La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation raises $2 million for LCUSD
On Tuesday, La Cañada school officials thanked the La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation for raising money for the district, learned about a new program for elementary school entrepreneurs and lent their support to two ballot propositions aimed at financing public schools.
Marilyn Yang, executive director of the Educational Foundation, bestowed upon La Cañada Unified School District Supt. Wendy Sinnette and Board President David Sagal a presentation check from LCFEF made out to the district in the amount of $2 million.
That figure represents the foundation’s fundraising efforts made during the 2015-16 school year, which include the group’s annual spring gala, its annual Jog-A-Thon and the relatively new Spartan Spirit campaign, which allows donors to “adopt” seats at the La Cañada High School auditorium.
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Sinnette shared her sincere thanks to Yang and all members of the foundation in her superintendent’s remarks.
“On behalf of the entire district, I would like to express heartfelt gratitude to the La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation,” the superintendent said. “We’re grateful to all of our generous donors.”
Sagal echoed Sinnette’s appreciation, sharing a breakdown of where the $2 million is being spent in the current school year. About $911,000 is funding teachers salaries, especially at the elementary school level, to keep class sizes manageable. A total of $521,000 is going toward guidance and college counselor support at La Cañada High School, while another $223,000 is supporting the continuance of art, music and drama programs at the district’s elementary schools.
With the remainder, about $237,000 has been dedicated for needed technology improvements, while $57,000 has been earmarked for course offerings for LCHS 7/8 students, including computer coding and enhanced science, math and writing instruction.
“LCUSD would not be the school district it is today without the help of the Educational Foundation,” said Sagal, noting that he and wife McNally were both former LCFEF executive directors. “We were both able to see first-hand how this dedicated community group of parents work to enhance the lives and educational experience of our children.”
Welcoming the ‘X’ factor
In a brief presentation board members learned about a new extracurricular activity being offered to second- through sixth-grade students at La Cañada Unified elementary schools — School-X.
Developed by Paradise Canyon Elementary School parents Zach Jennings and Eric Lin, the nonprofit aims to offer programs that encourage kids to experience the thrill of bringing an idea or product to life and then seeing it through all phases of the design and build process.
One offering, the young artisans program, teaches kids how to develop an idea and then brand, market and demonstrate their ideas live before potential customers at the Montrose Farmer’s Market. Those who participated in a recent summer pilot shared their products and respective pitches for board members Tuesday, while co-founder Jennings spoke of the organization’s inception.
“We thought, what could we do to evolve a program to harness the power of these young kids’ ideas?” Jennings said, describing his and Lin’s desire to help children succeed in life beyond college. “In order to prepare them more, we felt that focusing on their ideas, their creativity (and) creative problem-solving was an important part of helping them prepare for the future.”
School-X plans to host a “Shark Tank”-style competition for schools who currently participate with after-school clubs on Nov. 4 and will have its next “Demo Day,” where students pitch and sell their products and ideas at the Montrose Farmer’s Market on Dec. 11.
Propping up props
School board members also passed resolutions in support of two propositions going before voters in the Nov. 8 election — Propositions 51 and 55.
Proposition 51 authorizes $9 billion in general obligation bonds for the building and renovation of K-12 public school, charter school and community college facilities. Proposition 55 would extend a 2012 voter-approved tax on individuals who earn more than $250,000 annually, set to expire in 2018, by another 12 years.
The tax, passed to help bridge gaps in state school funding that occurred in the wake of the Great Recession, currently brings in an additional $2 billion to $4.5 billion to K-12 schools and community colleges statewide. Were it to lapse, districts would have to determine how to close a new funding gap.
“I’m very glad we’re doing this,” board member Ellen Multari said.
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
