Manhattan School for Children Newsletter October, 1999

Last fall we started a Reading buddy program at MSC. Parents have been working with children as their buddies, reading one-on-one with a particular child. Our buddies sometimes read to children or share reading a book. They can share their favorite books or work with books that the child has in their classroom. The children benefit from the increased time, pleasure and support in reading as well as from the ongoing relationship with a caring adult. Parents benefit both because they learn reading skills to help another child and because it is gratifying to help a child learn.

A second part of our program is undertaken by Jewish Community Council. They supply volunteers from Barnard and other neighborhood organizations to act as Reading Buddies. These volunteers work with students at the school during the school day.

The program operates during school (usually lunch) or after school, depending on the volunteer's schedule. Teachers identify children who would benefit from this additional support and then we hook them up with a Buddy. Though the program has been small it has been very successful and the children involved have blossomed

We hope more families (yes, grandparents are welcome) will come forward to help. Contact me to register.

A number of people wrote in and asked about fund raising – why do we need to raise money, why doesn't District 3 provide more for our children, and what does the money we raise get spent on?

Dan Arshack: PTA Treasurer responds: The District provides funds for classroom teachers, out-of-class specialists, administration as well as for the physical environment - the building, the custodial staff, basic furniture, and supplies. There is an allocation that totals up to be about $60 per child just for books and supplies for the year. This obviously barely covers the very basics for each class.

The allocation is not enough because the State and City do not provide enough funds for public education. It is important to note that the New York City allocation is anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 less per child than it is for the rest of the State. Budget promises, such as funds for reduced class size, made in the last election year have been withdrawn or significantly reduced. One article in the news suggested in real dollars - money adjusted for inflation - that Americans spend less on children's education now than at anytime since World War Two. (Unless of course we send our children to private school. Why is it Guiliani considers $7,500 wasteful in public schools but spends $18,000 on his child's private school?)

Now to how we spend the money we raise. Through our grants work we support several teaching lines, and much of our technology and arts programs. Grant money supported the Arts Education Day last spring and a number of professional development activities. We also bought books for the classroom libraries, and paid for dance instruction in the Upper School with grant money.

A large portion of the money we raise, really the bulk of our funds raised through parent activities, is dedicated to supplies for teachers: $500 to $1,000 for each teacher (25 teachers). Each teacher has access to funds to buy supplies and books for his/her classroom curriculum. This money gives them the ability to tailor classroom libraries and supplies to their curriculum needs and enrich their classroom environments with many games and supplies. Buying multiple-copy books for reading groups was our second greatest expense, along with furnishing the art studio and tech lab. We supply close to $5,000 worth of copy paper for all school uses (homework, letters, communication etc.)

We supply funds so all children, regardless of means, can attend outings and buy tickets to shows and we supplement what parents contribute for babysitters for Family Meetings. We bought plants for the school and hardware supplies to build shelves, paint walls and repair things around the school. We bought 25 8 x10 ft carpets. A small portion of our funds is channeled back into further fund raising supplies.