Specialized Credentialed Teachers & Librarians– We fund Science Teachers, Music Teachers, Reading Specialists, Library Specialists salaries. Specialized teachers provide students with a rich curriculum that allows them to dive deeper into the subject matter. Funding teachers salaries allows BRSSD to keep their student:teacher ratios low.
What We Fund
SchoolForce raises funds each year to support students in the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District from our parents and businesses in the community. SchoolForce fundraising always supports the following school year, because we need to know the funds raised before the District can allocate the budget and hire the necessary staff.
Providing funding on a district-wide level allows our schools to hire staff that the state allocation does not fund. BRSSD has a $52M year budget with SchoolForce representing $2.2M in 2021 or 4.5% of the annual budget with yearly growth. Of that $2.2M, over $1.7M was spent on salaries. Because SchoolForce pays for salaries, funds are raised in the year prior to ensure the employment of these critical staff. Additionally, the cost of funding staff is significant, and thus SchoolForce’s suggested donation is $1550. For more details on the SchoolForce grant allocation by the district, please refer to our Annual Report.
Counselors & SEL Support– Counselors at all school sites teach a rich social emotional learning curriculum to help students develop social skills as well as help individual students and small groups. Tier 1 social emotional learning is taught in the classroom by licensed therapists; they work on relationships and expression of emotions. Tier 2 interventions are small group work that help students to better understand their emotions and their impact. Ralston students have three counselors, one for each grade, to aid in their social-emotional development.
Professional Development– Professional development programs and resources for our teachers, including year-round instructional and STEM coaches.
Field Trip Support: Funding for field trip transportation. Field trips allow students for enhanced learning experiences which align with curriculum.
Arts Programs – Funding art supplies and curriculum for all grade levels to provide a well-rounded education and creative outlet to students.
TK – 5 Physical Education – Funding Physical Education Specialists salaries provides students fun, safe physical education programs that promote health and are correlated to stronger academic performance.
Technology– Funding for the District’s 1:1 student device initiative so every student has access to current technology needed for educational instruction. Includes Chromebooks for in-school and at-home learning.
Middle School Sports & Music – Funding middle school competitive sports to promote health and leadership – dependent this year on guidelines established by the county. Funding Music Boosters and instrument music and repair to advance our students’ musical pursuits.
Innovation Grants– From technology to books and maker kits, SchoolForce Innovation Grants fund innovative, educational activities across all grades and schools. This year we are expanding the grants to include technology that can help teachers with distance learning.
2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR FUNDING
Last year, SchoolForce spent $$2,340,565 supporting students. See below for the breakdown. You can also view SchoolForce’s latest Annual Report for additional details.
| District Funding | ||
|---|---|---|
| Science Teachers | $438,000 | |
| Music Support for Elementary & Middle Schools | $380,509 | |
| Counseling Staff | $369,277 | Partially funded by one-time COVID grants & Sequoia Heath Care District |
| Reading/Literacy Specialists | $264,078 | |
| Library Specialists | $224,556 | |
| TK-5 PE and 6-8 Sports | $153,454 | |
| Professional Development | $116,035 | |
| Technology & Fund-a-Need | $113,331 | |
| STEM Initiatives | $69,123 | STEM Coach, science / hands-on science experiences |
| Classroom Air-Purifiers | $38,456 | For smoke day air quality issues |
| Field Trip Transportation | $30,394 | New funding area as insurance no longer permits parent drivers |
| Direct Funding | ||
| LEAP Arts/6-8 Electives | $93,568 | Funded through each school site PTA |
| Innovation Grants | $49,784 | Awarded $89,000 - not all staff were able to complete their projects during this academic year |
| TOTAL | $2,340,565 | |