Donation Drive for Millbrae Schools

The Millbrae Education Foundation, a local nonprofit that helps support Millbrae schools, will be holding its "Second Chance Donation Day" today to ask parents for funds to offset deep budget cuts.

Volunteers will be stationed throughout Millbrae schools to collect donations from parents and community members. 

The donation drive will take place during the following times:

• 8:00 a.m. – 8:20 a.m. 
• 11:25 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
• 2:25 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Cuts to the school district have impacted programs and have increased class sizes to to about 30 students in K-8. The funds raised can help pay for teacher and staff salaries and try to bring back some.

Below are some of the challenges facing Millbrae schools.

• The inequity of funding across school districts and the 20.66 percent reduction of state funding to schools requires devastating cuts to our Millbrae schools. 
• Tax initiatives on the November 2012 ballot bring great uncertainty of passage and threats of mid-year cuts to our district at $839,000 in January 2013 should the tax initiative not pass. 
• A reduction of teaching staff makes class sizes in Millbrae an average of 28-30 students per classroom, Kindergarten through 8th grade. 
• Millbrae has reduced the school year by 5 instructional days by all staff serving furlough days. 
• After-school programs and enrichment programs (Elementary Music and GATE) and textbook funds have been eliminated. 
• A reduction of classified staff (classroom aides, custodians, technology media aides) make elementary schools share evening custodians (cleaning schools only every other night) and close their libraries.