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Quotes from the Classroom

"The Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention program that the Foundation purchased last year has been a great addition to Birmingham Falls academic programs. As the EIP teacher, I have been able to take learners at their level of reading and teach them phonics skills, comprehension, and decoding strategies. The children are learning, improving their reading levels, and feeling successful."
- EIP Teacher 

"3rd grade would like to THANK YOU so much for approving and purchasing the Social Studies Weekly Periodicals we requested.  They just arrived and are FANTASTIC!!!  We can not wait to use these along side of our Social Studies curriculum." 
- A VERY happy 3rd grade team!

"The 2nd grade team is extremely grateful for the CD players bought with Foundation funding." 
- 2nd Grade Teacher

"Thanks so much for all that you do.  The die-cut machine help our staff create the materials we need in the classroom." 
- 4th Grade Teacher

"The science labs this year were outstanding and really helped to bring excitement to the curriculum." 
- 5th Grade Teacher

 

Questions and Answers (Q&A)

Who Runs the Foundation?
The Foundation is managed by a Board of Trustees (a.k.a. 'The Board') compromised of volunteers from the BFES parent community.

Are the Foundation and the PTA connected in any way?
Although the Foundation and the PTA work very closely together to support our school, the two organizations are not legally connected. The PTA is a part of the National Parent Teachers Association (National PTA), and the Foundation is an independent, non-profit corporation.

Why Do We Need A Foundation and a PTA?
The two organizations serve very different purposes.

The PTA's mission is to provide a voice for children, act as a resource for families, and support school programs. As a member of the National PTA, the PTA is bound by the fundraising, money distribution, and savings regulations of the PTA. For example, the PTA cannot enter into any contracts or agreements that last beyond the current school year. This makes it impossible for the PTA to fund long term projects, staffing, etc. In addition, the PTA must spend almost all of its funding before the end of each school year. In other words, the PTA is designed to support classroom programs during each school year.

The Foundation, on the other hand, is focused on fundraising to enhance the education experience beyond the level provided by the County. As an independent organization, the Foundation has no restrictions on fundraising methods and amounts, and can fund any programs the community deems appropriate. In addition, the Foundation can save money - year after year - to support long term initiatives. For example, some of the money raised last year is now being used to expand the school's Discovery Zone.

Are Donations to the Foundation Tax Deductible?
YES - the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, so all monetary donations to the Foundation are 100% tax deductible.

Does ALL of the Money Raised Go to Helping our Children and our School?
YES - with the exception of ~ 3% G&A expenses, ALL of the money raised by the foundation goes to fund school programs and initiatives.

What Types of Items Does the Foundation Fund?
The Foundation's charter allows it to fund almost anything. However, the key benefit of the Foundation is the ability to fundraise for and invest in big-ticket items (e.g. technology, capital improvements, etc.) that cannot be funded in other ways. Examples of Foundation funding during the 2009 / 2010 school year include the BFES Discovery Zone and the school's die-cut machine.

What Types of Distributions / Grants Does the Foundation Provide?
The Foundation provides our school with two types of funding as follows:

Pre-Approved Funding - During each school year, the Foundation provides the school with financial support earmarked for specific grade levels and groups.

This money is transferred to the school in advance, and the school itself decides on the appropriate use of this money. Typically the process is that teachers request funding, the CSTs review and approve the request, and the principal provides the final approval. Note that the Foundation is NOT involved in the decision making process for pre-approved funding.

For the 2009 / 2010 school year (the Foundation's inaugural year), the Foundation provided $1,100 to each grade level, $1,100 to Special Ed, and $500 each to the Music Department, the Art Department, and Physical Education. For the 2010 / 2011 school year, we've already provided more than this amount to each of those groups - plus we've added funding for Tag!

One-Time / Special Funding - The Foundation also provides funding for special items that cannot be funded via the pre-approved funding described above. Typically the process is that the school (teachers, CSTs, administrators, etc.) request funding, the principal approves the request, and then request goes before the Foundation Board of Trustees for review. If approved, the Foundation will fund the program.

Is ALL Foundation information Open to the Public?
YES - the Foundation is 100% transparent. The Foundation's monthly board meetings are open to the "involved" public, and meeting agendas and minutes are available for download from this website. In addition, the Foundation's financials information is available to any interested and involved party upon request.

How Can I Support the Foundation?
There are many ways to help.

First and foremost, we ask for your financial support. To support the Foundation, please click on the Donations tab on the top menu above. Once there, you will see information about making either monetary or merchandise donations.

In addition, as a 100% volunteer organization, we are always looking for help. Please contact Scott Holloway at scott@ElectricAvenue.com or Mary Guiney at meguiney@bellsouth.net to get involved.