Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation gives record $1.2 million to schools Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation gives record $1.2 million to schools (June 30, 2004)

** New initiative to focus on excellence in teaching.

By Marjorie Mader
Almanac Staff Writer

The Menlo Park-Atherton Education Foundation revved up its fundraising this year, giving a record $1.2 million to the Menlo Park City School District for the 2004-05 school year.

Most of the money -- $1.l million -- will fund personnel and materials for the libraries and hands-on science, technology and music programs at Laurel, Encinal Oak Knoll and Hillview Middle schools. The money also will help support Jeanie Ritchie grants, given to teachers for innovative programs.

Teacher excellence

A new focus of the foundation is to provide a $100,000 startup grant for a professional staff-development initiative called the Teachers Excellence Program.

The thrust of this initiative is to fund high-priority programs that directly relate to the district's strategic plan and promote excellence in teaching. For example, funds may be used during the 2004-05 year for teacher-leadership training and summer-study grants to teachers, and to create models for integrating technology with curriculum in classrooms.

Also, funds will support the Mid-Peninsula Teachers Institute, the collaborative staff resource and development program for the four neighboring elementary school districts.

Trustees said the district could not provide these programs without the foundation's financial assistance. The foundation grant amounts to 6 percent of the district's $20.4-million operating budget for next year. This year's grant is equivalent to approximately $600 for each of the 2,019 students in the K-8 district.

"The innovative programs we're so proud of are due to foundation support," said Trustee Laura Rich.

Many of the programs were initially funded by Jeanie Ritchie grants, including "Dancing through the Decades," "Physics Day at Great America" (when students do experiments on the amusement park's rides), and a program to bring poets and writers to the schools.

Trustee Terry Thygesen thanked the foundation for being part of the backbone of the volunteer infrastructure that contributes to the schools.

"We're working hand-in-hand with the district in continuing and improving teaching excellence," said June Flora, foundation president.

She and Jill Parker, incoming foundation president, presented the super-sized check to board President Bruce Ives and Superintendent Ken Ranella at the June 23 school board meeting.

"Thanks to our generous community, we have set new records in terms of the size of our grant and in the rate of participation," said Ms. Flora. More than 60 percent of families with children in district schools joined the foundation this year, she added.

Superintendent Ranella called the foundation's new focus on funding teaching-excellence programs "truly innovative" and "a huge opportunity to set a new standard for developing and retaining inspired teachers for our schools."

A nonprofit, all-volunteer organization founded in 1982, the foundation has raised more than $10 million over the last two decades and keeps its annual overhead expenses to less than 5 percent, officials said. For more information, go to www.mpaef.org.

Where the dollars will go

The basic $1.1 million grant from the Menlo Park-Atherton Foundations is targeted for the following programs:

** Hands-on science (K-8): $227,700 for personnel, facility, equipment and materials, plus an after-school enrichment program during fall conference days.

** Libraries: $431,400 for books and materials for school and classroom libraries and for all librarians.

** Technology: $373,900 for personnel, facility and continuing expenses for the district's audiovisual studio at Hillview.

** Music program: $32,000 for instruments, musical scores and methods books.

** Teacher grants: $35,000 to fund the annual Jeanie Ritchie grant program.

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