 revenue, and three times the amount of money the district expects from the State of California. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Who runs the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? The MPAEF is administered by an all-volunteer board comprised of parents from the four schools in the district. The current Co-Presidents are Clint Chao and Scott Hinshaw. In 2007, the Foundation hired its first Executive Director. The current Executive Director is Lynne Van Tilburg. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation What does the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation’s grant support? The Foundation’s 2012-2013 grant of $3.35M represents 10% of the District’s 2012-2013 revenue and directly funds: • $1,484,375: Classroom Teachers and Professional Development. The MPAEF grant pays for additional classroom teachers to keep class sizes small and funds essential professional development programs for teachers, including career advancement incentives and a technology curriculum coordinator who helps teachers integrate technology into their daily teaching. • $1,790,625: Specialist Teachers for a Comprehensive Education Program: The MPAEF grant also funds art and music teachers and credentialed librarians at all four schools, elementary classroom science aides and lesson materials, drama and chorus teachers at Hillview, plus books and other library media. • $75,000 Jeanie Ritchie Teacher Innovation Grants: The MPAEF encourages teaching innovation by funding Jeanie Ritchie teacher innovation grants to bring exciting new teaching practices to district classrooms. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Why is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation raising more money this year than in previous years? The MPAEF’s objective is to provide the funding necessary to continue improving the quality of our children’s education. In order for the district to have sufficient funds to operate its budget for this school year, the MPAEF needs to raise $4 million, in part because there are more children in the district. As a Basic Aid district, we do not receive additional funding from the state for an increase in the number of students. Our district relies on local funding, including property taxes, parcel taxes, and the MPAEF’s grant to fill the budget gap. Property taxes and other local sources are not increasing as quickly as our enrollment growth demands. Contributions from local funding sources like the MPAEF have to grow in order to maintain and improve the quality of educational instruction for every child in our district. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation I am not able to give the amount the MPAEF is asking per student. What should I do? Every dollar matters in providing the quality of education that our children deserve. The MPAEF is asking for $1,500 per child – the amount of additional resources that the district needs to fully fund its operating budget. While the cost is $1,500 to fully fund each student, please contribute an amount that is meaningful for you and your family. Your donation is appreciated and goes directly to supporting our children's education. Our schools count on us and we count on you. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation What is the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Endowment Fund? The Endowment for Excellence in Teaching is designed to fund targeted programs that will attract, develop, and retain exceptional teachers for our schools. The MPAEF established the endowment in recognition of the importance of quality teachers to student performance and overall school success. The Endowment has reached its goal of $2 million and directs $50,000 to $100,000 in distributions each year to fund professional development programs for our teachers. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Can I donate stocks or bonds to the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? Yes. To donate non-cash assets, please contact the MPAEF office at (650) 325-0100 or via email at foundationoffice@mpaef.org, or see the instructions on our website at www.mpaef.org/how_you_can_help.giving.html. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation How is company-matching handled for the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? You can extend the value of your contribution if your company offers a Matching Gift program. Most of these programs match contributions dollar-for-dollar. To determine if your company matches, you can call the MPAEF office at (650) 325-0100 or visit www.mpaef.org/our_supporters.companies.html. Generally, employees can initiate the matching contribution by requesting and completing a form that can either be downloaded from the MPAEF’s website or obtained from your HR department. The MPAEF’s Federal Tax ID# is 94-2871701. The MPAEF office can assist if you have any questions. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation How do I get more involved in the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation? The MPAEF needs your time and talent! Talk to our volunteers at the Back-to-School coffees, Hillview’s Arena Check-in, and other events and activities sponsored by the school’s PTOs and the MPAEF. You may also contact the MPAEF office at (650) 325-0100 or email foundationoffice@mpaef.org to find out more. Back to Questions abaout the Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation Answers to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Why do the PTOs and the MPAEF do a joint campaign? Prior to the 2011-2012 school year, the Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) and Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation (MPAEF) campaigns were run consecutively. We heard from you, our parent donors, that the separate campaigns were confusing and made it difficult for families to plan their contributions. The PTOs and the MPAEF undertook a joint campaign last year that was successful for all of the organizations and received positive feedback from our parent community. This year, the PTOs and the MPAEF will continue their joint campaign and have made efforts to improve it based on the feedback we received from you. The main goal of the joint campaign is to explain how the PTOs and the MPAEF are both essential to the education your child receives so that you and your family can decide how to best support our Menlo Park City School District (MPCSD) schools. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Why are the PTOs and the MPAEF both raising money for the schools? These organizations are partners and both support our district schools in complementary ways. The MPAEF raises money to pay for classroom and specialist teachers that allow our district to maintain small class sizes and a comprehensive curriculum, including music, library and art. Each school’s PTO funds specific school-based programs, supplies, and events that are important to their specific school and its community of students, teachers, and parents. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Is it necessary to support both the PTOs and the MPAEF? Yes. While each organization supplements what the district is able to provide at our four schools, each organization has a distinct goal. Each school’s PTO funds specific school-based programs, supplies, and events. The MPAEF funds small class sizes, classroom teachers and specialists, a comprehensive curriculum that goes beyond reading/writing, math, science and social studies, and innovation in the classroom – for the three elementary schools and the middle school. