YOU CAN HELP: COVID-19 safety and supplies fundraiser for Roxhill Elementary

| Coronavirus | How to help | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

(Photo from seattleschools.org)

Friends of Roxhill Elementary is hoping you can help with this:

TODAY, teachers are walking back into their classrooms—many for the first time in a year—preparing for the physical return of their students. And we want to make sure they have everything they need to keep themselves and our children safe.

We are launching an emergency fundraiser to make sure the school has the support and supplies they need not provided by the district; such as classroom air purifiers, extra masks, thermometers, buckets to keep coats and clothing from touching, and so much more. We are facing new challenges daily and know we will need to be able to respond to these evolving needs and costs quickly.

Our immediate goal is $4,500. Will you help us today?

Here’s the link if you’re able to donate.

We asked the district what PPE they’re providing; the response just pointed us to this webpage, which says “Seattle Public Schools will provide staff with PPE in accordance with Labor & Industries safety and health rules and guidance” and also notes that masks are available for students who don’t already have them.

It is the least you can do March 29, 2021 (8:07 pm)

I certainly hope all of the uber-vocal “teachers need to get back to the classroom” type commenters are flocking to that donation link. I’m so tired of the constant complaints about teachers. Now that your free childcare (that’s really what it’s been about this whole time, since teachers have been working ridiculously hard this last year) is being reinstated, I hope you at least financially support the teachers’ safety.

G March 29, 2021 (8:08 pm)

What about the gawd dang funding that was supposed to be sent to the schools in this state. $130 billion out of the 1.9 trillion for all public schools or is this all more lies? Washington state just got billions of dollars for schools and transit and all kinds of things. Why do these poor teachers need to beg for personal protective equipment and other things when supposedly all this stimulus was supposed to go towards what this fundraiser is about.

LM March 30, 2021 (9:53 am)

I agree. Right after I donated, I sent an email to the District, asking similar questions. Here is that information, if you would like to contact them and ask about allocation as well:
https://www.seattleschools.org/departments/communicationsHours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.206-252-0200Contact Public Affairs

Anna March 29, 2021 (8:57 pm)

Great idea to have a fundraiser! In person school is so much more than child care. The sense of belonging and community that my 3 year old has received from finally getting back to in person preschool (not SPS) has been so important for her development and emotional well being.

Please Help, and Thank You March 30, 2021 (12:14 am)

Help. Support teachers and local schools. Please do NOT allow politics, agendas, beliefs, questions, doubts, nor “shoulds” & “shouldn’t“s deter you from physically and concretely supporting your local schools during an incredibly difficult transition, for all of us. If you are at all capable of putting your money where your mouth is, I see this as a cry for help, elegantly put together by a friendly neighbor. I hope they get ABOVE AND BEYOND their fund drive goal, ASAP. Thank you.

Done March 30, 2021 (1:05 am)

I’ve donated. Thank you WSB for such a great story, and easy access link to get involved & contribute!

Alki Mom March 30, 2021 (9:44 am)

it is absolutely ridiculous that the district is not providing what the teachers need.

Mike March 30, 2021 (11:57 am)

Yes it is absolutely ridiculous that the teachers have to now go online and beg through a fundraiser for basic safety necessities during a pandemic in an area where cases are still on the rise and spreading through the community. This right here proves the excuse as to why teachers did not want to return to in person teaching. What happened to all this promised funding for these items for these schools? Seattle just received $145 million in funding for the schools and to help with the expenses of making the return much safer.

Mrs. A March 30, 2021 (11:39 am)

@It is the Least You Can Do – Yes, teachers have been working ridiculously hard during this period of time, and they work very, very hard during “normal” times. Teachers are amazing!!!However, this is NOT about free childcare. It is about schools closing since 03/2020 and obligation to educate students. The education of children is the paramount duty of Washington State (as outlined in its constitution). SPS has not fulfilled this obligation – not through the fault of the teachers, but through lack of coordination, funding and supplies. Teachers have hoped to go back in-person for months. It’s amazing that as soon as the Governor issued a directive that kids return to schools, both the school district and union got on the same page.Also, if you think 2 1/2 hours per day constitutes “free childcare” for parents who have to work full-time during this pandemic, then you are clearly missing something.Now, I’m going to the fundraising page for Roxhill. We don’t have a ton of money in our family, but we have donated to ourown school to provide PPE and have a little bit left that I can donate to another school…..

J March 30, 2021 (6:09 pm)

I’m curious, did Roxhill get less than the other schools? The other elementary schools haven’t mentioned this issue. I would hope every school has enough masks!

WS Together March 30, 2021 (10:45 pm)

Hi J, You’ll notice the other commenter above you mentioned they donated to their own school for a similar kind of fundraiser. What a lot of people don’t know is that public school PTAs do a lot of fundraising and pay for a shocking amount of things for their school and students. From what you would think should be basic supplies to even salaries for additional staff. This article may help paint a clearer picture: https://www.kuow.org/stories/some-seattle-school-ptas-can-afford-extra-teachers-should-they-spread-the-wealth Other Seattle PTAs raise 50k, 200k, even over 500k a year internally for their school, Roxhill is a small school and also a Title 1. Which means a large number of students are on free or reduced lunch. So while Roxhill’s PTA also does a lot of fundraising internally and the parents and community contribute, they can’t match what schools in other areas are able to do, especially if those other schools have been located in a higher income area for a long time and have assets. It’s part of the hidden inequities of in public education. Reaching out to the broader WS community helps to close this inequity gap. Hope that helps answer your question. It’s a hidden problem.
- Roxhill Parent March 31, 2021 (10:29 am)
  
  Well said! Our younger child is at Roxhill and our older went to a different WS elementary school whose PTA raised tremendous amounts of money every year and we have seen this difference first hand.

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