In November 2014, a group of parents from across Sunnyvale School District made good on the notion that “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” Hearing concerns about local schools, the group met to discuss what was going on across the district. It was an inspiring discussion that led to the creation of the Sunnyvale Education Foundation, which this month celebrates its 5th year of working together for a brighter future for all our children.
Those of us who were at the early meetings quickly recognized that our diverse K-8 school district had not only a variety of needs and challenges, but also tremendous assets. Parents wanted more of a voice and better communication. School leaders looked for ways to recruit volunteers and help keep programs running. Field trip buses cost a lot of money, and teachers struggled to have enough volunteer drivers. And the district and principals were doing their best to prioritize resources for maximum impact, chronically faced with more needs than ability to address them all. At the same time, our district had, and continues to have, outstanding educators, effective academic and social-emotional education programs, engaged family communities, and a strong sense of school pride on every campus.
As the founding board members talked and listened to other parents in those early meetings, met with school and district leaders, and did our homework, our eagerness to help make a difference grew along with our understanding that we too had skills and assets to offer. Most neighboring districts benefited from an educational foundation that could leverage and attract resources for school improvement while remaining independent and responsive to community changes in ways that large public institutions cannot. And so, in the spring of 2015, the Sunnyvale Education Foundation was established as a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of supporting and sustaining high quality, enriched education for all students in Sunnyvale School District.
In the last five years our schools and students have benefited from the work of SEF’s dedicated board of directors and contributions from more than 100 different donors. SEF has already raised more than $300,000 for educational programs and resources enhancing the education of students at all 10 schools in the district. Our community’s future is brighter because of a collective commitment to a well-rounded, high quality education for all children. We couldn’t have done it without you.
