Irvine Public Schools Foundation

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation announced Thursday that it has granted $38,000 to 58 teachers throughout the Irvine Unified School District. The funds are part of the nonprofit group's 1999 Teacher Mini Grants program. Information: (949) 833-0347.

Forget bake sales. A foundation that supports Irvine's public schools is raffling off a $500,000 townhome in a new neighborhood, and even at $200 each, the tickets are selling fast. "This is the single-biggest fundraising we've ever done," said Tim Shaw, chief executive officer of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, which began selling the tickets about a week ago. The foundation expects to net more than $1 million from the June 12 drawing, Shaw said.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation recently donated $450,000 to the Irvine Unified School District. Funds will be used to support technology, fine arts and science programs. The foundation was created more than a year ago and has focused on raising funds for local schools. Including this contribution, the group has provided more than $1.1 million to the district. Information: (714) 654-8250.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation has named Jerome Amante, a former chairman of the foundation's corporate fund-raising arm, to succeed former President Carolyn McInerney, who was elected in November to the Irvine Unified school board. McInerney will remain on the foundation's board as an unofficial member, while Amante assumes the leadership role of the foundation, which hopes to raise $2.25 million for local schools next year.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation handed a $450,000 check to the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education at the board's meeting Tuesday night. Another $105,000 will be given directly to specific programs in the next few months. The contributions will fund $375,000 for computer technology, $80,000 for health information services, $75,000 for fine arts programs and $25,000 for grants to teachers. "This is an exceptional donation," said Hank Adler, school board president.

In a continuing effort to give money directly to teachers, the Allergan Foundation contributed $25,000 this week to the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. Over the past five years, the foundation of Allergan, an Irvine-based health-care company specializing in pharmaceuticals, has donated more than $100,000 to the school district, said foundation President Tom Burnham, a former Irvine Unified School District board member.

Three fund-raising organizations for the Irvine Unified School District have merged to form the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. The groups banding together were Irvine Education Foundation, District Advisory Forum and Foundations of the Future. "The combination of talents and energy means an increase in fund-raising, expansion of supplemental school programs and added technological resources for the students of Irvine," said Nancy Albers, the foundation's secretary.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation has named Jerome Amante, a former chairman of the foundation's corporate fund-raising arm, to succeed former President Carolyn McInerney, who was elected in November to the Irvine Unified school board. McInerney will remain on the foundation's board as an unofficial member, while Amante assumes the leadership role of the foundation, which hopes to raise $2.25 million for local schools next year.

The planning spun fast and furious Friday, a day after the announcement of the one-time donation of $3.9 million to stave off deep cuts at Irvine schools for a year following voters' rejection of a parcel tax. School backers were prepping to plaster the city with fliers, pester corporate boards for meetings and donations, and hit up neighbors in school parking lots to prevent teacher layoffs and cutbacks in Irvine's much-praised music, arts and science programs.

In the 2 1/2 weeks since Irvine voters rejected a parcel tax for schools, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation has come about $100,000 closer to its goal of raising $1.65 million to help bail out the financially strapped district. The foundation's coffers have grown to $600,000 from about $500,000 since the pledge was made, executive director Greg Bradbard said, and the push is on to raise the remaining $1 million by the end of the school year.

In the 2 1/2 weeks since Irvine voters rejected a parcel tax for schools, the Irvine Public Schools Foundation has come about $100,000 closer to its goal of raising $1.65 million to help bail out the financially strapped district. The foundation's coffers have grown to $600,000 from about $500,000 since the pledge was made, executive director Greg Bradbard said, and the push is on to raise the remaining $1 million by the end of the school year.

Re "$3.9 Million Is Donated to Irvine Schools," April 14: Three cheers for the Irvine Co., Donald Bren Foundation and Irvine Public Schools Foundation for their stunningly generous, one-year bailout donation. Now we've got some time to plan for the long term. Almost 19,000 Irvine citizens voted yes on Measure A and would happily pay $95 per year to preserve the high quality of this critically acclaimed school district. Let's tap this ready-and-willing revenue stream. To turn this into a longer-term funding source and not a one-time donation, let's make it a three-year commitment, paid upfront.

The planning spun fast and furious Friday, a day after the announcement of the one-time donation of $3.9 million to stave off deep cuts at Irvine schools for a year following voters' rejection of a parcel tax. School backers were prepping to plaster the city with fliers, pester corporate boards for meetings and donations, and hit up neighbors in school parking lots to prevent teacher layoffs and cutbacks in Irvine's much-praised music, arts and science programs.

In a stunning turnaround to a dismal funding dilemma, the Irvine Co., Donald Bren Foundation and Irvine Public Schools Foundation together pledged nearly $3.9 million to Irvine schools Thursday, more than making up the funding gap left when a parcel-tax measure failed at the polls Tuesday.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation announced Thursday that it has granted $38,000 to 58 teachers throughout the Irvine Unified School District. The funds are part of the nonprofit group's 1999 Teacher Mini Grants program. Information: (949) 833-0347.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation handed a $450,000 check to the Irvine Unified School District Board of Education at the board's meeting Tuesday night. Another $105,000 will be given directly to specific programs in the next few months. The contributions will fund $375,000 for computer technology, $80,000 for health information services, $75,000 for fine arts programs and $25,000 for grants to teachers. "This is an exceptional donation," said Hank Adler, school board president.

Forget bake sales. A foundation that supports Irvine's public schools is raffling off a $500,000 townhome in a new neighborhood, and even at $200 each, the tickets are selling fast. "This is the single-biggest fundraising we've ever done," said Tim Shaw, chief executive officer of the Irvine Public Schools Foundation, which began selling the tickets about a week ago. The foundation expects to net more than $1 million from the June 12 drawing, Shaw said.

Re "$3.9 Million Is Donated to Irvine Schools," April 14: Three cheers for the Irvine Co., Donald Bren Foundation and Irvine Public Schools Foundation for their stunningly generous, one-year bailout donation. Now we've got some time to plan for the long term. Almost 19,000 Irvine citizens voted yes on Measure A and would happily pay $95 per year to preserve the high quality of this critically acclaimed school district. Let's tap this ready-and-willing revenue stream. To turn this into a longer-term funding source and not a one-time donation, let's make it a three-year commitment, paid upfront.

In a continuing effort to give money directly to teachers, the Allergan Foundation contributed $25,000 this week to the Irvine Public Schools Foundation. Over the past five years, the foundation of Allergan, an Irvine-based health-care company specializing in pharmaceuticals, has donated more than $100,000 to the school district, said foundation President Tom Burnham, a former Irvine Unified School District board member.

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation recently donated $450,000 to the Irvine Unified School District. Funds will be used to support technology, fine arts and science programs. The foundation was created more than a year ago and has focused on raising funds for local schools. Including this contribution, the group has provided more than $1.1 million to the district. Information: (714) 654-8250.