Saratoga News

Education

Taste of Tuscany provides flavor of what schools offer to children

By Michele Tjin

Eat fine Italian food, bid on a Maui vacation home and learn about art in the same way students do. Parents will have a chance to do all three when the Los Gatos Education Foundation kicks off the year with an Italian party.

The LGEF, which raises money for the Los Gatos Union School District, hosts its fourth annual "Taste of Tuscany" on Oct. 8 at Hotel Los Gatos, 210 E. Main St. The strolling food and wine event, for which tickets are still available, will be catered by the new restaurant Dio Deka.

"The biggest thing we fund is keeping the classes small," said Julie Mannina, the foundation's vice president for special events. "We fund the arts, music, math programs, school librarians--anything above and beyond what the state doesn't fund."

Volunteers say they expect this event to bring in $100,000. Their fundraising goal for the year is $1 million.

While parents and community members can bid on vacation homes in France, Martha's Vineyard and Catalina Island, event organizers say the focus should be on the classroom specialists the foundation raises money for. Specialists in math, music, science and art will be on hand during the fundraiser to show samples of student work. In different rooms at Hotel Los Gatos, parents can learn about what their children are studying by participating in the same demonstrations and activities they do in class.

"It's not just about raising money. We're raising awareness for who it is that parents generously raise funds for every year," said LGEF president Annie Darrow. "We're not just raising money for math manipulatives. We fund people who do these programs."

Music students from Fisher Middle School will be on hand to provide some of the entertainment, as will Pasquale Esposito, a performer of Italian music.

Tickets, which cost $60, can be purchased online at www.lgef.org or at the door. The event will run 2-6 p.m. on Oct. 8.