Dear Friend,
With the start of the school year, I think we all realize the new year promises to be full of many challenges for our schools and our students. Budget cuts continue to dominate the landscape resulting in program and personnel changes throughout the district. It can all be very unsettling.
Yet, there is much to be positive about. Recent test results show academic gains throughout the district among our students. Our two major high school, Alameda and Encinal, were named as two of Newsweek’s “America’s Best High Schools.”
The other good news is that I see more and more of our local community stepping up to support our schools. Just this summer alone, we have received support from many local businesses and organizations including:
● Alameda Theatre and Cineplex (Summer Movie Series fundraiser)
● Angela’s (Thirsty Thursdays, 6:00 – 8:00 pm on the patio)
● Alameda Business Network (donations and raffle sales from August mixer)
● Alameda Kiwanis Club (donations and volunteers for the AEF school supply drive)
● Alameda Wine Company (2nd anniversary celebration event)
● Alameda Community Fund (grant for music support)
● Alameda Towne Centre (School Supply Drive & Instrument Donation Drive)
● Bank Of Alameda, Park Street Location (School Supply Drive)
● Comcast Foundation (grant)
● Harbor Bay Club (raffle sales from July anniversary party)
● Pirates in Paradise event sponsored by dozens of waterfront businesses (visit our web site for a sponsorship listing)
Junior pirates learning about rowing.
● Color Me Mine (School Supply Drive)
● Tomas Michaud of Starland Music (proceeds from June concert)
● TheFundraisingBooth.org (supplied fresh kettle corn to ATC concert goers with proceeds to AEF)
● Tuckers Ice Cream (School Supply Drive)
● Windermere Foundation ($1000 grant to aid homeless students)
● YOU – Thousands of dollars worth of donations from the community to our School Supply Drive. Now many of Alameda’s homeless students will receive backpacks filled with essential school supplies to help them off to a strong start this school year.
Our Teacher Supply Store held its grand opening this past Friday, August 27th. The Foundation works with local organizations to secure donations of office supplies, office furniture, art supplies and other items that can be used in the classroom. These items are housed in our Free Teacher Supply store in Portable 7 at the Woodstock Educational Center on Ralph Appezzato Parkway (Formerly Atlantic Ave.) Donations are always needed to support the AEF Teacher Supply Store and will be accepted on most Thursdays from 3-5pm during the school year. Check our website for the store schedule.
When we weren’t busy with events this summer, we launched a new and improved web site to make it easier for all of you to learn about AEF and opportunities to support Alameda schools. Check it out at www.alamedaeducation.org
An exciting new feature of the site is our “Shop-4-Education” page where shoppers can shop for special products, services or events that support the important work of AEF. We encourage our supporters to support these local businesses and events. If your business or organization would like to participate, simply fill out the online form or contact info@alamedaeducation.org.
At AEF, we are committed to helping our schools provide excellence in education to our students in spite of budget shortfalls. While we can’t immediately make up for the millions of dollars our district stands to lose due to State cutbacks, we can – with your help – support programs that help our students thrive. For example, we can purchase sheet music and pay instrument repair costs to support our award-winning high school music programs, we can provide art supplies to support our elementary school Art Docent program, and we can continue to provide an active sports program for our middle school students, among many other programs.
As we move into fall, we will be sharing information about exciting upcoming opportunities to Support Student Success!
