The Saratoga Education Foundation is sending out letters this week to parents in the district's four schools, explaining the financial situation and asking for funding to keep class sizes small.

Proposed statewide education budget cuts mean Saratoga could lose between 5.7 percent and 12.6 percent of the $5,243 per student that the district anticipates it will receive in 2003­04. As a result, the schools may be forced to change class sizes from 20 students per one teacher to 25:1, and keep fourth through eighth grades at a ratio of 30:1

Concerned with the potential class size increases, Saratoga Elementary School parents brainstormed ways to prevent such a scenario from occurring. The solution was to turn to the foundation, which can use private funding to pay for teachers' salaries.

"These budget cuts are so severe that we would need $1.25 million to keep things in the district as they are," said foundation co-president Shinku Sharma, a Saratoga Elementary parent.

"We've never done anything like this before," said Maya Baba, foundation vice president of school programs. "This is one way for parents to make donations to the foundation, which we will, in turn, give to the district."

The foundation hopes to raise the money before May 10; school districts are required by law to issue final layoff notices to certificated staff—including teachers—by May 15.

If the entire amount is raised after May 15, the district can take back layoff notices but may have to deal with teachers who have started to look for and take jobs elsewhere, said Cathie Thermond, district board representative to the foundation. "What we can't afford to do is do something that takes more money away from other programs and students in the district," Thermond said.

That means that the $810,000 that the foundation has raised throughout the year must be used for its original purposes—programs and staff in music, art, science, physical education and the library.

"We're able to enrich the district's curriculum by promoting excellence in education," Baba said. "We try to make it a well-rounded curriculum for the kids."

"Our intent is to provide as many programs and keep class sizes as small as we can," Thermond said.

The $1.25 million will keep the classes in all of the district's schools consistently small. If the foundation raises less than that amount, however, some class sizes will have to increase, while others may be able to stay the same.

Sharma pointed out that the foundation was founded in 1981, at a time when schools in the state were going through funding cuts. The founders' "purpose was to raise funds from local sources to keep the quality of education," Sharma said.

The foundation now raises money through two mailings to the community (in addition to the one this week), a gift-wrap sale in September, a phone-a-thon in February and Redwood Middle School's Jog-a-Thon.

Another event is coming up on May 9, but instead of raising funds, it is intended to serve as a way to show appreciation for major sponsors. Leadership Circle and Sponsorship Circle donors, who have $700 per child or $5,000 total, respectively, are invited to the celebration at the Cooper-Garrod Estate Vineyards.

According to event co-coordinator Kelly Berryhill, the evening will have wine and catered food, as it has had in previous years. Under the guidance of music specialist Margie Alejandro, students will put on some sort of musical performance. Along with the donors, officials such as district Superintendent Mary Gardner and principals of the individual schools will attend.

Berryhill emphasizes that the reception is not a fundraising event but merely a way to honor major donors. "It's just a way for us to say, 'Thank you so much for being part of the foundation.' "

For more information on the Saratoga Education Foundation or to make a donation, email president@saratoga-sef.org or call 408.867.3424, ext. 314.