Update — July 2020 | Edfundjuly20

Alamo Ed Fund Update — July 2020

Dear Parents, Teachers & Staff,

I am writing to you today, as your Ed Fund President, to provide recent developments on our school’s Ed Fund staffing, as observed by the new San Ramon Valley Unified School District (SRVUSD) requirements related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For new parents to the school, and as a reminder to all our families, the Alamo Ed Fund, https://aes-srvusd-ca.schoolloop.com/edfund, is the 501c3 non-profit organizational arm of the school, charged with raising funds to pay for the enrichment teachers (classified and credentialed staff and two contractors) in the school that supplement a well-rounded education for our children. Examples of programs include music, art, technology, library, Rainbow Socio-Emotional Room, reading specialist, and more.

In June, SRVUSD informed the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation (SRVEF) affiliate education funds, of which the Alamo Ed Fund is a member, that the District would require full prepayment for all salary and supply commitments that are funded by the education funds but paid out by the District for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year before the start of the school year (though after discussion, Ed Funds may now pay in two installments in August and October). This differs from the prior model in which the Ed Funds paid their district commitment amounts in installments throughout the current school year, as funds were raised.

In order to meet this demand, the Alamo Ed Fund voted on June 11th at an emergency board meeting to reduce paraprofessional (teacher aides) and reduce hours for the music teacher and eliminate the Ed Fund’s portion of the librarian (the District will continue to pay their portion of our librarian) to match the district’s prepayment request for the upcoming school year. These staff members were informed last week. Art and Computer teachers comprise the two contractors and may be hired if sufficient funds are generated. The teachers along with Stan Hitomi and Principal Salazar will honor the paraprofessionals in a virtual celebration on Tuesday, July 14. We appreciate them and value their dedication to our students.

Additionally, Ed Funds were instructed that experienced volunteers were not legally allowed to supplement paraprofessional or enrichment hours that were cut, and that paraprofessional (teacher aides) decisions had to be made as a whole - no reductions in hours were permitted. At this time, we have no additional guidance from the district on how the school will open in the fall. Those plans are expected to be announced on or around July 14th.

The Alamo Ed Fund is fortunate that, in years of profit, it has been able to build up reserves to be spent in times of need and unanticipated expenses. Consequently, to meet the district request for signed commitment letters by June 12th, the Alamo Ed Fund had to spend the majority of its reserves and make difficult decisions about categories to cut from the budget, through the lens of all reopening possibilities, in order to provide the district with a prepayment of programs the Alamo Ed Fund could absolutely pay for immediately in the following school year.

The Board members, composed of parent volunteers, a teacher representative and former principal, Stan Hitomi, made the extremely difficult and humbling decisions required, using additional input from the results of the annual parent/teacher survey information that was sent to Alamo families in the spring. At the June 11th emergency Alamo Ed Fund Board meeting, it was determined that independent contractors will be reviewed at a later date. Staffing paid out by the District must follow union contracts, and reductions are made by seniority. The below final staffing announcements began on July 1st.
This has been an incredibly hard time for the Alamo Ed Fund. The Board wants nothing more than to keep our programs at full funding but the District’s request and the pandemic’s impact has left us with this challenging situation. We have the utmost gratitude for the staff impacted by these cuts. These professionals played a huge role in our community and in our children’s lives.

Ultimately, the Alamo Ed Fund committed approximately $150,000 to the district for salary payment. This leaves approximately $25,000 (which is currently allocated as Fund -A- Need to library from our Gala/Auction March and will be utilized when the library is open again) in our reserves.

Staffing being funded

Senior primary intervention para
Instructional reading assistant
Classroom paraeducator
Classroom paraeducator
Classroom paraeducator
Instrumental music teacher
Music teacher*
*Reduced hours from 2019-2020

Art and Computer teachers comprise the two contractors and can be hired immediately upon school resuming if sufficient funds are generated in the Annual Giving Campaign fall fundraising drive.

In the next few weeks, the Alamo Ed Fund will launch the Annual Giving Campaign. The goal of this fall campaign will be to fund enrichment teachers as well as raise enough to pay for art, computers, additional PPE, and supplies. Our mission as an Ed Fund still remains: to raise money from families and the community to maintain and enhance the quality of education and the environment at Alamo School. More information on fundraising will be provided in upcoming communications to be distributed in July.

We strive to enrich our students on and off campus and continue to make it whole. We look to emerge from this pandemic, with the mission intact and stronger than ever. We must look to the current year and the full picture of the K-5th grade educational experience. The pandemic will end, and we aim to keep our students curious, interested, and inspired with an enriching education at Alamo School.

Sincerely,
Erin Adams
President, Alamo Ed Fund