Thanks to intense fundraising efforts by the Saratoga Education Foundation, enough money has been raised to not only save teachers but also qualify the district for additional state funding.

The foundation has given the district $230,000, which will pay for three teaching positions and also allow the district to receive class-size reduction program funds. As a result, the district will rehire employees who received pink slips in March and May.

"We've brought back anyone who was interested in coming back," said Ellen Tipton, chief business official for the district.

The funding, however, comes too late for some teachers, who Tipton said have already signed contracts with other districts. Those empty positions, combined with the jobs vacated by last-minute retirees, means the district is hiring seven teachers for grades K­5 and one at the middle school level.

Despite having lost some teachers, district board members were elated to receive news of the foundation's successful fundraising campaign on June 24.

"SEF funded all the programs that we needed," said board member Cindy Ruby. "Let the community know that when it looked like we couldn't do this, we did."

Board President John Waite called the month-long campaign an "extraordinary effort" and applauded with everyone else when Shinku Sharma, co-president of the foundation, made the announcement.

"We can give the district $80,000," Sharma said, noting that it had been preceded by a donation of $150,000 and brought the foundation's total contributions in 2002­03 to $1.1 million. The previous funding for the year had gone to programs and personnel that the foundation traditionally covers. Sharma added that the foundation had also given $60,000 in equipment over the course of the year.

According to Sharma, the $150,000 went to reducing class sizes for grades K-2. At a ratio of 20 students per teacher in those grades, the district was then eligible for $600,000 in class-size reduction funding from the state, allowing it to hire back all the teachers at those levels.

This most recent contribution will also be used for the reduction program, but which grades will benefit is as yet undetermined. Third grades have a cap of 25:1, and grades 4-8 a cap of 30:1. The district is discussing potentially reducing third-grade class sizes.

"If we went to 20:1 at third grade, how many teachers would we need?" she said. According to calculations based on current enrollment, the district would need approximately four more teachers. "Would the money from the state and the money from SEF be able to fund it?" Tipton asked. And those assumptions are based on existing enrollment—if more third-graders enroll over the summer, the numbers could change. Tipton said there is also a possibility for fourth grade to be reduced to 28:1, but again, there are many unknowns.

Reducing class sizes at Redwood Middle School is not an option at the moment, Sharma said, because $500,000 is needed for the three grade levels. Sharma added that the foundation is already funding a counselor, librarian and science teacher at Redwood.

Sharma said the foundation's fundraising campaign was a "team effort." One $40,000 challenge grant was made—"because of that, people started writing checks, small and big," she said.

"This is hopefully a short-term pain that we have to bear," Sharma said. "But let us be a community and bear through with our tough times."

The foundation is exploring strategies for 2003­04. "Next year, when we appeal to parents, we will appeal to them for both programs and to maintain the class-size reduction," Sharma said. Sharma said she expects the fundraising goal to be at least $1.2 million, but emphasized, "We don't want to fundraise for things we don't need. When it becomes a necessity, we will look to the parents."

Tipton said the district is looking to the future. The district will lose options if it drastically reduces class sizes and is faced with a similar fiscal crisis a year from now.

"We don't want to commit ourselves too far that we can't take necessary measures next year," she said. "We have to consider, if we do this this year, what's going to happen next year?"

At the same board meeting, the board unanimously—with one absence—approved the $8.1 million budget for 2003­04. Even with the elimination of categorical programs, usually funded by the state, the district will have a $359,000 shortfall.

The legislature, however, has yet to approve a state budget, which will impact local education budgets. "Most districts are using the most reasonable assumptions we can make at this point," Tipton said.

"Things are changing this time of year," added Louise Levy, assistant superintendent, special education.