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Last month, we conducted a survey of Corvallis School District employees. One of the questions we asked was whether the survey respondent had ever applied for a Mini-Grant for Educational Excellence and whether they were aware of how these grants are funded. More than 70% of respondents had applied for a grant, but fewer than 50% knew where the money comes from.

In short, it comes from donors like you.

CPSF receives a limited number of donations that are directed specifically to grants. Some donors provide gifts for particular programs so that we can offer music or art grants. Others donate specifically for the grant program and allow our grant committee to decide what kind of grants are most needed.

CPSF has a few endowments that also help fund our grant program. The James Muldoon Endowment, the Zel Brook Art Endowment, and the Doris Myers Endowment are three examples. When investments are doing well, we are able to supplement our grant program with these.

Our fall grant cycle is funded primarily by proceeds from the Woodstock's Spring for Kids Run held each March. Last year, the run provided us with nearly $10,000. This year, those proceeds allowed us to offer grants in the fall despite a decrease in undesignated giving.

But by and large, the majority of our grant program is funded with undesignated gifts. 509J employees have shown a tremendous appreciation for our grant program, but this year, we've had to cut back on the amount of funding we can offer. As you consider your end of year giving, please think about the Mini-Grants for Educational Excellence Program. Consider what it means for a teacher to have the opportunity to provide students with a unique learning experience like the hands-on CHS Bioswale activity or Hoover's Dixon Creek Water Study or Cheldelin's Mock Congress event.

These are the learning experiences that students cherish and remember. With significant budget cuts throughout the school district and more looming for next year, your undesignated donation is even more important.

Thank you for supporting our schools, our students, our community.

Q. Someone wants to donate money to my classroom/school/program. What should they do?

It is District policy that all monetary donations are processed through CPSF. People interested in donating to a Corvallis classroom, school, or program can use our secure online server at www.cpsfoundation.org, can mail or deliver their donation to 1555 SW 35th St., Corvallis, OR 97333, or can give their donation to a District employee who will send it to us by courier. In all cases, the donor should clearly indicate which classroom, school, and/or program the donation is intended for.

Q. What happens then?

We deposit donations to a Corvallis School District account, typically within one week of receipt of the donation. We then add the donation to a spreadsheet where individual classroom and program accounts are tracked. We send a tax receipt to the donor and answer any future questions related to the donation. At the end of the fiscal year, we audit each Foundation account to ensure that donations were spent in the manner in which they were intended.

Q. How do I spend the funds once they are in my Foundation account?

You would contact the OA or bookkeeper at your school or in your department and access these funds in the same manner as any District funds. Foundation funds are spent through the District purchase order process and are subject to all District spending policies.

Q. How do I find out how much money I have in my Foundation account?

You can contact the OA or bookkeeper at your school or you can call our office at 541-757-5857 or email us at foundation@corvallis.k12.or.us and we will be happy to give you your available balance.

Questions - please call the Foundation office at 757-5857 in the Central District Office

Last week, CPSF offered two Fundraising 101 workshops for teachers and parents raising money for Corvallis schools. Each workshop began with the question, "What do you want to get out of this?" Not surprisingly, the most consistent answer was, "How do we raise more money?"

Our goals are the same: raise more dollars for our schools and District-wide programs. Locate resources. Fill in the gaps. This is challenging in times at the best of times, and in times of economic decline, it can seem overwhelming if not impossible. The good news is that we live in a generous community that truly values education.

As the workshops continued through some of the standard methods of fundraising--direct donation drives, auctions, tournaments, raffles, and sales--teachers and parents were able to share techniques with one another and CPSF staff were able to see where more support from our office is needed. We also saw that many of our dedicated fundraisers aren't aware of the services that we can provide for their efforts.

Both workshops were a terrific success. If you missed it--don't fret: we'll be offering it again soon!

Over the next few months, I'll be looking more closely at these issues and soliciting input from other school district employees and parents who weren't able to attend our Fundraising 101 session. As we at CPSF develop a plan for meeting fundraising education needs throughout the District, we'll also be developing materials to add to the web site that might help in the short term. I'll be adding fundraising news and discussions here on the blog on a more regular basis.

We also encourage you to call our office if you have questions about a fundraising activity for your school. We're happy to help you help our students!

Earlier this week, I met with a group of dedicated fundraising volunteers--our scrip coordinators. These are the parents that coordinate scrip sales at their schools, and I am constantly amazed at how much energy, creativity, and time they put into this fundraising activity.

I often get questions about the scrip program. Here are answers to the most common ones:

What is scrip?

A scrip card is essentially a gift card. Schools or parent groups purchase these gift cards either from a national broker or from local businesses that have agreed to be part of the program. They purchase the gift cards at a reduced price, then sell them at full price. Profit ranges from 3% to 15%.

What gift cards can I buy?

Each participating school has different merchants that they keep in stock, but you may be able to special order others. You can see the list of national merchants that participate by going to Great Lakes Scrip Center. Local merchants include:

Fred Meyer * American Dream Pizza * The Beanery * Big River * BiMart * Book Bin * CIBA * Coffee Culture * Creative Crafts & Frames * Dairy Queen * Dutch Bros. Coffee * Francesco's Cafe * Izzy's * Jamie's Great Hamburgers * La Rockia * Matt's Cavalcade of Comics * McDonald's * Papa's Pizza * Pottery Place * The Retreat Day Spa * Richey's Market * Toy Factory * University Hero * Woodstock's Pizza * Burst's Candies * Dream Dinners * Garland Nursery * Marzini's & Cirello's * Creekside Coffee * Home Grown Gardens * Real Deals * UPS Store

Where can I buy scrip and how long does it take?

