PLEASE DONATE TO THE 2015-2016 EL RODEO ANNUAL FUND!

Dear El Rodeo Families,

What makes El Rodeo 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 the hardworking teachers and staff?

Is it the wonderful “extras” we get at El Rodeo, such as computer labs, science enrichment, athletic equipment, musical theatre, teaching assistants, iPads for classroom use, software for math and language arts intervention, chess lessons, community garden, live science lab, 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, El Rodeo would be a very different place. The vast majority of public funds allocated to each school provide only basic educational and capital needs (e.g. salaries, books, and some supplies). In today’s economy, these budgets have become even tighter,and the modest amount of money remaining for educational enrichment presents our school with a very challenging task. How can El Rodeo stretch its limited resources to create what we all want for our children: a well-rounded education that includes science, athletics, music, and the arts?

The El Rodeo Annual Fund Drive 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 Annual Fund Driveis our greatest community-wide fundraising effort, and it accounts for the largest percentage of our total fund-raising budget.

YourPTAis askingeach El Rodeo family to make a monetary contribution tothe Annual Fund Drive to support the many “extras”El Rodeo offers. Therecommended donation amount is $500 for each childthat attends El Rodeo.

But this recommended donation is just that — a recommendation. The PTA encourages every family to donate whatever they can comfortably afford.In recognition of your generous gift, you will receive a free student directory (one per family), as well as a PTA membership. Additionally, the name of your family will gratefully be listed in each issue of the weekly El Rodeo newsletter.

Your donation can be paid all at once or over the course of the year (maximum of 4 installments), but what matters most is your participation. We have two primary goals: keeping up with ever-increasing costs in the face of shrinking resources, and increasing the percentage of families who participate in the Annual Fund Drive. Our goal is 100% participation.

The El Rodeo PTA is an IRS-designated non-for-profit organization and, as such, 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 consider asking your employer’s human resources department whether your company will match your donation.

Your donation has an immediate, positive impact on your children, their education, and their overall experience at El Rodeo. Please complete the Annual Fund Donor Envelope attached. You canmail in your check or credit card information,return the envelope to your child’s teacher, or drop it off at the school office. You can also donate to the Annual Fund directly online at

Please make your tax-deductible donation today, in whatever amount works for you and your family.We hope we can count on your continuing generosity as we work together to make the 2015 – 2016 school year a resounding success.

Kevin Allen, El Rodeo Principal

Linda Jankowski – Krissy Austin, El Rodeo Co-PTA Presidents

Mandy Katz, El Rodeo PTA Annual Fund Chair

P.S. Donate the minimum recommended donation of $500 per child by September 11, 2015, and you will be entered in a rafflefor a chancethat your child will be El Rodeo’s principal for a day!