Friends of McNear
WHAT IS FRIENDS OF MCNEAR?
Friends of McNear School was established by parents in 2001 to serve as a fundraising organization for McNear School. The purpose of the organization is to raise money for school site improvements.
WHAT DO WE RAISE MONEY FOR?
The initial focus of Friends of McNear was to raise funds to replace McNear’s deteriorating playground equipment. Over $36,000 was needed—a big project for our small school! This project was completed by summer 2005 and the children of McNear School started the 2005/2006 school year with an entirely new playground. Since that time, Friends of McNear has raised funds to buy curtains, video equipment, and chairs for the newly renovated multipurpose room. Last year we were able to purchase computers and printers for the classrooms. These projects provided over $40,000 in support. In addition, $10,000 has been donated to the McNear PTA to support various school programs. The Spring 2008 fundraising event (Casino Royale) was a huge success raising nearly $30,000 to support site improvements at our school.
HOW DO WE DECIDE WHERE THE FUNDS WILL BE SPENT?
During the fall of each year, Friends of McNear meets to identify the funding need(s) which will be the focus of that year’s fundraising effort. In preparation for this meeting, the school principal brainstorms with school staff about what constitutes the most pressing needs on behalf of our school. These ideas are then presented and discussed at the Friends of McNear meeting. Friends of McNear meets quarterly and meeting dates are posted on the school e-calendar.
WHO CAN BE A MEMBER OF FRIENDS OF MCNEAR?
Friends of McNear is open to all parents of McNear School students and there is no membership fee. Most parents who are involved in Friends of McNear are also PTA members as these organizations work in tandem and cooperate to support the needs of our school. The first Friends of McNear meeting occurs in the fall and all are encouraged to attend to be involved in the decision-making process of this organization. Naturally, the more parents who help with the fundraising efforts, the more successful we can be on behalf of our school. If you are interested in participating in the efforts of Friends of McNear, please let us know!
Contact: Christi Reynolds (cjjdp@comcast.net)