Scrip is sold for all eight elementary schools in Corvallis. Some scrip may be in stock and available immediately; other scrip may require a special order. Special ordered scrip is usually available within two weeks of your order. Contact the school's parent organization for more information.

CPSF does have some scrip in stock. Call our office at 757-5857 to find out if we have what you're looking for.

Is this the same as eScrip?

No, eScrip is a separate program in which you register a membership card or credit card and the school receives a percentage of your purchase each time you shop with that card. More information about eScrip is available at the eScrip web site.

Still have questions? Feel free to give our scrip coordinator, Rhonda, a call at 766-4855.

Each year, the Back to School Rally is one of the highlights of the work that I do at Corvallis Public Schools Foundation. I know firsthand the tremendous impact that educators can have students and their families, and appreciate the opportunity to be involved in recognizing the dedication and excellence of our outstanding CSD employees with the Mario and Alma Pastega Golden Apple Awards.

On Wednesday, September 2, Executive Director Fred Kane presented the awards to:

Carol Brewster

Classified, Lincoln School

"Whether helping students learn at Fairplay or Mountain View or now at Lincoln School, she tirelessly works together with others to ensure student learning. Principal Oscar Moreno-Gilson writes that, 'Lincoln is a better place because of this lady!'"

Jan Byers

Elementary Teacher, Garfield Elementary

"As a champion for diversity and diversity accountability she has helped guide the work of the District's Diversity Committee and helped bring the successful dual-immersion program to Garfield Elementary School. Principal Juan Baez says, 'As a coach and mentor, she listens first, asks the crucial questions, and provides reflective feedback with sincerity, love, and utmost care for ones' growth and on-going success.'"

Cathy Spieth

Middle School Teacher, Linus Pauling

"The passion that she demonstrates in the classroom is mirrored in her work with her colleagues. Despite her calm demeanor, her positive attitude energizes her colleagues and is often the catalyst for a team's transition from a 'let's see' to a 'can do' attitude. Assistant Principal David Jakious wrote in his nomination, '...it is at times a challenge for a truly remarkable teacher to set herself apart from her colleagues. [This] is a teacher who meets that challenge, not through efforts aimed at recognition, but through her constant drive to support students and their learning.'"

Pam Mathews

"As a mentor for dozens of student teachers and probationary teachers, she has shared her expertise in instructional design and classroom management, coupled with an unmatched knowledge and passion for adolescent learners. Principal Cherie Stroud wrote that, 'She is a dedicated professional who unselfishly serves the district with the priority of improved student learning.'"

Each Golden Apple Winner receives a golden apple statuette, a check for $630, a framed certificate, and a loaf of bread. This year, Benton County Schools Credit Union also provided each winner with a $200 grant for their classroom or a classroom of their choice.

In addition to the four Golden Apple Awards, Mario Pastega presented two surprise awards of $630 to Corvallis High School educators Bob Holt and Jane Kiekel.

Congratulations to all of our award winners, and a special thank you to the Mario and Alma Pastega Family Foundation which has provided support for these awards.

Each year CPSF is able to award four Mario and Alma Pastega Golden Apple Awards to outstanding educators in Corvallis public schools. Traditionally, Golden Apple Award winners receive a check, a golden apple, a certificate, and a homemade loaf of bread presented by local philanthropist and award founder Mario Pastega at the Back-to-School Rally in late August or early September. One of the questions we sometimes hear is “How are Golden Apple winners chosen?” As we prepare for this year’s rally and award presentation, it seemed like a good time to answer that very question.

In May, Executive Director Fred Kane sends out a Call for Nominations to Corvallis School District administrators. Prior to the first Executive Team meeting of the school year, administrators nominate employees by sending a one-page explanation of why the individual is deserving of the award. After all nominations are received, the Executive Team reviews nominations and chooses one elementary school teacher, one middle school teacher, one high school teacher, and one classified employee to receive the award based on their long service (5+ years) to the district, the perception of them as an outstanding employee, and their success in engaging students in meaningful learning experiences.

In addition, administrators can nominate any district employee or community member for a Stellar Service Award. The Stellar Service Award, also supported by the Mario and Alma Pastega Foundation, is given at the sole discretion of the Superintendent to someone who has provided exemplary service to students, parents, staff, and community members while promoting the goals of the district. This award has been given since 2002.

A dedication to recognizing educator excellence is a valuable tool for recruiting and retaining high quality employees and encouraging innovation and dedication to student learning. CPSF is proud to be able to administer such an important program!

This week, we received nearly $1,000 in donations made in memory of Mr. Robert Payne. Bob was an educator in Corvallis public schools from 1954 to 1991 where he served as a teacher, a basketball coach, an assistant principal, and later as principal of Corvallis High School. In 1971, Bob was hired as the first principal of the newly built Crescent Valley High School. He remained at Crescent Valley until 1983 when he began serving as the Personnel Director for the district. After retiring in 1985, Bob continued to fill temporary positions as principal in elementary schools, including Jefferson Elementary where all of his children had attended.

Mr. Payne will be remembered as a dedicated educator who left a lasting and significant impact on Corvallis School District. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to his family during this difficult time.

Each year in July, we "close the books" for the prior school year and "open the books" for the upcoming year. This year, this involves reviewing incoming donations and outgoing expenses for 121 accounts and nearly 350 subaccounts to ensure that every donation is spent the way every donor intended.

While it's a big task, I always get excited when it comes time to look over all of these accounts and tally up the tremendous successes our schools and students have because of the generosity of community members, businesses, and nonprofits. So