The Stoneham Public Schools Foundation’s (SPSF) Annual Appeal is under way and we would like to have some fun with a contest to see how much we can raise to support our efforts in the coming year. We have partnered with Firstgiving to give us the ability to have a contest in which all the schools will be rewarded, if we hit the first goal.

To get started each school will receive a cash award based on the SPSF hitting the initial goal of $20,000 raised.  In addition to the school awards there will be bonus awards for the Elementary and Middle School PTOs, Athletic Boosters, Music Parents and Drama Parents at the High School if we hit the $25,000 mark.  To make it a little more fun there will also be prizes with one awarded to the top elementary school, one awarded to the top grade team in the Middle School and one for the top grade level in the High School.

To get started you need to go to the SPSF page on Firstgiving, register and setup your SPSF fundraising page. You can customize it anyway you want.  You will also need to join the team you want to be part of with you choosing an elementary school, Middle School grade or High School grade. While most of the awards are based on the total amount the SPSF raises there will be some top team awards as well.

Once you have your page created and team selected you can start promoting your page and the SPSF goals using your page on Facebook, your Twitter feed, email or any other social network you may participate in.  While asking for the support of your network you should also try and get the people you know to setup their own page and join the team you are on.  The more people that get involved to help generate support for your team the greater the awards potential for your team and all the schools. Remember anybody you know can be a member of your team and can help fund raise to support the SPSF and your team.

Please join us at http://www.firstgiving.com/stonehampsf/Event/annualcommunityappeal.

Each school will be rewarded with additional projectors and documents cameras to expand the interactive learning environment. This will be in addition to the cash awards each school will receive to use the school or grade level chooses.  This could include an enrichment activity for the whole school or might mean adding the money to the Class fund to help with future events like the Prom or yearbook. All the money the foundation raises during this appeal will allow us to continue funding the programs we have been for the past few years.  In addition to the programs we hope to help further expand the use of technology in the classrooms.  This could include additional Smartboards for each school or mobile learning carts for each school.  These being in addition to the projectors and document cameras we have already mentioned.

The Stoneham Public Schools Foundation was founded in 2004 to help build community support for strong public schools.  Over the past seven years the (SPSF) has been able to provide over $50,000 to fund various programs including Instrumental Music in the elementary schools, the Intramural programs at the Middle School and Academic and Athletic programs at the High School. Beyond the programs we have help secure equipment donations, which included several large whiteboards for the classrooms, monitors for the computer labs and document cameras for the High School

For us to be able to continue funding these programs, and to start impacting other areas like technology, we need your help in building support for the SPSF and the children and schools we support. Your help will make a difference to the children of Stoneham, and the entire Stoneham Community, both today and in the future.

School Rewards

If the foundation hits the initial goal of raising $20,000 every school will start earning the following

rewards

Every school will receive one Projector and One Document Camera for every $25,000 raised up to 4 for each elementary school and 6 for the High School and Middle School

Bonus Rewards

If the SPSF hits the goal of $25,000 or more:

• Each Elementary School PTO will get a bonus reward equal to what the school earns for a Reward.
• The Middle School PTO will get a bonus reward equal to what the three grades earn for a reward.
• The High School Athletic Boosters, High School Music Parents and High School Drama Parents will each get a bonus reward equal to one third of the total school reward

There will be a bonus reward for the top elementary school, top Middle School Grade and top High School grade equal to the amount they have earned under the School Rewards section.