|
|
Sept 30 - Oct 1st
|
No School
|
|
Oct 9th
|
No School
|
|
Oct 13th
|
Columbus Day - No School
|
|
Oct 14th thru 15th
|
9th graders go to Greenkill
|
|
Oct 23rd and 24th
|
Parent Teacher Conferences (5:30-8:00; 12:30-2:30)
|
|
October 10th is the last day to vote for this November's election; to register
|
click here
|
|
To see our progress report
|
click here
|
|
To see our new web site
|
click here
|
|
|
Dear alumni and friends,
At our 10 year gala in May, a cross-section of the BCCHS community came together to celebrate ten years of an institution that has changed the lives of so many. We did the electric slide, ate a wonderful Chinese banquet, and shared photos of the old days and the new. Classmates joyfully reunited, teachers saw with pride the adults their former students had become, and different generations from Baruch got to meet for the first time as part of one extended family.
It is because we want to preserve this amazing institution and change the lives of many more young people that we are asking for your immediate help. Due to budget cuts from the city and higher staffing costs, next year's budget is a more than $300,000 shortfall compared to the 2007-2008 school year. That is $750 less for each student at BCCHS.
While the gala was a wonderful opportunity for us all to reconnect, the alumni association did not make money on the event. BCCHS learned about the city's budget cuts just a few days after the gala. As a result of these significant cuts, we need your help.
BCCHS Urgently Needs Your Donations
Baruch is facing difficult choices that will impact the quality of education for BCCHS students in just two months time. Unless we receive generous donations from alumni and friends before September, we will lose valuable and beloved teachers and staff. Many basic office supplies, including paper, will be limited or unavailable. By donating right away, you can provide today's students with the same thriving community, rich education, and horizon-expanding experiences so many have had at BCCHS.
The Budget Cuts Hurt BCCHS in Many Ways
BCCHS has always structured its budget to maximize the amount of money that goes directly to classrooms and students. Compared to other schools, we spend very little on administration. This means that even when our budget is cut a little, the students' experience can be affected. When it is reduced by over $300,000 we are forced to cut essential personnel and services. Without your immediate support, all of the following are at risk:
A full staff of teachers, guidance counselors, college counselors, and support staff
Trips such as Greenkill
Afterschool activities and clubs
Books
Elective classes
Basic supplies including paper and photocopiers
Teacher training and development
New technology such as laptop computers
Lab equipment and science demonstrations
Your Donations Can Provide a Lot
By donating right now, you can make a major difference in the quality of education at Baruch. Your $100 donation can buy us 10 packs of whiteboard markers. $1000 will buy us a laptop computer. $6,500 will pay for the repair contract for our photocopier. Even $25 can help BCCHS buy four reams of copier paper. These are just a few of the ways that you can help Baruch. And by giving right away you can help prevent cuts that would affect students in September.
Help the BCCHS Community Continue Getting Better and Better
Baruch has always had an exceptional, hard working, and thoughtful learning community. Over the years we have built on our successes and become even stronger. Today, experienced teachers and leadership add to the energy and community spirit that have always been Baruch's strengths. We must fight together to continue improving the quality of a BCCHS education.
BCCHS and its staff recently have been honored with and awarded the following:
A silver medal from USA Today for being one of the country's best high schools
An "A" on the Department of Education's School Report Card
Listed in the Daily News as having one of the most competitive admissions rates in the city
Listed in the New York Post as one of only 16 public schools that graduated over 90% of students
A grant from Teaching Tolerance for our diversity day and new SQUAD student group
Additional grants from Parents as Art Partners, the Corporation for National & Community Service, Baruch College, the Department of Education, and Fund for Teachers
Recognized by the state as a High Performing/Gap Closing School for achieving high Regents scores and graduation rate with a high percentage of students at an economic disadvantage.
BCCHS is one of the best high schools in New York City, and has improved every year. We need your help now to continue building on these wonderful accomplishments!
Donations From Alumni & Friends Allow Successful High Schools to Improve Education in Bad Times and Good
The alumni association of Hunter College High School has assets exceeding $200,000. The Bronx High School of Science alumni endowment regularly exceeds $700,000. Stuyvesant's is over one million dollars. And Laguardia's is over 6 million dollars! Of course, BCCHS is a smaller and newer school than these, but we can learn from their success.
Because of their endowments, these schools have greater flexibility and can weather difficult times more easily. Right now we need immediate help so that a Baruch education is not compromised by a significantly reduced budget. When times are easier, alumni donations will grow the school's endowment, providing security for a school at the whim of the city's finances.
A vibrant alumni endowment would also allow for major permanent projects that are beyond the reach of a public school's base budget. Alumni endowment projects regularly include scholarships, athletics facilities, scientific equipment, field trips, technology, and school renovations.
Now that Baruch alumni are finding successful careers, they can give back to BCCHS and help others find that same success. An immediate threat to BCCHS brings us together right now, but it will be the beginning of a powerful organization that will strengthen BCCHS for generations to come.
How You Can Donate and Preserve the Quality of a BCCHS Education
We are currently accepting donations through the BCCHS PTA. Checks can be received by mail and credit/debit card donations can be received online.
Donate by mail:
Make your check out to "BCCHS PTA", place it in a stamped and sealed envelope and mail to:
Baruch College Campus High School
Attn: BCCHS PTA
17 Lexington Ave, Box A-920
New York, NY 10010
Donate online:
If you would like to donate by credit or debit card, you can do so through the BCCHS PTA. Click here and complete the form to donate online (or copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.justgive.org/giving/donate.jsp?charityId=51845). There is an optional line that allows you to designate your donation for a specific purpose; if that field is not completed the money will go into BCCHS's general budget and be used as needed.
Thank You for Your Generous Help!
Baruch's greatest strength has always been that it is a vibrant community. Without that, we would not be the amazing school we are today. The closeness of our community was so evident at our gala as we laughed, talked, reconnected, and celebrated together.
This is how we know that the Baruch community will come together right away in this time of need to support BCCHS and its current generation of learners. Thank you for helping us to preserve this marvelous institution with your generous donation!
Sincerely,
BCCHS PTA, Alumni Association, and concerned staff
P.S. Please give as soon as possible! BCCHS has provided a supportive, challenging learning community for so many students. We need your help right away to make sure that this generation of Baruch students has the same opportunity.
|
|
