While the federal and state governments fund Basic Education and “Title I” elements of public school programs, Orcas Island School District (OISD) has known for about a month now that their budget faces a projected $667,000 shortfall for the 2008-2009 school year.

Last week, the OISD Board voted for a Reduced Education Program that kept both school principals on, but reduced their Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) by .1, to .8. The Reduced Education Program calls for Reductions in Force (RIFs) of many classes and programs.

Last weekend, the Open House, Harvest Meal and Thing-a-Thon kicked-off a campaign to build public awareness of all the school district does to educate our children, and of the fundraising needed for their efforts. At the Orcas Island Education Foundation’s Thing-a-Thon on Sunday, both kids and adults participated in efforts to raise funds.

Instead of wringing our hands and pointing fingers, we should follow the kids’ lead and jump whole-heartedly into the season of hands-on fundraising.

Yes, the state legislators should be called into account for their failure to help the public fund their schools, but even in the best case scenario, Orcas Island won’t see the benefits for years. And for our school kids, the future is today and tomorrow, not a year from now.

The OISD board faces decisions that are painful to say the least. Should they cut the OASIS alternate high school, just as it expects to graduate 13 students this June? Should they cut a full-day kindergarten, just as it starts to bring in the needed enrollment? Should they cut the business office, and go back to being incomplete and inaccurate? Should they cut athletics, and lose the programs that keep many of our student-athletes in school?

The reality is that for our public school to continue to deliver the education we value, the public community must be a partner in its financial support. The days of public taxes being sufficient to fully support the schools are over.

For the second year in a row, like a hurricane one year followed by an earthquake the next year, the OISD is in financial crises, and indeed public school funding is a chronic challenge in Washington State.

Last year, the school’s budget shortfall was due in great part to “rebuilding” an inaccurate budget for 2006-2007 as well as building the budget for 2007-2008. This year, enrollment continues to decline (although the addition of a full-day kindergarten bodes well for future enrollment), and the state has burdened all districts with ‘catch-up’ Cost of Living Allowances (COLAs) and unfunded salary increases.

What does Orcas need to do to unite and galvanize islanders to support public education? It may help to look to our neighbors on San Juan Island, who, for many of the same reasons, face nearly $800,000 in projected deficits for their public schools. Last week, it was announced that approximately $365,000 had already been raised to make up for the deficit, and the San Juan District is hopeful that the entire amount will be raised.

A telethon involving 50 volunteers calling San Juan Islanders raised $65,000, and $300,000 was raised in pledges from other community members. If you visit San Juan Island, you see signs everywhere, “Save Our Schools.”

Everything has gotten more expensive in this millennial decade – why would education be exempt from rising costs? If we compare our children to a garden that we’ve planted, only to find the water hose has been cut, would we let the garden wither? No, we’d carry buckets, or better yet, knowing us, we’d devise a system to recycle water.

So let’s face this season of fund-raising head-on as a season of public celebration and take a wholistic view and work together to form a bucket brigade instead of being the Cassandra who predicts disaster at every chance. Let’s tackle the fund-raising like a community barn-raising and have fun doing it.

At every public event from now until the end of July, when the budget is finalized, and RIF’d teachers and programs can be reinstated, let’s remind ourselves that we can help, from donating small change to physical energy to thousands of dollars.

The generosity of islanders is legendary, whether it’s raising funds to build a new daycare center, purchase Turtleback Mountain, or to help a sick neighbor. Surely we can do as much for our schools.