Fundraising At PS8
General Appeal Letter (2008-2009)
Dear PS 8 Families and Friends,
Our children are already benefiting from this year's $230,000 PTA investment program. For example, Teacher Assistants are in place; Teacher-Grants, used to buy materials for classrooms, are operational; and the Licenders healthcare program is already up and running.
Forward-funding makes this possible; this year's programs are funded by donations made last year, so spending can begin in the first month of the year.
We are all really proud of PS 8 and the community around it that does so much to make it a great learning environment. Year after year, we have come together in so many ways to make sure that our children have what they need to get a great education.
But at the same time, every year brings new challenges for PS 8, like any public school. We must be prepared for budget cuts in the coming year and raise more money to maintain, if not expand, teaching assistants, enrichment programs, and to do more to improve the school.
Our current goal is to raise $250,000 this school year. This sounds like a lot, but it is well below many other NYC public schools and as a target it is, if anything, probably on the low end of what we will need.
So how will we raise this money?
Fundraising events, like Read-a-Thon and the Spring Auction, raised about $95,000 last year. Even with renewed efforts and new initiatives, event-driven donations will only get us so far.
Success will largely boil down to our community's response to the PTA General Appeal, meaning letters like this one asking for donations from PS8 families. Almost $90,000 was raised last year in this way. While that was fabulous, by year's end our current appeal may need to generate twice this sum.
If we can do one thing to make sure that PS 8 remains a great place for our children, it is to make sure that it has the resources it needs, no matter what the fiscal climate.
Our aim is to help every PS8 family donate. From box tops to the Read-a-Thon, from bake sales to the spring auction and change-drives to our new '8-Ball' party, we hope you will find a way to make a meaningful and fun contribution to your child's education at PS 8.
When it comes to the General Appeal, often parents ask "how much should we donate?" This is difficult to answer: not every family can afford to give at the same level. However what we can tell you is that with 520 students, $250,000 works out to be $480 per child. If you can give more, we ask that you do. If you cannot, please simply give what you can -- every dollar counts.
You can donate by check, money order or credit card through our secure web site at www.ps8pta.org, where you can even set up an installment payment plan to extend your gift over the year. Remember, donations are fully tax deductible and the easiest way to double your donation is to see if your workplace has a matching gifts program.
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Joanne Singleton and Tim Eldridge, Co-Presidents, PTA of PS 8.
Posted on: October 21, 2008.
The Resource Outlook For Our School
And The PTA
The PTA Executive Board is currently spending much time with Principal Phillips discussing the school's needs and its impact on PTA fund-raising and budget requirements. At the heart of the discussion are three questions:
- What will the school need the PTA to fund in 2008/9 and how much will it cost?
- How much of that money have we raised already and how much more is needed?
- What's the deadline for raising these funds?
We do not possess the information needed to answer these questions with detailed accuracy at this time. That's because, for example, our school doesn't have it's final 2008/9 DoE budget yet (it's expected later in April). And class sizes won't be nailed down until we know class configurations (eg the pre-k decision) and enrollment numbers (won't really be clear until the new year starts).
However, it seems to the Exec Board and Principal Phillips (we've collaborated to write this article) that while we don't have all the details, we know enough to paint the big picture. In this article we'll share it with you as best we can.
Before we start, though, please bear in mind that some numbers outlined below will change as more information becomes available and the discussion evolves. For example, some of the numbers differ from those shared at last week's General Meeting. The important thing is that while the details may change, the overall outlook isn't likely to.
The headline answers to the three big questions above are:
- Our school will likely need the PTA to more than double its expenditures to $290,000 next year: that's approaching $580 per student.
- So far we have about $79,000 of it raised, net of this year's expenditures: that's a $211,000 shortfall on total 2008/9 needs.
- In terms of timing, it's important to raise most if not all of this by June 30th 2008.
Why Do We Need To Raise Money For Next Year Now?
It's called forward-funding and without it things would grind to a halt. Here's why. Neither the PTA nor the school can contract Teacher Assistants, Enrichment Programs or buy anything else without the money already in hand . We were provided almost $148,000 by last year's PTA to start this year. It's been used to fund about $140,000 of PS8 activities and investments this school year. (The surplus of $8,000 adds to net new funds raised so far this year getting us to the $79,000 referenced above.) Yes, it's a bit confusing, but the bottom line is that we need to end this year with a strong balance to support programs from the outset of next year.
