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Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ)
Here are some common questions and answers about School Fuel,
the Novato Foundation for Public Education. If you have a question
you don't see addressed here, please let
us know and we will do our best to find out the answer
for you.
Questions
Q. What do you fund?
A. This year, School Fuel
helped out the community by funding 'cut' programs caused by
the budget cuts. School Fuel donated to NUSD from School Fuel
for 2004-2005 school year $160,222.
- Elementary Music & P.E. = 1.2 full time positions =
$72,000
- Middle School Algebra = (3) sections – one for each
middle school = $36,000
- High School Electives = (4) sections – two for each
high school (NHS & SMHS) = $48,000
- NOVA = $1890 to be spent per the 2004-2005 school year
School Fuel Priority list of June 1, 2004.
- Marin Oaks = $1302 to be spent per the 2004-2005 school
year School Fuel Priority list of June 1, 2004.
- Art supplement per Art, Wine & Music Festival = $1030
- 3% of donations towards School Fuel's Endowment = $5507.
Q. Can I contribute
to a particular school?
A. Federal guidelines require
that foundation donations be applied across the district per
school type. For example, you can specify that your donation
go towards the elementary schools, the middle schools, the
high schools, or leave it unmarked to be used where most needed.
Q.
What is the difference between what a parcel tax can do for
the Novato Unified School District and what School Fuel can
do?
A. A parcel tax can be
counted on by the district as a constant funding resource which
can
be used to calculate the state required multi-year projections.
Basic programs that the district must fund need to be funded
in this manner to comply with public school accounting practices.
School Fuel is a fairly new foundation and does not yet have
a track record for how much it can raise on a yearly basis.
Although School Fuel intends to build integral enrichment programs
within the structure of the NUSD curriculum, School Fuel cannot
guarantee funds at a certain amount on a yearly basis at the
present time and therefore the district cannot use School Fuel
as a reliable funding source for it’s accounting procedures.
Q. How
does School Fuel differ from PTAs/PTSAs and Booster Clubs?
A. PTAs and PTSAs are vital
organizations within each school that provide a vehicle to
the state PTA lobby group to advocate for public education
on behalf of students, parents and teachers. PTAs and PTSA
have ventured into the fundraising arena because of the need
at each school site for facilities upgrades unavailable with
district funds and to enrich the curriculum with assemblies
and special one time activities that do not involve salaries
and benefits. Booster also provide all the “stuff” to
run music/drama/sports programs that the district cannot afford
to fund out of its general funds. Salaries are not generally
a portion of what boosters fund. School Fuel, however, can
fund salaries and benefits for teachers and staff and any necessary
materials to run an entire program through the district. These
programs can be run within the district or on the outside of
the district. School Fuel intends to make the enrichment programs
it funds through the district as part of the regular curriculum
if at all possible.
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