July 14, 2011
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today." - Franklin Roosevelt
Welcome to our new and returning students and families!!
These four years at Northgate are important academically, socially, psychologically, and emotionally. These young students transition in a myriad of ways into young adults. To do so, they need a community. Parents, teachers, staff, and students all need to work together to give each person the tools they need to become the best adult possible.
Northgate High School has many opportunities: challenging academic classes, forty different clubs to join, community service activities to get involved in, grade level activities to show school spirit and new opportunities to form friendships.
Studies of what makes kids achieve and excel in school report that kids who get involved in their school have higher test scores, build lasting friendships, make better choices (get into less trouble) and feel part of the school culture.
Parents also need to get and stay involved in Northgate, in whatever ways possible. In so many ways, parents make the critical differences for students. Every parent is a member of the PFC, and should attend the PFC meetings, join the PFC board and bring your expertise, consider being a member of SITE Council, attend District Board Meetings and stay informed. Sign on to the PFC Constant Contact, get familiar with the PFC Website and all the information it makes available to you, read your Daily Bulletin and attend sports, music, and dramatic activities at school. Parents can also join Music Boosters, Athletic Boosters, Northgate Pride, or volunteer to help at the school.
Ways to become involved now:
- Sign up for escrip
- Start purchasing gift cards through our Bronco Bucks program
- Visit our website to learn more about our Crisis Counseling program and other activities and events at Northgate
We have incredible teachers who need our support. It takes all of us to make Northgate the best school possible. Talk with your teachers at Back to School Night, find out the best way to stay in touch and communicate. Ask what they need to make the classroom successful, and let them know we are all in this together.
Each one of us needs to do our part to make the changes we all want. Keep up on what is going on at school, talk to your student, and communicate with the administrators.
No public school in California today can succeed without parent contributions. You have all read the newspapers and know that an excellent education costs more than the funds that are available to the school District. The Northgate PFC is asking for a $250.00 voluntary donation. While it is voluntary, we need your financial help to continue our support of the school programs that help enrich the education your child receives. If you look at our budget, you will see the different areas of the school that our budget supports. The PFC contributes over $200,000 to fund school needs.
- Areas where these contributions make a difference are listed below:
- 29% of our budget is for salaries
- College Career Center Assistant
- Computer Technician
- Curriculum Assistant
- Registrar Assistant
- Mock Congress
- Senior Projects
- 54% of our Budget directly effects your child’s education
- Class Periods – increased this year!
- Department Allotment
- Teacher Priority Funds
- Library
- 10% of our Budget supports Programming, Safety and School Environment
- Baccalaureate
- Computer Upgrades and Server
- Disaster Preparedness
- Freshman Class Support
- Landscape
- PAT (Parent Action Team)
- Surveillance Camera System
- 7% of our Budget supports PFC Overhead and Community Groups
- Contingency
- Directory
- Insurance
- Northgate Pride
- Operating Costs
- Teacher Appreciation
A commonly asked question is, “What are Class Periods?”
The District allocates class “sections” or class periods to each High School. Their allocation is based on declining enrollment, something Northgate never seems to have. These sections make up the Master Schedule of Classes available to students and the school for Administrative and State Reporting. We provide the funds to pay for six additional Academic classes to be offered at Northgate. The money we give pays the Teachers Salaries for one period. So in effect, this line item could also be put under Salaries we pay, but I felt that it directly affects the children and their academic learning.
As you can see the money you contribute is put back into the school to enrich the education our children receive. I also encourage you to contribute to the Parent Action Team (PAT), which pays for our crisis counselors, sponsors Parent Education Nights, and will host Every 15 Minutes next year. Every 15 Minutes is a successful nation-wide drunk driving awareness program. We host it every other year. Some of you may feel that you don’t want to give funds that will support the Crisis Counselors because you feel your child doesn’t need the help. Your child might not need the help, but what about the student sitting next to them? We are all in this together. Our neighborhood is not exempt from divorce, life threatening illness, depression, academic stress, alcohol and drug abuse. PAT will be asking for a voluntary $85.00 donation. I hope that you will support the important work of the Parent Action Team and donate to them. Terrible things happen at schools everywhere. Children feel left out, neglected, abused. Crisis Counselors, on site, provide an avenue for the children at risk at our school to find the help they need.
I know that $250.00 the PFC is asking for seems like a lot, but if you break it down, it is just a little over a dollar a day. If your employer offers a Matching Fund program, you can effectively double your donation to the PFC. Many companies will allow you to submit more than one form, so you will also be able to double your support to the school as well.
The Northgate PFC will gladly accept a charge card payment for your voluntary donation to the Education Fund. We can arrange for a monthly or quarterly payment schedule. The school will accept one check for all your voluntary donations to the Departments. We also have an on-line system to pay for school and parent donations directly from your computer!
Commonly asked questions:
What do the Departments do with our donations?
Most of the money that is donated to Departments covers the cost of copying. Once that is paid for, Department use the funds to replace worn books, buy DVD players, and materials to enrich our children’s educational experience.
Why are the fees for Art Classes so high?
These fees are not donations; they are the material costs for your child to take the class. Art supplies are expensive, even at the school discounted rates. If your child took an Art Class outside of school you would be required to pay a materials fee, separate from the cost of the class.
Mark your calendars! Freshman parents please attend the August 17th Parents’ Night at 7pm in the gym. This evening offers a lot of important information for your next four years at Northgate.
Walkthrough registration days are August 22nd and 24th. Parents MUST accompany their children. See the PFC homepage for more details.
Don’t forget that the school year starts on August 29th, so plan your Summer Vacations accordingly.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at mldfitzgerald@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. The PFC meetings are the third Thursday of every month, unless a date change is noted. We meet in the Northgate High School Library.
We live in an incredible neighborhood and we all want the same thing – the best possible education and high school experience for our kids. We need everyone to share their energy, ideas, and time to make this happen.
As Muhammad Ali said,
"Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."
Together, we can make Northgate what we have always wanted it to be. Join us & serve your community!
Go Broncos!
Welcome and good luck,
Monica Fitzgerald
Northgate PFC President