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Dear Ross Valley School District community,

 

Welcome back to this new and wholly unique school year. My name is Chelsea Donovan, I’m the new Executive Director of the YES Foundation and a parent of two children at Manor Elementary.  My passion for arts education started early, as I watched my mother teach art in the New York public school system. After living in Marin for over 10 years, I was shocked to learn that arts education is not publicly funded in California. I couldn’t believe these essential programs had to be funded solely through parent and community support, and therein lies my motivation.

 

As we all grapple with distance learning, managing our schedules, and staying safe and healthy, I want to assure you that your children’s arts education IS happening this year.  Our art and music teachers have been busy planning a variety of ways to reach our children with engaging online programming that will make an impact.  We are working to determine the extent of art education programming that will be offered this year given the impact of the pandemic and our funding losses.  We will communicate plans as they develop and will reach out to our community to help maintain specific programs.  The YES Foundation has been a community asset thriving all these years because of families like you committed to our children’s education.  We need your support now more than ever to weather this time period and get us to the other side.  

 

We understand that many families have been impacted financially by the pandemic. But to carry on our mission - if you are able - we ask you to please help lift up our community and contribute to the YES Foundation.  By financially supporting the arts, we have the power to keep these programs embedded in the RVSD curriculum.  Your support will provide healing and integral programs to EVERYONE in our District this year. Together, we can provide hope and stability, while uniting as a community to support the amazing programs we’ve built over 30 years. 

 

Like many foundations, because of COVID-19, we did not meet our fundraising goals last spring. This year we are requesting the same contribution of $900 per child to supplement last year’s costs and support programs for the current school year.  Whether you’re donating for your own child or another child in our community, we are all in this together, and any and all support is deeply appreciated.  Anyone can donate to help provide our children with a robust arts education, so please consider sharing this call to action with others who support our mission.  www.yestokids.org/donate

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Thank you for being part of our close-knit and compassionate community that is the heart and soul of the RVSD. Sending you all love and support from my family to yours.

 

With gratitude,

Chelsea Donovan,

Executive Director