Schools Group Gives $450,000 to District

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation handed a $450,000 check to the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education at the board’s meeting Tuesday night.

Another $105,000 will be given directly to specific programs in the next few months.

The contributions will fund $375,000 for computer technology, $80,000 for health information services, $75,000 for fine arts programs and $25,000 for grants to teachers.

“This is an exceptional donation,” said Hank Adler, school board president. “It is through investments such as this one that Irvine schools will be able to preserve their high educational standards.”

Over the last 18 months, the foundation has donated more than $1.5 million to the district. The funds were raised through partnerships with community members, corporations and foundations.

“The commitment of our board of directors and the generosity of our donors has resulted in an unparalleled amount of donations for our schools,” said Ruth Anderson, co-chair of Partners in Education, the nonprofit foundation’s community fund-raising group.

“Irvine schools are excellent, and it is the Irvine Public Schools Foundation’s mission to find the resources to sustain this excellence,” said Partners’ co-Chair Carolyn McInerney. “As a parent and community member, I know that investing in programs such as science, fine arts and health is important to the education of our children.”