What's Driving The Increase?
Several things. First up: increasing class sizes. The success and popularity of the school, coupled with DoE budget cuts and space constraints, make class-size issues more prevalent. Increasing class sizes are of deep concern to our community with good reason: they directly impact the amount of time spent one-on-one with each child.
To help, this year the PTA's role extended from community-builder and fund-raiser to employer too. The 5 Teacher Assistants in place at our school today are employed neither by the school nor the city: they are employees of and paid for by the PTA.
Teacher Assistants help increase one-on-one teaching time through both hands-on-in-class support, guided by the teachers, and also by handling administrative tasks that increase in proportion with class size.
Next year our school has asked the PTA to potentially double the number of teacher assistants at PS8.
In theory, it's not that hard to forecast how much it will cost to have 10 or 11 Teacher Assistants in place, instead of 5. The practical reality, though, is that we're very unlikely to have them all in place on day-one of the new year, if indeed we end up needing that many.
If we had eight in place for the full year, it would cost about $135,000 (including salaries, payroll taxes and related insurance and payroll expenses). The same sum might end up covering the costs of more Teacher Assistants if they don't all start at the start of the year. Whatever the case, that's the budget earmarked at this time and if we need to change it later when we know more then we will.
Next up: Enrichment Programs. None of this year's Enrichment Programs are financed by the DoE. Two are financed by the PTA. One by a third party grant. Most are paid for with the Magnet Grant, which will be exhausted by the end of the current school year.
Next year our school must rely on PTA funding to prevent PS8 Enrichment Programs from being discontinued.
Doing so will add a further $70,000 bill to the $18,000 that the PTA contributes to Enrichment Programs already. Many parents still aren't as familiar with these programs as they are with the value of Teacher Assistants. Wanting to help with this, several parents - who also volunteer on the enrichment and communications committees - have collaborated with PS8 staff to develop some basic 'enrichment program profiles' for the community to better understand them. As we receive these profiles we'll share them in email and on the website.
In the meantime it's important to understand how the school views Enrichment Programs. They are considered core to the curriculum the school needs in place to meet its vision. As Principal Phillips puts it, Enrichment Programs "...give the school and students more creative-learning opportunities, expand the portfolio of teaching techniques teachers can draw upon, and broaden the material we use to stimulate learning and development." Based on all of this, it seems prudent to target raising $90,000 for 2008/9 Enrichment Programs.
(More photos of enrichment programs are being taken soon, but here's the photo galleries that we have so far if you want to get a glimpse of them in action around the school: Studio In A School-K Exhibit, Studio In A School-K Classroom, Studio In A School - 1st, Marquis Studio 2nd Grade Architecture, Guggenheim 3rd Grade, Guggenheim 4th Grade, Bargemusic.)
While Teacher Assistants and Enrichment Programs are big-ticket items, there's plenty of other ways in which our school relies on the community in general and the PTA in particular for funding. Which brings us to the issue of DoE budget cuts.
This year the DoE has cut PS8's budget by 1.7%. Next year it's expected to cut it again by a further 5%. The school estimates that this amounts to approaching $180,000. As Principal Phillips puts it, "on an average-salary basis this threatens as many as three staff positions assuming we can't reduce spending on other items".
To help , our school has asked the PTA to cover the cost of $20,000 worth of school supplies next year.
School supplies might be anything from books through paper to other materials. The Executive Board's view is that it's better to give the school support on these items if it helps the Principal avoid staff reductions. Other ongoing school and community needs financed by the PTA include:
- Teacher Grants ($4,000 that teachers can spend on their classes as they see fit)
- Grants given to specific grades for specific events ($6,000, for the 5th grade's trip annual trip, plus the kindergarten moving-up ceremony)
- Healthcare ($5,000 for lice inspection/prevention)
- Staff Luncheon ($3,000)
- Capital Improvements ($5,000 to improve acoustics in the auditorium and improve the functionality of the front office area)
- PTA Administrative Expenses ($15,000, including things like accountants, postage and important fund-raising support like communications materials, venues and raffle-support)
- Childcare/Food and Beverage ($3,500 for PTA-events including General Meetings, Curriculum Night, Alumni Event, Volunteer night, Ice-Cream Social and Potluck Dinner)
- Un-earmaked reserve for unknowns / inflationary effects: $3,500
This amounts to an additional $45,000.
