PS 59 (BEEKMAN HILL INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL)
Lower Grade Annual Fund (Pre-K - 1st)
Enrichment for All PS 59 Students
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT is the Lower Grade Annual Fund?
PS 59 ranks among the best public elementary schools in New York City due in large part to an outstanding parent community that promotes the support and enrichment our children need to thrive. The Annual Fund is composed of donations made by PS 59 families and represents a large percentage of the annual PTA budget. Previously, parents were asked to give two separate donations to PS 59: one that supported the salaries of our invaluable assistant teachers and one that supported enrichment, supplies and faculty development. To streamline the process, we have now combined these two funds into one “Lower Grade Annual Fund” that will support all of the aforementioned budget items.
WHY is the Lower Grade Annual Fund crucial to our children’s education?
Without your support, PS 59 would be a very different place. The vast majority of funds the Department of Education allocates to each school provides basic educational and capital needs, including the salaries of ONLY the head teachers in each class. The small amount of money remaining presents our school’s administration with a very difficult task: how to stretch the school’s limited resources to create what we all want for our children, a well-rounded education that includes adequately staffed classrooms, athletics, music, science, and the arts.
WHO are the Assistant Teachers?
Assistant teachers are interviewed and chosen by school administrators each year. Our assistants are all college graduates and are either working toward their Master’s degree in education or already have full teaching licenses and elect to spend more time growing in our classrooms before teaching on their own. Having assistant teachers in the early grades enables our head teachers to focus solely on teaching, thereby giving our kids the best possible education. Using ONLY parent contributions from this fund, we are able to fund one full-time assistant teacher in each kindergarten and first grade class.
WHEN and HOW can I contribute to the Lower Grade Annual Fund?
Your donation has an immediate, positive impact on your children, their education, and their overall experience at PS 59. In order to ensure that we have sufficient funds to pay our vendors and compensate our dedicated assistant teachers on time, we would greatly appreciate parents making contributions in the first two months of the school year if at all possible. To donate online, simply click on Ways to Give on our PTA website.
HOW MUCH should I give?
In order to pay for the assistant teachers’ salaries and all the programs and activities that make our school such a wonderful educational community, we recommend a minimum tax-deductible donation of $2000 per family. But this “recommended” donation is just that — a recommendation. Please give what you can and consider giving more than $2000 if you are able.
IS my contribution tax-deductible?
Yes! The PS 59 PTA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization so your donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. An acknowledgment of your donation will be sent to you for tax purposes. Tax ID # and information below.
HOW can I make my contribution dollars go further?
Does your employer offer a matching gift program? You may be surprised to discover that your company will match its employees’ charitable contributions - please take a moment to check with your Human Resources Department. If your company is eligible, request a matching gift form from your employer, and send it completed and signed with your gift. We will take care of the rest. The impact of your gift to the PTA may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies also match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses.
Thank you for supporting the Annual Fund!
ABOUT the PS 59 PTA
The PS 59 PTA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization (Tax ID# 37-1446346) dedicated to providing a secure and supportive learning environment that is child centered and developmentally appropriate. Everyone in our school community, including students and their families, staff members, and neighborhood members, is encouraged to be an active participant and contributor to the learning process.
