JENKS, Okla. -- Jenks Public Schools expects to lose a combined $4.2 million in state funding this school year and the next. Before administrators start slashing their budgets, however, the district is launching a new fundraising campaign to offset some of the cuts.
The campaign is called "Trojan 20." Family members are being asked to give $20 on behalf of every student they have enrolled in the district.
Superintendent Dr. Stacey Butterfield launched the effort in a video Monday.
"If every parent gives $20 for each one of their students," Dr. Butterfield said, "you can make a difference."
Elizabeth Inbody, the executive director of the Jenks Public Schools Foundation, said if every parent gave $20, the district could raise about $240,000.
"We know this will not solve the problem," Inbody said. "This is not going to completely fill that gap, but it will provide fusing for things that might have been cut."
Any money raised will be divided equally among all the Jenks schools. It will then go toward school site budgets, instructional supplies and professional development for instructional staff, according to school officials.
Rob Loeber, the director of communications, said administrators are still deciding which exact cuts need to be made, and a more final decision should be made in the next few weeks.
"We want to be able to provide outstanding educational opportunities for every single student at every single grade level," Loeber said. "With these cuts, you run the risk of maybe increased class sizes, maybe taking some of those opportunities away, and that's never something we want to do. It's unfortunate we find ourselves in that position."
School officials, however, said they are already pleased with the response to the "Trojan 20" campaign. They said new donations are coming in online now every five minutes.
To find out how to donate, click here.
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