 Dear FGCS Families: It seems like every news story these days is about the struggling economy. Globally, nationally and locally, times are hard all over and every part of society is affected.
In Oregon, public schools are particularly vulnerable to recession because they are funded mainly through state income taxes, which rise and fall with the economy. Rising unemployment over the past months means that the state has less money for schools than was expected at the start of the school year.
FGCS now faces the unpleasant task of making substantial cuts in our operating budget for the current school year. At this point, we anticipate receiving about $70,000 less in state funding than expected. Some of our shortfall can be made up by tapping our contingency fund -- money set aside for unexpected expenses and revenue declines -- but there is simply no way to avoid making cuts without impacting classrooms.
In deciding how to confront this shortfall, our top priorities are meeting our educational mission, protecting teacher salaries, and shoring up our contingency, which will be even more important as we head into more uncertain times. Through savings and two significant cuts, it looks like we will be able to meet these priorities. We will receive updated information after Feb. 20, when the state issues its next economic forecast, but at this point we do not foresee cutting the school year at FGCS.
We have, however, made the difficult decision to lay off our part-time Level 1 classroom assistants and to significantly reduce our contracted janitorial service. Although these cuts reduce expenses, they don't eliminate work that needs to be done, so we are looking for creative ways to solve those problems.
Teachers, staff and students all will be pitching in with classroom cleaning and we are looking for ways to use staff and volunteers to provide extra help in Level 1 classrooms, especially during literacy and math. More than ever, we need your help! Parent involvement and support has always been – and will always be – essential to the success of our school, but now is truly the time for all hands on deck (more information below on specific ways you can pitch in).
We know that this year's reductions won't be the end of it. We anticipate additional cuts in the 2009-2010 school year, but we won't know what that means in dollars and cents until later in the spring or summer. We'll keep you informed as we learn more and we welcome your questions and ideas for how we can keep our school strong and growing through these tough times – please feel free to call, email or stop by to talk.
Sincerely,
Vanessa Gray, Principal
v.gray@fgcschool.org
503-359-4600
Jon Stagnitti, FGCS Board Chair
j.stagnitti@fgcschool.org
503-936-8281
| How You Can Help
There are as many ways to help FGCS as there are students and parents. Here are a few of our current needs that are even greater now that we've had to implement budget cuts:
• Work one-on-one or in small groups with students in a Level 1 classroom during literacy or math time for one or two hours 9-11 a.m. Monday-Friday. Need is especially great in the Barn Swallows class (Miss Sherry).
• Walk with students to a PE class at Pacific University. This is a special program being offered to our Level 2 and 3 students from Feb. 25-April 15. Our physical activity teacher, Rick Boudreau, needs adult volunteers to help him walk the five classes to the Pacific Athletic Center, leaving school at 12:50 p.m. and returning at 2:00 p.m. The classes are being taught by Pacific physical education students but extra adults are needed to provide additional supervision.
• Supervise students at lunch and recess (all levels).
• Donate groceries for student snacks and lunches (we try to keep food on hand for students who forget their lunches or missed breakfast and need fuel to get through the day).
To help out with anything on this list, please contact Vickie Jares in the school office at v.jares@fgcschool.org or 503-359-4600. If you don't see anything that works for you – or if you have an idea for how you can help - please contact Vickie or our new FGCS-PTO volunteer coordinator, Carol Merez, at carolmerez@mail.com. Thank you!
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