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Should I give time or money? Our schools depend on our financial contributions and volunteer time to maintain their standards of excellence. First, please make your gifts to the PTO and MPAEF, and then find out what you can do to help in the classroom, on campus, and with the MPAEF. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign How much should I donate to each organization? The answer to this question is unique to every family. Please consider what would be a meaningful gift for your family to the PTO and to the MPAEF. If you can cover the needs and expenses for your children, please do. If you can give philanthropically to support these organizations, please do. Even if you cannot give what each organization is spending on your child, please contribute as you are able as it will help defray the costs of programs for your child. Anything you can afford is helpful, appreciated, and contributes to our collective success. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Can I make one payment for the PTO and MPAEF together? No. Because each PTO and the MPAEF are separate nonprofit organizations with separate tax ID numbers, contributions must be made to each separate organization. Please go online to www.mpcsd.org to donate to your schools’ PTOs and to the MPAEF. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Will my employer match my contribution? Many employers will match your contributions to non-profit organizations, extending the impact of your contribution. Contact your employer’s human resources department to find out if your company participates. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Are my contributions tax-deductible? Yes, your donations to the MPAEF and each school’s PTO are tax-deductible because they are all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. Please refer to each organization’s website for their individual tax ID numbers. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign How can local businesses get involved? Just as parents of enrolled children benefit from strong schools, so do local businesses. To support the schools in our district with financial contributions, please contact the MPAEF’s Executive Director, Lynne Van Tilburg, at lynnev@mpaef.org or the MPAEF office at (650) 325-0100. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Why are we spending valuable funds on a joint campaign? This money should go to the schools. The MPAEF and each school’s PTO allocated a small amount of their budgets (already allocated to raising funds) to cover costs of this collaborative effort. Additional underwriting and creative services have been provided by organizations, individuals, and businesses. All of the people working on the joint campaign are doing so as volunteers. Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Where can I get more information? More information can be found at:
Back to Questions about the Are You In? joint campaign Answers to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding I’ve heard that MPCSD is a “Basic Aid” district and does not receive additional funding from the State when enrollment increases. What is “Basic Aid” and what does it mean? (Source: www.edsource.org) Each of California’s nearly 1,000 public school districts receives one of two revenue limit classifications – “Revenue Limit” or “Basic Aid” – and it is this classification that is used to determine how much funding the State provides to each district. First, the State of California calculates each district’s revenue limit using historical per student amounts that are adjusted annually, usually by a cost of living increase. The State then determines if each district generates enough local property taxes to reach its calculated revenue limit. If a district’s local property taxes ARE NOT sufficient to meet the revenue limit calculated by the State, then that district is classified as a “Revenue Limit” district. For each “Revenue Limit” district, the State provides the remainder of funding needed to reach the revenue limit. In a Revenue Limit district, the state provides additional (or less) funding as enrollment increases (or decreases). If a district’s local property taxes ARE sufficient to meet the revenue limit set by the State, then that district is classified as a “Basic Aid” district. The State provides no additional funding to that district, even if enrollment increases. Any overages in local property taxes are kept within that district. This property tax base is a more stable funding source to Basic Aid districts than what the Revenue Limit districts receive from the state. For the 2011-2012 school year, there were 127 Basic Aid districts in California (with the majority located in Marin, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties). (Source: www.cde.ca.gov) Back to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding What does this mean for MPCSD? The Menlo Park City School District is classified as a Basic Aid district because our local property taxes are more than sufficient to reach our revenue limit. When property tax revenue grows faster than enrollment, funding per student increases. In recent years, property tax revenue has been flat, and enrollment has continued to grow. This means that if the MPCSD must provide for more students without any increase in revenue, per-student funding declines. The enrollment growth our district has experienced and continues to experience, coupled with the decrease in state revenue, means that the district can only increase per-student funding with private funds (raised by the MPAEF). Back to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding How much money does the Menlo Park City School District receive from the State of California? Although the MPCSD is classified as a Basic Aid district and does not receive additional funding from the State of California for increasing enrollment, the district receives some funding from the State of California for categorical programs such as Economic Impact Aid, Lottery, Instructional Materials, School Library and Improvement Funds, and K-3 Class Size Reduction. For the 2012-2013 school year, our district anticipates receiving approximately $850,000 from the State of California, down from $2.9 million six years ago. State funding used to be 10% of our district’s budget, and is now a mere 3%. Local private funding via the MPAEF is necessary to preserve the small class sizes and educational programs at our four schools – Laurel, Encinal, Oak Knoll and Hillview. Back to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding What are the MPCSD’s revenue sources? For the 2012-2013 school year, MPCSD’s projected revenue is $32.6 million. This revenue breaks down as follows: • 65.2% Property Tax and Revenue Limit • 19% Parcel Tax (Measures A, B and C) • 10% MPAEF Grant • 1.7% Federal • 2.7% State Aid • 1.9% Other Local [Source: MPCSD 2012-2013 Budget] Back to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding How will the State of California’s financial crisis impact our schools? The impact of the State of California’s continuing financial crisis on public schools has gone from bad to worse. The MPCSD received just $850,000 from the State for the 2011-2012 school year, down from $2.9 million six years ago. [Do we know the expectation for 2012-2013?] Back to Questions about MPCSD Funding and California Public School Funding Standing Rules and bylaws
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