For more information:
Marci-Beth Maple
Vine Hill Elementary Auction Chair
831-588-0830
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Scotts Valley, Calif. — January 21, 2014: Vine Hill Elementary School has partnered with the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation to launch a pilot Read-A-Thon program. The program is a targeted attempt by Vine Hill’s PTA to raise the money necessary to fund programs that otherwise wouldn’t exist. As a new component of Vine Hill’s auction series, an event that historically nets over $110,000, the students are being challenged to directly raise money for their Art and Music programs. These two programs alone cost over $40,000 each year.
Vine Hill’s Auction Series is the school’s flagship fundraiser and is used to fund programs such as music, art, additional science, a life lab garden, computer lab and school technology upgrades, physical movement for lower grades, and much needed classroom support to offset larger class sizes during critical learning times. The auction series consists of this newly added Read-A-Thon, an online auction
( www.vinehillauction.com ) and a live auction event at Hotel Paradox on March 22.
The Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce has decided to spearhead the effort to engage the local business community in maintaining the quality of our schools. Many local businesses have decided to sponsor entire classrooms of readers. “We are incredibly excited to partner with Vine Hill Elementary School to pilot this program. The business community in Scotts Valley has long been supportive of our local schools and we see this program having incredible potential to extend throughout all of our local schools next year” said Danny Reber, Board President, Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Derek Timm, President of the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation said, “Scotts Valley’s schools are known for excellence. We see the efforts of our local parent clubs and PTAs as vital to maintaining that standard. Many of the programs directly funded by these efforts have been shown to map directly toward school ratings and test scores and especially so with the new Common Core Standards.”
Vine Hill’s Principal, Michelle Stewart agrees with the importance. “All of our teachers are on board to be using our scheduled reading time to help the students pay for our Art and Music programs. A recent study by Michigan State University showed how students who are exposed to music and art regularly are more apt to discover and invent things as adults. And my personal research has shown significant ties with these programs and our students’ success with literacy in general.”
Over the course of two weeks, each student will read for 30 minutes per day and collect sponsorships through an online software-tracking program. In addition, many community leaders will be visiting the school to lead a class in one of their 10 reading sessions. Current readers scheduled to appear include the Mayor, a chemist for NASA, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Newspaper Editor, Sheriff and Physician – among others. To sponsor a classroom of readers, contact Marci-Beth Maple at [email protected].
And to further support the efforts of Vine Hill’s PTA, plan to visit the online auction on March 3 at www.vinehillauction.com.
Vine Hill Elementary and the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation are both considering this to be a pilot program with the goal of expanding this program to all Scotts Valley Elementary students in 2015.
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About the Vine Hill Elementary School PTA
The Vine Hill Elementary School PTA exists to positively impact the lives of all children and families by representing our members, and empowering and supporting them with skills in advocacy, leadership and communications. It is a professional, non-profit volunteer organization committed to the well being of all children.
If you are interested in donating to the Vine Hill auction, please contact [email protected]. Additional information is available at www.vinehillauction.com or at http://www.vinehill.santacruz.k12.ca.us/.