Testimonials

When our trip to Baja was cancelled in April, my students and I were absolutely devastated. They had endured nearly a full year of rigorous coursework with the promise that our already approved Baja trip would be well worth the “pain.” I had already made all the arrangements for the Baja trip and was ready to collect money from the students when I learned of the decision. I was truly concerned that organizing an alternative field program analogous to the Baja trip would be next to impossible. Yet, with the help of the CUSD Foundation, we were able to make this possible by securing a last -minute reservation at the Emerald Bay camp on Catalina.

Randy Hudson
Teacher / Dana Hills High School
Marine Ecology Program

As a middle school Technology Teacher, it is very difficult to supply my students with the tools they need to be successful.  It is very challenging to get my students the most current technology available, but that is exactly what they need to get ahead in today's world.  I have often come to the CUSD Foundation for help in this matter, in the form of a G.I.F.T. grant, and the foundation has always been more than generous.  

I was fortunate enough to receive a grant for external microphones.  These microphones are used by students during interviews, news broadcasts, and many other school functions.  In the absence of these microphones, my students were producing videos that inaudible.  We could not hear vital information.  Ever since we received the new microphones, our Morning Video Announcements are much improved.  Clear communication is the goal of my class, and now we are achieving this goal.

Michael Schreiman
Technology Teacher
Niguel Hills Middle School  

Our Outdoor Science Lab is the Gerhard Garden, named after first Malcom Principal, Dave Gerhard.  School gardens require not just the dedication of teachers and parent volunteers, but also ongoing donations of funds and materials to maintain the garden as a hands-on opportunity for students to cultivate the earth and watch things grow from seeds to flowers, shrubs, fruits and vegetables.  The grant we received recently has been used for gardening supplies such as mulch, tools, seeds and containers.  The grant has kept the garden flourishing as a place for classes to have instruction in a real setting as well as a place for students to engage in a productive, satisfying choice activity during free time.
 
Dr. Faith Morris
Principal
Malcom Elementary, Laguna Niguel

George White Elementary School teachers, as well as many teachers in CUSD, are extremely thankful for the CUSD Foundation, and all they have done to contribute to the success of our district, our school, and most importantly, our students.  It was such a comfort to me personally, to have the CUSD Foundation's support this past year through the lay-off notifications.  At such a frightening, emotional time, the CUSD Foundation rallied to support the teachers and students in order to avoid the potential nightmare of class size reduction.  I am ETERNALLY grateful for all they have done for the George White Elementary "Family!"

Kendra Dixon
George White Elementary
First Grade

Thank you to the CUSD Foundation's fundraising accomplishments, which has allowed us to continue to provide the quality of education that  we do!  Your efforts have meant that we have been able to continue the 20 to 1 ratio of students to teacher in the lower grades, which makes all the difference!  Many years ago, I taught in primary grade classrooms of 30 to 36 children, which did not allow me to give much of any individual help in the classroom. Believe me, the results were not desirable!  Later on, when I taught 5th grade, I could also see what students had missed in lower grades by not starting out with  lower student-teacher ratios!  Thank you so much for whatever you can do to prevent this from happening again!

Dodie Argast
George White Elementary
2nd Grade

I am so grateful to the foundation for what they did for our teachers and students last year! I am a third-grade teacher, and had the CUSD Foundation not raised $1 million, our 20 to 1 ratio might have been eliminated, which would have left me and so many others without a job. It was also so uplifting to hear about the many parents out there fighting for all of us in the midst of last year's budget crisis, when it seemed like the only news we were receiving from the state was very bleak. Thank you so much for your generosity and time. It was very much appreciated!

Mariann Duff
George White Elementary
3rd Grade

I am very passionate about educating our children of today as they will become the young people of tomorrow, in which "tomorrow" comes way too quickly!  Teaching elementary children all that they need to know that also serves as the foundation for all future learning is fundamental & would not be possible without the quality time we are able to give to each student in smaller class sizes.  We have a big job to do to try to individualize student learning while helping each student learn how to work independently and function in a group.  So much of what we, as teachers do, consists of classroom management first, then teaching second.  If we were to have larger class sizes, most of our time would be spent managing & not teaching.  I fear that much would be lost & our children would not go on to the next level as well prepared, learning that they can skate through life without being accountable, not at all a good basis for becoming productive members of society (scary thought given our economy's current situation - who will be ready to lead & keep our country strong if our kids get "lost" in big seas of classrooms?).

I really appreciate your efforts, as well as so many others, in helping to preserve the quality of our children's education.  I also appreciate being able to be a provider of quality education in CUSD, keeping up the tradition and representing the reputation of the quality of education that is expected of our school district.  I believe that is another reason why so many families move to our area, thus creating a strong economy (housing, businesses, etc.) in our community.  
I feel truly blessed to have become a teacher, a dream that I had since childhood.  I left a very lucrative corporate America job (20 years) to follow my dream - I was not a good reader when I was in elementary school & feel confident that I can use my personal development coupled with my masters in reading being more effective in smaller classes to help insure my kids greater success that being a good reader can bring to their own lives!

If you need any help, please let me know!  I appreciate that I was hired back for this year (RIFed 4 times in 7 years!) & really want to be here to help our kids be the best they can be!

Amy Grupe
George White Elementary School
2nd Grade