To Loma Prieta and CT English parents,

Welcome to spring at our schools! I think there’s nothing quite like it.

For many of us, spring represents the time when we move into the familiar school rituals that are highlights and hallmarks of our academic and extracurricular calendar. Students, teachers and parent volunteers are burnishing months-long efforts, individual and team, that showcase their talents, creativity, passion and growth through the year. I share my enthusiasm for this season with all of you, but especially with families who are new to our schools, with students in kindergarten and recent Mountain residents.

With that thought, I also want to pass on information and details about our KEEP! Campaign, which, as we reach our goals, will fund a number of key educational programs in 2016-’17 on our two campuses.

Families, particularly those with students in early grades, may not be aware of the range of options regarding KEEP! donations. Please take this in the spirit of: “Did you know?” as these options are designed both to enlist your support but also to maximize the effect of your generous donation.

• The Donate Page on our website, http://www.lpef.org, allows families to make contributions on a monthly basis rather than in a lump sum. For many, this flexibility makes sense simply because it spreads the donation over 12 months.

• Corporate Match: Many of the Bay Area’s leading employers will match employees’ charitable donations to a designated 501(c)3 organization, including the LPEF. Matching donations from these civic-minded companies range from 25% to 100% of the employee’s donation. Based on our experience, applications can take from three to six months to be processed and, in order to be included in this year’s fundraising efforts, we must receive the matching checks by June 30th, 2014.  Please ask me and I will let you know if your company is already on our list and their average turn around time.

• Appreciated stocks or securities can also be donated to LPEF and have significant tax benefits for the donor.  Contact our VP of Finance, Claire Grosjean at finance@lpef.org for more information. 

• If you shop on Amazon.com, the web site will designate .5% of your purchases on all eligible items to the LPEF. Simply begin your shopping at http://smile.amazon.com and designate the Loma Public Education Fund as the charity of your choice.

If you haven’t already done so, we hope you’ll give consideration to our suggested KEEP! donation of $800 for one child and $1,200 for two ore more.  Any donation amount is greatly appreciated and will help our community reach our goal. Please visit our donation form from our website or in the school offices. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at president@lpef.org or another LPEF Volunteer Governing Board member.

Thank you,

Joni Thomas

President

Loma Public Education Fund