Letter to the Editor | It’s time to give

 In It's Time To Give: Letters to the Editor

It’s time to give thanks and it’s time to give to the annual Giving Campaign in support of our schools.

I have been involved with the Piedmont Education Foundation (PEF) and the Giving Campaign since Ben and I moved to Piedmont several years ago. We moved for the strong schools and wonderful community.

What makes me a proud resident of Piedmont is seeing how dedicated our community is to our public schools and to the lives of our residents. Across the board, we all do our part to make sure Piedmont continues to be a vibrant, beautiful place to live, committed to the success of our children and the overall health of the city.  So much of what we do revolves around our beloved public school district. Throughout the years the community has come together to keep our schools excellent, to build a new STEAM building, to keep our city parks beautiful and to create fantastic sports fields – and now we can look forward to a new swimming pool. We do this for our neighbors today and to ensure we are a desirable place to live for future residents

Our three children, grades 9th, 6th and 3rd, have each benefitted from an excellent education at Piedmont Schools. We recognize that this is in large part due to the additional funds raised each year by the Giving Campaign.

We want what’s best for our kids and our community, and we know how important the funds raised are to our district. Our contributions make a huge difference, and it’s what makes Piedmont special. PUSD has only ever had a positive impact on our city. That is why Ben and I moved here, and that is why we are committed to ensuring our schools are fully funded every year. Our schools are what keep Piedmont flourishing.

The growing challenges facing the schools in our state have become impossible to ignore. Even before the pandemic, our budget was challenged by reductions in state funding. Although we have some cushion from a successful Giving Campaign last year, plus the increased revenue from Measure H, we are still facing uncertainty. Funding our schools is still up to us.

We donate to the Giving Campaign because doing so is essential to keeping our schools (and our community!) strong. For this reason, I passionately support the Giving Campaign and commit myself to fundraising on behalf of PEF.

The dollars we are raising this year are essential for next year’s school year. We want our children to return to the robust, excellent educational experience we have always had in Piedmont. I urge you to make your donation today.

Together, our commitment to our community and our schools are what make Piedmont extraordinary! Thank you, Piedmont, for keeping our schools strong.

— Cortney Allen, PEF Vice Chair