Why Giving Matters

Thanks to our donors’ generosity, in 2006-07, Partners in Education donated $2.27 million in total to Palo Alto Unified public schools last year: $1.38 million to elementary schools, $720,000 to the secondary schools as part of general grant, $76K to secondary schools through Palo Alto Black & White Ball Funds and $100K to teacher grant program. These dollars go where they make the most difference in the classroom – straight to the teachers for innovation and to the principals’ site allocations, resulting in an additional $270 per elementary student and $114 per secondary student.
If you have an elementary student and have met your child’s classroom aide this year; if your child creates exceptional art or intriguing science with a Spectra Art or supplemental science teacher; or if your child has benefited from reading or math specialists, you can thank your fellow donors to Partners in Education. If you have a secondary student who enjoys a smaller class size, interesting electives or better access to counselors or individual tutors, it’s because of the Partners in Education secondary campaign.

Here is what our PAUSD principals have to say about how Partners in Education dollars have helped at their school:

Elementary Schools

“PiE support enables us to do a better job of meeting the needs of all of our students by providing the support of additional adults in the classroom.  It also helps us address the PAUSD strategic plan goal of providing diverse avenues for student success as we bring more of the arts in to the classroom.”

Cathy Howard, Barron Park Elementary Principal

“Without infusion of PiE dollars, we would not have the program we now have at Hoover. PiE helps support a reading teacher, a part time science teacher, 2 hrs/day of math and literacy teachers and 1 hr/week of art for every child at Hoover. These additions help every child across the spectrum.”

Susanne C. Scott, Hoover Elementary Principal

“If you support lowering student to adult ratio in our schools, please support PiE as over 90% of PiE dollars that we receive at our schools help cover personnel costs”

Barbara Welch, Nixon Elementary Principal

“PiE is now a stable funding source. I don’t worry about PiE dollars going down. I appreciate the sustainability and viability of PiE and how it provides a way for me to access additional support services for students that we don’t have resources for.”

John Lents, Addison Elementary Principal

“Because of PiE we are able to give our children a more enriching, well-rounded curriculum (example, Junior Museum Science Program). These additions make this school and a district a very special place”

Carol Piraino, Walter Hays Elementary Principal

“Class aides at Duveneck are fully funded by PiE dollars. These aides allow us to focus on literacy (reading instruction). This focus would not be possible without having another adult (class aide) in the classroom.”

Larry Thomas, Duveneck Elementary Former Principal

“Schools in general, even in Palo Alto have limited funds. We may have more funds than some other districts, but we still don’t have enough to give our children the best education we would like. One area in particular that has been limiting for us is professional development for the teachers. PiE funds help us maintain and sustain the quality of our programs and allow us to provide deep professional development for our staff.”

Susan Charles, Ohlone Elementary Principal

“This year we will continue to fund our Reading Specialist program. She also serves as our English Language Development Instructor. This role becomes more important every year as our student population of English Learners increases. In addition, we will continue to fund our Writing Mentor position to support both site and District goals through professional development for staff and parent education opportunities.

PiE support will also allow us to provide aide time for all 18 classrooms and SPECTRA Art as well. In closing, we have been fortunate to partner with the local YMCA coordinating lunchtime sports providing positive activities during lunchtime.

We thank all of you within the Palo Verde Community and throughout the District for the ongoing support and generosity that supports teaching and learning for all children.”

Eric Goddard, Palo Verde Elementary Principal

“PiE Support is integral to our continued success. PiE helps support our students learning and achievement.”

Gary Prehn, Escondido Elementary Principal

“PiE support helps us provide an enriching education to our students. Visual arts, hands on science program that is supervised by trained personnel would be hard to keep up without PiE support.

PiE helps us give our teachers more support through aides and allows teachers to interact more effectively with the students.”

Gary Dalton, Briones Elementary Former Principal

“PiE makes it possible to offer all the above-mentioned services [classroom aide support, student services (counseling), Spectra Art and the Jr. Museum Science program] that otherwise might NOT be possible.  Community support through PiE allows us to provide essential services not possible through regular funding.”

Lupe Garcia, El Carmelo Elementary Principal

“All students at Fairmeadow benefit from PiE funds. The support from PiE allows us to offer a diversity of rich education program to our students”

Judith Barranti, Fairmeadow Elementary Former Principal

Middle Schools

“PiE funds are a fabulous resource for us as we hire staff and schedule students for their classes knowing that we can provide classes and technology that can meet children’s needs and interests”

“PiE support enables Jordan to offer a range of educational experiences to our current students and to plan our future knowing that the school community supports our efforts.”

Suzanne Barbarasch, Jordan Principal

“PiE funds allow us to tailor our programs for our needs. These funds dovetail well with other discretionary funds”

Carmen Giedt, Terman Principal

“Support from PiE is very important to the JLS community. PiE contributions help us support staffing for critical staff intervention projects that help our students improve their math and reading skills.”

Don Cox, JLS Principal

High Schools

“We thank you for supporting PiE. Without PiE, PAUSD schools would not be able to provide the quality education for its students that it now provides”

Noreen Likins, Gunn Principal

“It is incredibly important for our school to have PiE support. PiE funds support staffing in important areas such as college and career counseling, special education support staff, school safety personnel, and technology".  

Scott Laurence, Paly Former Principal

Make a donation now!