After-school tutoring program needs $20,000 to continue this fall
We have to have the program. We may do it month-to-month, but we are going to have the money," B. F. Day Elementary School principal Susan McCloskey stated unequivocally. "In my mind, the program will be there next fall."
To that end, this summer McClos-key and volunteer coordinator Beth Tesh are seeking $20,000 to fund the after-school tutoring program at B.F. Day.
'LACKING OWN RESOURCES'
Approximately 15 years ago, Seattle Public Schools' funds initiated the program, and then a five-year grant from Adobe Systems covered the costs.
In the last decade the Atlantic Street Center (ASC), under contract with the city, provided funds. In summer 2005, the contract was not renewed.
In ASC associate director Herman Berlin's opinion, the city shifted its policy and reallocated funds to kids they determined had more need.
Until Dec. 31, 2006, ASC tried to fund the tutoring program out of its budget, but "for lack of our own resources," Berlin said, "we couldn't continue."
ACADEMIC NEED
Twice a week approximately 50 B.F. Day students in grades 1 through 5 benefit from after-school tutoring. A teacher, parent or the student can generate a referral to the program.
The students involved generally can't complete work at their assigned grade level in reading, writing and/or mathematics.
"They may not get help at home," Tesh explained. In some cases, students come from households where parents don't speak English as a first language.
"A great part of the program is the mentoring," McCloskey said. "It's about building self-esteem in children."
The program deliberately costs students nothing; participation is based strictly on academic need, McCloskey insists, and not as a child-care alternative.
LIMITED COSTS
Funding of the program primarily covers transportation. The cost of two school buses - one goes north and the other south - to deliver 50 kids to homes spread all over Seattle is substantial.
Remaining funds cover administrative costs, including a small stipend for Tesh and her assistant, and supplies.
Tesh thrift shops for what supplies she can, including books and games. The majority of supply funds pay for folders she maintains on each student, containing work and pro-gress notes.
Tesh stocks an art supply cart for homework projects and monitors these resources to avoid waste.
Tesh also accepts donations. Getty Images generously provides snacks that sustain students through the afternoon.
Most significantly, the tutors are all volunteers. A significant number are high school and college students but local employees from Adobe, Getty Images and Google help out, as have parents, retired people and one former City Year volunteer.
Fremont Baptist Church supports the school, and its pastor, Judy Gay, volunteers as a tutor.
OTHER FUNDING PRIORITIES
The program goal is for one-on-one tutoring for the 50 students, and 90 people worked as tutors over the last school year.
Still, "on one day I have about 35 tutors," Tesh admitted, as health problems, work conflicts or general life issues sometimes interfere with volunteer efforts.
Even with great volunteers, the program needs money to operate. "Everyone is losing funding," Mc-Closkey observed. "Funding is being cut back."
In late June, the Giving USA Foundation at Indiana University released an annual report that showed nationwide annual giving by Americans went up again in 2006, and individual donors provide 75.6 percent of those contributions. Companies and foundations, however, actually gave less in 2006, a drop of 10.5 percent.
"It's soft mon-ey," McCloskey explained. "Every year we don't know where it is going to come from."
These funds aren't part of the Seattle School District building, or general operating, budget for B.F. Day. A serious boost in enrollment this fall could increase the building budget and could, theoretically, cover the program, but McCloskey admitted it's not the first thing she would restore.
"We lost two teachers this year," she said, and her priority, with building funds, is to see those positions returned.
For after-school tutoring, they keep looking for private funds. "We don't start the tutoring program until October," McCloskey stated hopefully.
Tesh has filed for the very competitive statewide 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, as well as another grant through Albertson's. If neither comes through, McCloskey vows to hunt down the money elsewhere, funding the program a month at a time if necessary.
THE STRUGGLE FOR ANSWERS
"I survived my rookie year!" Tesh proudly proclaimed. Her first year at B.F. Day included running the after-school tutoring program without formal funding after January.
Continued efforts by ASC and careful resource management kept it going until April, but "we ended early because we didn't have enough mon-ey," she said.
As students asked her where they could get help on final homework assignments, Tesh struggled to give them answers. With school out for the summer, Tesh and principal McCloskey continue with that struggle.
Potential donors and volunteers can call B.F. Day, at 252-6010.
Kirby Lindsay welcomes your questions at fremont@oz.net.
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