Foundation Infuses District With $3.35 Million

Parent volunteers achieved an aggressive goal this year, raising millions of dollars for their neighborhood schools and breaking a fundraising record. 

The  gave the Menlo Park City School District a grant for $3,350,000 Monday during a Board of Trustees meeting in Atherton. 

Superintendent  said the accomplishment was phenomenal.

“Ten percent of our budget this year comes from fundraising,” Ghysels said. “This shows that we’ve built a healthy and strong giving community.” 

The MPAEF is a non-profit foundation that has raised money for the schools in the district, which include , , and , for the past 30 years. It is primarily composed of parents whose children are enrolled in those schools. Last year, the the district $2.6 million. At the time, that was 8.3 percent of the district’s budget. 

This year's funds will be injected into the 2012-13 budget and used for core services such as teacher salaries and professional development, according to the foundation’s website.

District administrators and board members verbally lauded the foundation for building a strong and healthy community of people who give back to their community.

“Kids need parents who model giving,” said Superintendent Ghysels, noting that actions speak louder than words.

“It’s not what we tell them we do; it’s what we do,” he said.    

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