Expected teacher reduction imminent for Del Mar elementary schools

The Del Mar Union School District (DMUSD) is facing a reduction of three credentialed ESC teacher positions for the 2011-12 school year if additional contributions are not received by its fundraising deadline of April 30.

The Extended Curriculum Program (ESC) of science, music, art, technology and physical education has seen reductions in each of the last two years and now faces yet another reduction for the next school year. This latest reduction would mean that a total of seven ESC teacher positions have been lost over the last three school years, significantly impacting the eight elementary schools that comprise the DMUSD from offering a full-slate of ESC education.

The responsibility to ensure that the ESC program is properly staffed and funded falls on the shoulders of the parents in the district. The Del Mar School Education Foundation (DMSEF) is operated by parent volunteers whose sole mission is to collect contributions to fund the programs mentioned above that are in danger of staff reductions.

The DMSEF has set a $2 million fundraising goal to supply a fully funded ESC program and has increased the number of fundraisers this past year to get more parents both aware and involved. While contributions are currently at $1.1 million, the foundation is working feverishly to maximize contributions by the district-imposed fundraising deadline of April 30.

Parents are asked to make a contribution immediately through the DMSEF to support the ESC programs. Only credentialed teachers are hired for the DMUSD ESC programs, one of the reasons why the district stays a leader in education and test scores in the region. DMSEF President Drew Issacman states “We know times are tight for many families, but if we can get every student family to contribute to the best of their ability, all of our children will certainly benefit.”

Contributions can be made and more information about the DMSEF is available at its website: www.DelMarKids.org.

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Posted by Lorine Wright on Apr 25, 2011. Filed under Carmel Valley, Del Mar, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry