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Dear PS 40 Families,
What makes PS 40 such a special school?
Is it the small-town feel you get when you walk through the hallways?
Is it the dedication of the principal and her hardworking teachers and staff?
Is it the wonderful "extras" we get at PS40, such as our well-funded music program, National Dance Institute instruction, chess lessons, track team, new computers, carpets for the classrooms, new auditorium sound system and on and on?
Or is it simply the active participation of you, the families, in supporting your child's education?
The answer is "yes" to all of the above. And we have each of you to thank for enhancing the educational experience our children will have this year.
Without your support, PS 40 would be a very different place. The vast majority of funds allocated to each school by the New York City Department of Education provides only basic educational and capital needs (e.g. salaries, books, and supplies). In today's economy, these budgets have become even tighter as the state-and the city-grapple with significant budget shortfalls.
The small amount of money remaining for educational enrichment presents our principal with a very difficult task: how to stretch her limited resources to create what we all want for our children, a well-rounded education that includes athletics, music, science, languages, and the arts.
The PS 40 Direct Appeal gives families an opportunity to help stretch our funding to encompass all the programs and activities that make our school such a wonderful educational community. The PTA does fund-raisers throughout the year-bake sales, wrapping paper sales, the auction-but the Direct Appeal is our single community-wide fundraising drive and accounts for a large percentage of our total fund-raising budget.
The Direct Appeal asks all PS 40 families to make a financial contribution in support of PS 40's enrichment programs. As always, the recommended tax-deductible donation is $400 per family (only about $2.18 per school day). But this "recommended" donation is just that -- a recommendation. The PTA encourages every family to donate whatever they can comfortably afford. Your donation can be paid all at once or over the course of the year but what matters most is your participation. We have two goals: keeping up with ever-increasing costs in the face of shrinking resources, and increasing the percentage of families who participate in the Direct Appeal. If we can increase the percentage of families who participate in the Direct Appeal, we will strengthen our external funding opportunities, as many funding agencies want to see a firm commitment from within the community before pledging their support.
The PS 40 PTA is an IRS-designated not-for-profit organization so your donations are fully tax-deductible. An acknowledgment of your donation will be sent to you for tax purposes. Many corporations offer matching donation programs for their employees. Please ask your human resources department to find out whether your employer will match your donation.
Your donation has an immediate, positive impact on your children, their education, and their overall experience at PS 40. Please complete the section below and mail in your check, money order or credit card information or drop it off personally at the school office. Please make your tax-deductible donation today, in whatever amount works for you and your family.
Thanks for your attention. We hope we can count on your continuous generosity as we work together to make the 2012-2013 school year a resounding success.
Sincerely,
Mala Mosher & Reni Matsushita
Co-Presidents of PS 40 PTA
Augustus Saint-Gaudens Elementary School | PS 40
320 East 20th Street, New York, NY 10003
Main: 212-475-5500, PTA: 212-420-0170
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