Why is a separate fundraiser necessary for this initiative?

The COVID pandemic has challenged the schools to rethink everything about how they operate.  As a group who fundraises for the district K-12, members of the MCPE board were contacted regarding additional pandemic related school needs.  MCPE responded by creating this specific fundraising initiative: a set of resources to optimize the health, safety and learning environment as we move forward for both the remainder of this year, and potentially into next year.

 

Will MCPE use the funds already raised by its community events for this initiative?

No. This fundraising effort is completely separate from any previous MCPE donations. Monies raised through our regular annual fundraisers (i.e. Fall Fest, Trivia, Spelling Bee, etc.) will remain in place to support our core mission of academic enrichment for the Medfield Public Schools.

 

I already pay so much to live here and send my kids to Medfield schools. Why should I donate?

All the above costs are above and beyond the scope of the standard school operating budget. We know everyone is so sick of the word “unprecedented,” but that’s what this is. Remember a year ago when we all thought the closure would last a week or so? These are unprecedented needs and safety measures that could not have been predicted or paid for out of the normal school budget.

 

What about Cohort D?

Any safety measures and enhancements put in place for the safety of students currently in the building will continue to create a safe environment when Cohort D students and teachers return to the buildings.  We are hoping these measures will help add to their feeling of security when they choose to send their students back to the buildings.

 

The kids are going back anyway because of a State directive. What happens if we don’t / won’t / can’t cover these costs?

Dr. Marsden always says that the majority of Medfield’s school budget pays for our teachers and staff. If we cannot cover these additional costs through outside fundraising, the school will still pay for them but will be operating further in the negative for the coming years. Additionally, it is true that the state has mandated that schools go back by certain dates, but the districts still have to work to determine the parameters of that arrangement with their individual teacher unions. These measures, and their associated costs, will help us keep our current safety protocols in place and provide continued peace of mind for students, their families and the staff as we return to a full in person model. The community has been asking for the return to full in-person learning and we have done it prior to state mandates because we believe it is the right thing to do.

 

What has all of the funding gone to already if not these things?

COVID Pandemic Expenses & Governmental Support to Date: $1.6 Million