Piedmont Education Foundation Presents $4,039,957 Check to PUSD at School Board Meeting

 In News

PEF extends a heartfelt thank you to the incredible donors, volunteers, staff, and the PEF Board of Directors who made this record-breaking grant possible. The community’s collective effort ensures that PUSD continues to provide exceptional educational opportunities for all students.

The Piedmont Education Foundation (PEF) proudly presented a check for $4,039,957 to the Piedmont Unified School District (PUSD) during the school board meeting on Wednesday, September 25. This substantial grant represents a year’s worth of dedicated fundraising by PEF, demonstrating the community’s unwavering support for local education.

The funds were raised through a combination of the annual Giving Campaign, Spring Fling, Harvest Festival, Dress Best for Less, business sponsorships, a distribution from the PEF endowment fund, and a generous bequest from Pamela Wells Rafanelli. Ms. Rafanelli, a beloved former teacher at Havens and Beach schools, left a legacy gift to support professional development opportunities for Piedmont educators.

PEF raised $321,660 through last year’s Spring Fling and Harvest Festival, which is being allocated to fund critical projects such as classroom technology, decodable books for the phonics curriculum, and initiatives to promote a positive playground culture at Beach, Havens, and Wildwood schools.

The remaining $3,693,297 is being distributed to all Piedmont schools based on student enrollment, with:

  • 94% support the salaries of essential educators, including classroom teachers, librarians, paraeducators, classroom aides, intervention specialists, technology coordinators, counselors, nurses, psychologists, athletics staff, and special education professionals.
  • 6% is designated for curriculum and instruction development, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives, professional development, and classroom supplies.

PEF’s Giving Campaign co-chairs Kim Hunter and Catie Osborn presented the check and spoke about the launch of the 2024-25 Giving Campaign on Tuesday, September 24. They thanked the PEF Board of Directors and the PUSD Board of Education for achieving 100% participation. All members of these boards have already pledged or donated toward this year’s campaign. Hunter stressed the importance of participation by all members of the Piedmont school community. Donations can be made to Piedmont Education Foundation at 401 Highland Ave, or online at PiedmontEdFoundation.org/donate.