Happy New Year!
We are now just past the halfway point of the 2011-2012 Annual ESC Campaign and our fundraising numbers are not where they need to be to support the type of ESC program we have today. Through December 31st, we have had 20% of all families with children in the District contribute a total of $450,000 toward our Annual ESC Campaign. A big ‘Thank You’ to all of those families that have contributed as we continue to focus on getting 100% participation across our eight schools.

We are still $1.55 million away from reaching our goal of $2 million and are far below our goal of 100% family participation. Furthermore, both our dollars raised and participation rate are 50% behind levels at the same point in last year’s campaign. The $1.17 million given to the District last year from the DMSEF funded 13.0 full-time equivalent ESC positions across all eight district schools. Our current fundraising would only fund 4.0 positions for the 2012-2013 school year. Please contribute the suggested amount, or any amount that you are comfortable with, to support the wonderful ESC programs in all of our 8 schools for the upcoming school year.

If you have a child in one of our schools, then you have a reason to contribute as our amazing ESC programs will not exist in their current forms without your contributions. Please give what you can to help ensure that all of our children can continue to receive specialized instruction in Science, Music, Art, Technology and PE. A contribution of $800 per child is ultimately needed to keep our programs complete. Our deadline to raise the necessary funds to support a full ESC program in all 8 of our schools is April 30th. We cannot do this without the support and contributions of all DMUSD families.

Thank you in advance for your support of the DMSEF and our fantastic ESC programs.