Superintendent sends email to parents endorsing IPSF’s latest fundraising campaign

In a notice sent to IUSD families this week, Superintendent Terry Walker endorsed the Irvine Public Schools Foundation’s latest campaign to raise money for local schools, noting that every dollar donated will be matched by the City of Irvine.

“These funds make a difference where it matters most – in the classroom,” Walker wrote in the Oct. 6 email. “At the elementary level, proceeds from this campaign pay for the qualified instructional assistants who work directly with your children, increasing the amount of one‐on‐one interaction. In our middle and high schools, class‐size support funds equate to additional staffing hours that reduce student‐to‐teacher ratios in critical subjects.” “Though any amount is appreciated,” he added, “IPSF and IUSD are asking you to consider a tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more by the end of the calendar year. This revenue will make an immediate impact in our classrooms, and just imagine what our district could do if each of our 20,000 families participated.” Here’s the full text of the superintendent’s email:

Dear IUSD community member: Since 1996, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation has been an invaluable partner to our district, leveraging this community’s generosity and passion for education while facilitating a number of innovative programs. Well, IPSF is once again leading the charge to ensure excellence in our classrooms with a new fundraising campaign, and the City of Irvine has offered to match every donation. That means if you donate a dollar to IPSF, the City will kick in an additional dollar, potentially generating nearly $2 million. These funds make a difference where it matters most – in the classroom. At the elementary level, proceeds from this campaign pay for the qualified instructional assistants who work directly with your children, increasing the amount of one‐on‐one interaction. In our middle and high schools, class‐size support funds equate to additional staffing hours that reduce student‐to‐teacher ratios in critical subjects. In addition, IPSF supports music education for students in kindergarten through grade six, as well as grants that enable our teachers and counselors to pursue new technologies and 21st-century learning strategies. Though any amount is appreciated, IPSF and IUSD are asking you to consider a tax-deductible contribution of $100 or more by the end of the calendar year. This revenue will make an immediate impact in our classrooms, and just imagine what our district could do if each of our 20,000 families participated. Keep in mind that IPSF is the only organization with the reach and resources to impact every school – and every child – in our district. If you’ve ever considered making a contribution to preserve excellence in the classroom, or even to help maintain the property values that are linked to our schools’ performance, now is the time. To make a donation, or to learn more about the partnership between IUSD, IPSF and the City of Irvine, please visit the foundation’s website by clicking here. As always, thank you for supporting education in Irvine. Sincerely, Terry L. Walker Superintendent of Schools