If you add all of that up, we arrive at the total preliminary forecast of $290,000 for next year.
That's about $580 per student.
Some of you may like to understand all of this in even more depth. There are two opportunities to do that every month - the PTA General Meeting and the Executive Board meetings (which are open to all and scheduled on the calendar, on the PTA website.)
Our community comprises a cross section of the New York population. Some families may not be in a position to make a contribution even close to the $580 per student average cost of PTA-supported activites and investments. Others may be willing and able to contribute significantly more.
There's never been a more important time to contribute.
There are many ways to contribute. There remains some fundraising events this year, not least of them next week's
Spring Auction and thereafter the
Scholastic Book Fair and of course any funds that are raised through the
Paddlewheeler Festival.
However, even if these events raise record sums it's unlikely they alone will close the gap that needs to be closed.
Additionally, donations can be made by check, cash or online and are of course 100% tax deductible since the PTA is a not-for-profit. To make a donation online, please following the link below. Checks made out to "PTA of PS 8" can either be posted to us (mail them to PTA of PS 8 General Appeal, The Robert Fulton School, 37 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201) or dropped into the Fund-Raising mail-box in the Parent's Room.
Thank-you.
The PTA Executive Board (Joanne, Lisa, Sam, AnneMarie, Amy, Elizabeth, Cynthia and Tim) and Principal Seth Phillips.
Posted on: April 3, 2008.
PS 8's Annual Spring Auction
Thursday, April 10, 2008
7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Plymouth Church
75 Hicks Street
Brooklyn , NY 11201
The event will be held in Hillis Hall.
The Spring Auction is our single largest fundraising event. Proceeds from the Auction go to pay for our teaching assistants and cover the costs of our enrichment program. To buy tickets to the event, click here.
PS 8's enrichment program allows us to expand our core curriculum by adding art, dance, chess, science and many other valuable classes that enrich our children's education, spark their imaginations and demonstrate the value of a good education beyond report cards and standardized tests. The funding we receive from the City falls far short of what it costs to run these programs. However, the PTA of PS 8 is committed to raising the funds so that we can continue to enhance our curriculum by working with organizations like the Guggenheim Museum, Marquis Studios, Chess in Schools and Bargemusic.
Spend a long weekend at this vacation house on Block Island
Here are just a few of the items that PS 8 parents and staff have already offered:
- A chance for your child to be "Principal for the Day" with Seth Phillips
- Family portraits with a professional photographer
- Several original pieces of art
- A weekend at one of two vacation houses
- A special wine tasting
- A cooking lesson
- Tickets to see the Mets, Rangers or Cyclones
- A consultation with a professional editor to evaluate your manuscript
- A gift basket of beauty products
The Auction is scheduled for April 10th at Plymouth Church's Hillis Hall. Tickets are $50 in advance ($75 at the door) and can be purchased online at NYCharities.
Thank you for your support.
Posted on: March 4, 2008.
Raising Funds
By Todd Glass, Kindergarten Parent
The enrichment programs at P.S. 8 are an important part of our children's education. These programs allow the school to enhance the core curriculum and demonstrate the value of a good education beyond report cards and standardized testing.
These programs are not free and, the money we receive from the city falls considerably short of what we need to pay for them. Initially, funding came from the magnet grant that P.S. 8 received in 2004, but that grant expired at the end of the 2006-07 school year. PS 8's PTA has stepped in to raise the funds needed to continue our enrichment programs. Thanks to last year's fundraising efforts, we were able to hire four new teaching assistants and keep our enrichment programs intact.
We need to raise $150,000 in order to continue our enrichment programs and retain our teaching assistants next year. In a truly impressive display of school spirit, our children read for over 250,000 minutes during the fall Read-a-thon and raised close to $30,000. It's a great start, but we still have a long way to go. Our goal is to have a contribution from every P.S. 8 family. To that end, we have planned a number of fundraising activities so that every-
one has the opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way.
