CONGRATULATIONS
PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
This important program to support our schools with unmet needs was spearheaded by generous donations from Jeff & Cherie Thompson and Rancho Mission Viejo
Public schools have struggled with budget woes in recent years, so parents are increasingly stepping up to financially support their children's schools. But where does that leave schools with predominantly low-income students, whose parents may not be able to afford to contribute?
When Jeff and Cherie Thompson learned that every school in 92780 Tustin is designated as a Title 1 school with high percentages of children from low-income families, they were touched by how many of the teachers had to add their own resources to support their classrooms. Although federal funds are available to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards, these TUSD schools cannot rely on donations from their parent organizations to fill in the gaps or match programs offered in other parts of the district. The Thompsons concluded that there had to be something more that could be done to lighten the load a teacher carries at an impoverished school and asked the Tustin Community Foundation to help them raise and direct funds to "adopt schools" in Tustin.
The intent of the program is to make it easy for the teachers to use, while maintaining accountability through their principals. These funds shall be:
1. Evenly distributed, as best as possible, between classrooms or for a specific school program;
2. Used for classroom activities not currently funded by the district, school or grant;
3. Classroom donations are decided at the discretion of each teacher and approved by the Principal. For example, if there is a need for art supplies or if a teacher sees that a student could not afford to buy a backpack, these funds are eligible;
5. Donation for school-wide programs are made to the PTO/PTA;
4. Reimbursed by the school principal or PTO/PTA Treasurer with a receipt determined acceptable, applicable.
Donors are able to select their school of choice or rely on the decision of the TCF Adopt-A-School Committee.