School to Community Connection
April 6, 2005

Issue 85

 

Many Groups Doing School-Related Fundraising

 

In the past 5 years the school district has had to make significant reductions in programs including counseling, libraries, nursing, transportation and classroom supplies. This year the schools are preparing to make additional reductions which will mean that library services, music and athletic programs, and support for high school clubs will be reduced by 80%. Reductions like this would have a very severe impact on our schools.

 

The school district is looking at consolidating campuses to 2 elementary schools, a 6-8 middle school and a high school. They are also considering putting a parcel tax on the ballot. But these measures will take time and cannot address the current reductions planned for the 2005-06 school year.

 

Healdsburg schools have always been fortunate to have many volunteer parent groups in town doing fundraising for them. For many years, the school PTA/PTO groups, Athletic Boosters, Band of Parents (BOP), Healdsburg Education Foundation (HEF), Healdsburg Advocates for Language Learning (HALL), many community service clubs, and others have raised thousands of dollars and given generously to Healdsburg schools. Now, in view of the current financial crisis, these groups are being put to the test and are stepping up their efforts. In addition, a new fundraising group (the District Fundraising Committee) has been formed by the school district to help raise needed funds.

 

What are they doing and how do they relate to one another?

 

  • HEF (Healdsburg Education Foundation) has been raising money for Healdsburg and Alexander Valley schools since 1985. They raise this money in the following ways:

    • Historic Homes Tour – supports teacher mini-grant program

    • Adopt-A-Class – donations for donor-specified teachers or departments

    • Annual Fund Campaign –  donations or pledges for donor-specified school programs and most needed areas as determined by the school board

    • Business Partnership Program  –  business pledges for donor-specified school programs and most needed areas as determined by the school board

  • The District Fundraising Committee was formed by the School Board in Jan. 2005 to work in partnership with HEF in an effort to increase needed fundraising for the coming school year. This group plans to accept suggested fundraising ideas from the community, evaluate all suggestions, and then implement those that are most practical and likely to be successful.

  • Athletic Boosters raises money to supplement district funding for all high school athletic teams. Their funds are allocated to teams equally based on the number of athletes per team. Their programs include a September membership drive, an October Golf Tournament, and Concessions (Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Alumni/Powderpuff football game)

  • Band of Parents supports the music programs in all Healdsburg schools. BOP has a yearly Pasta Feed in October. The Pasta Feed includes a silent auction, and live music from the Junior High School Bands, the High School Concert Band, the High School Jazz Band, and the High School Chorus. Also, every Christmas BOP has a See's Candy fundraiser.

  • HALL holds a spring Pasta Feed which supports the 6th Grade Mexico Exchange program.

  • HHS Swimming, a group of parents supporting the HHS Swim Team, raises funds through a Lap-A-Thon in March, an April car wash and a Christmas Tamale Sale.

 

 

Please support these organizations in their fundraising efforts. Listed below is contact information for each group.

 

If you know of a group that should be added to this list or if you have a novel fundraising idea, please let us know at communications@husd.com.