Schools : Group Intends to Finance Projects Lost to Budget Cuts

At a time when school districts everywhere are slashing budgets, a group of local teachers in Norwalk had the chance to fill out a wish list of extras for their classes and schools in a recent meeting at the Sheraton Hotel in Norwalk.

A nonprofit organization, 4 Our Kids, sponsored the event that they called Christmas in June. The group of community and business leaders formed recently in response to budget cuts made by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District. The group hopes to restore some lost projects and raise money for programs beyond the scope of district funding.

The group intends to give each district school a $500 mini-grant for such activities as field trips, fine arts supplies, academic competitions, health counseling and computer equipment. An organization member dressed in a Santa Claus suit handed out the grant applications to teachers. The mini-grant program is the group’s first major project.