The Need: Sterling continues to struggle with the transition from being an industrial hub to a transportation hub. Job losses from the closures of industrial giants like Northwestern Steel and Wire and Lawrence Brothers have been partially offset with the opening of a 1,000 job Wal-Mart Distribution Center near Interstate 88 and other smaller businesses. Local economic developers are actively marketing the “Interstate 88 West Corridor” to prospective employers and those efforts are a great source of hope for the future.
While these new businesses offer much-needed employment, they often receive considerable property tax breaks as incentives to locate here. Unfortunately in Illinois, property taxes are still the main source of revenue for public education and the property tax base in Sterling is stagnant if not declining.
Despite nearly $5,000,000 in budget cuts over the last four years and despite the fact that our teachers are paid just under the state average and our administrators are paid considerably less than the state average, the need to make additional cuts or find new sources of revenue still exists.
Campaign Focus: To maintain student opportunities by providing supplemental funding to ensure fine arts programs in all Sterling Schools and athletic programs at SterlingHigh School will continue to be offered through at least the 2010-2011 school year.
Campaign Length: Three years beginning June 2007 and running through June 30, 2010. Campaign would provide funding for the 2008-2009, 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 school years.
Fundraising Goal: $825,000 total or $275,000/year for the length of the campaign. The SSF Bucks for Books program, launched in 2006, will continue with an additional annual goal of $58,500.
Matching Grant: The Dillon Foundation will match all A+ contributions one-for-one up to $275,000 annually with the following limitations:
No in-kind donations will be matched unless the donated item(s) can be sold (vehicles, real estate, etc.) then the cash amount of the sale will be matched.
No state or federal grants will be matched
Pledges will not be matched until the donation is actually made
Only profits from special events will be matched
Distribution of Funds: Provided fundraising goals are met, SSF pledges up to $550,000 ($275,000 fundraising, $275,000 matching) annually for three years beginning in 2008-2009 to Sterling Schools, which shall be earmarked for fine arts and athletic funding. The pledge amounts to approximately 2/3 of the necessary funding required to offer fine arts and athletics throughout the district each year.
Commitment from School Board: Provided A+ achieves its goal of raising at least $1,650,000 (from fundraising and matching combined) over three years, the CUSD #5 Board of Education has agreed not to not cut fine arts and athletic programs as they currently exist through at least the 2010-2011 school year barring unforeseen negative financial circumstances.