The P.S. 8 Spring Auction Our major fundraising event allows our entire neighborhood community to show their support for P.S. 8 either by donating goods and services for the auction or by purchasing a ticket and bidding.
Loose Change Week This is a great way to show that every penny really does count. Start saving your loose change! Keep an eye out at drop-off and pick-up for our change collection table.
Box Tops Turn over that box of cereal at breakfast, or the box of tissue next time you have a cold, and cut out the special Box Top seal. Each seal is worth 10 cents to P.S. 8.
Restaurant Week During P.S. 8 Restaurant Week restaurants will contribute a portion of the proceeds from your meal to our school when you mention that you're from P.S. 8. So order dessert to support your child's education.
Support P.S. 8 While You Shop Support P.S. 8 when you shop on-line at sallyfoster.com or giveline.com. Select P.S. 8 as your designated recipient and, depending on what you buy, our school will receive anywhere from 10 to 50 percent of the purchase price.
General Appeal The easiest and most effective way to contribute to P.S. 8 is through a direct donation of cash, check or money order. All donations are tax deductible you can double your contribution if your workplace has a charitable matching giving program.
Mail your contribution to the PTA of P.S. 8 at 37 Hicks Street, Brooklyn New York, 11201. You can now also use your credit card at our Web site, www.ps8pta.org. Checks and money orders should be made out to the PTA of P.S. 8.
Remember:
Use www.goodsearch.com or www.searchandgive.com as your search engine. When you designate P.S. 8 as your charity of choice, we earn a little money every time you surf the Web!
Posted on: February 27, 2008.
General Appeal Letter
Dear Families and Friends,
We have all witnessed the great strides that PS 8 has made in the last several years and have good reason to feel proud, even lucky, that our children are enrolled in such an outstanding school.
But PS 8 is now at a critical crossroads. Our three-year magnet grant, which allowed us to enhance our core curriculum by adding art, dance, chess, science and many other valuable programs that enrich our children's education, has expired. In addition, the school is now operating at capacity.
We now need to raise $150,000 in order to continue our enrichment programs and retain our teaching assistants next year. To keep PS 8 the great school that it has become, we need your continued financial support.
You can donate by cash, check or money order by mailing your contribution to: the PS8 PTA at 37 Hicks Street, Brooklyn New York, 11201. Checks and money orders should be made out to the PTA of PS 8. Or, if you prefer, you can now use your credit card and make a secure online donation via NY Charities. Just click this button wherever you see it:
Due to the success of the Read-a-thon, we are off to a great start. In a truly impressive display of school spirit, our children read for over 250,000 minutes, raising over $26,000! But we still have a long way to go. We have planned a number of ways for you to contribute, including money-back programs with local merchants, bake sales, raffles and the PS 8 Auction this Spring. But perhaps the easiest and most effective way to contribute is through a direct donation.
Our goal is to receive a donation from every family at PS 8. Give according to your family's means, but please give all you can. Remember, donations are tax deductible and the easiest way to double your contribution is to see if your workplace has a matching program for charitable giving.
PAST SUCCESSES
Enrichment Programs and Teaching Assistants:
Organizations like the Guggenheim Museum, Marquis Studios and Bargemusic spark our children's imaginations and demonstrate the value of a good education beyond report cards and standardized testing. Unfortunately, the funding we receive from the City falls considerably short of what we need to pay for these programs. Thanks to last year's fundraising efforts, we raised the money necessary to hire four new teaching assistants and keep our enrichment programs going strong.
2007 Spring Auction:
Raising an estimated $22,000 after expenses, the March 14 event, held in Bargemusic's floating venue docked at Brooklyn's Fulton Ferry landing, drew 130 attendees.
Air Conditioners:
Two years ago we met an ambitious goal to purchase and install air conditioners throughout the school so that our children are in a comfortable environment during the months when NYC sweats. Every year we can thank the fundraising efforts of the PS 8 parents that made this happen.
"Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" film premier night:
The evening raised $16,000 for PS 8's innovative new film program, in which fourth- and fifth-graders will learn script-writing, story-boarding, film editing, and production in partnership with Steiner Studios.
Thank you for your support and best wishes for the rest of the school year.
Posted on: December 10, 2007.
