Welcome to the Web site of the Parent/Teacher Organization of the Fountain Hills Unified School District. We're glad you're here! Whether you're looking for Calendar information, Fund Raising Events, the minutes of our latest PTO Meeting, or if you need to contact a particular PTO board member, you've come to the right place. We think you'll find our site pretty comprehensive. Of course, anytime you'd like, you're also welcome to contact us personally.
We have a lot going on here in our Fountain Hills School District, and we're happy to have you share it all with us.
If you are new to the Fountain Hills School District and you would like a complimentary booklet explaining the PTO, please send an email to the PTO at fountainhillsPTO@cox.net with "New to the District" in the subject line.
The Fountain Hills PTO has set various goals for the 2008-2009 school year. We have many fundraisers planned throughout the year to make the goals attainable and we appreciate the efforts of so many that make these events happen.
Please take part in helping us achieve our goals:
- funding our libraries with the most current titles
- equipping our computer labs with state of the art computers
- hosting teacher appreciation luncheons and dinners
- financing field trips
- purchasing "Study Island" for children to prepare for the AIMS tests
- providing funding for Gifted Classrooms
- purchasing state of the art computer equipment, such as Smart Boards & video equipment
Dear Friends and Parents of Public Education:
There is a lot going on at the Legislature these days, so here is an overview.
Bills
The Senate has put a moratorium on hearing any bills until the 2010 budget is complete.
The House is hearing bills, but none will get a floor vote until the budget is ratified. This will either mean that a ton of bills come to the floor at the same time, or that by the time the budget is done no one will have the energy to deal with all the bills in the hopper. For a look at the bills coming through the education committee, log onto educateaz.org, the House Education Committee's website. We will try to keep you informed of important education bills, but our focus will be the 2010 budget.
2010 Budget
There is a real deficit for 2010 of about $3.3 billion dollars, and an expected additional shortfall in 2009 of another $450 million. This means that cuts will be inevitable. SPC and SUSD are meeting with all our legislators from districts 11 and 8 next week.
The important message that we want our legislators to hear is that we want to find ways to reconcile the real deficit with a commitment to quality education. Now more than ever, we understand the need to fund priorities. Education must be our priority for the sake of our children, and for the growth and recovery of our State economy. By working with our legislators, we would like to find ways to insure that we mitigate the effect of cuts on the classroom, and encourage our representatives to use all the tools at their disposal in crafting a 2010 budget.
In the coming days and weeks, we will be asking you to come to committee hearings and to send along your written support for prioritizing education funding in the budget negotiations. We will be sure to send you facts and ideas to help your craft your notes. Thanks in advance for your support!
Stimulus Package and Education
The most important issue to understand about the federal stimulus package is that it will be accepted and used at the discretion of the Governor. Despite rumors you may be hearing about certain legislators being unwilling to accept these funds, the real decision lies only with the Governor, and all indications to date are that she is inclined to accept the help.
Estimates are that Arizona's total share of funding over 2 years is a little over $4 billion. There is a MOE (Maintenance of Effort) Clause that requires States to stay at 2008/09 levels of funding to qualify for federal aide. Estimates for this would allow Arizona to cut up to $433 million and stay within the required MOE. Unfortunately, there is also a provision allowing governors to ask for a waiver to allow them to cut below the 2006 MOE requirement, which would allow greater cuts. There is, as of yet, no indication of how the funds will be divided between K-12 and higher education needs. More direction should come from the federal government over the next month.
There is also some money in the stimulus directed toward Title 1 schools and special education. There are strings to this money including how well we comply with certain "No Child Left Behind" requirements. Again, more information will be forthcoming.
Getting Ready to Get Involved
The next few weeks will be busy and we will be asking for a lot of parental support. Many of you are getting involved in contacting your legislators for the very first time, so here is a little etiquette primer on the do's and don'ts of conversing with your elected officials.
- DO be polite, brief, and original. A few words about why you choose public education and why you think it should be a State priority will go a long way toward opening a dialogue. And don't be shy about forwarding ideas you have about increasing revenues or where to make cuts. We have a real deficit to close, being realistic and offering ideas shows genuine concern for the subject.
- DON'T make threats. We can disagree, but we mustn't be disagreeable. Threats of recall will not get us a seat at the table to work out the issue of education funding.
- DO put your name and address at the bottom of your letter. Let your representatives know that you are one of their own constituents.
- DON'T get side tracked. Stick to one topic at a time. Our hope is that your priority topic is education!
- DO follow up. Be patient and wait for an answer, but feel free to follow up with a phone call.
- DON'T "wing it." Be prepared with accurate information before you write your letter. If you need information, contact someone who might have the answer. Incorrect or incomplete information damages your credibility.
- DO remember to say "Thank you." Whether or not you agree with your representatives, they are serving our State and have given their time in responding to you. An open dialogue is the best way for us to have influence over the process.
