6 August, 2002

News Release

For Immediate Release

Novato Charter School Forms Foundation

The Novato Charter School has announced the creation of the Novato Charter School Foundation.

The Novato Charter School Foundation (NCSF) will raise funds for facilities and educational programs of the Novato Charter School, a Waldorf-methods public charter school located at Hamilton Field in Novato. Our school takes a developmental approach to education, nurturing the imagination in the early years and challenging the intellect in the middle years and beyond. An integrated, child-centered approach to the curriculum emphasizes children’s relationships to the natural environment and to diverse world cultures.

By creating a foundation with 501c-3 status, NCS will be in a position to more effectively pursue existing fundraising opportunities as well approach new funding sources. The Foundation will support all NCS fundraising efforts, including the annual parent pledge campaign; corporate solicitations; grants; events; foundation grants; the facility pledge campaign and individual solicitations.

“One of the strengths of the charter school’s curriculum is its balance and depth: the emphasis on the arts; the rich use of the spoken word through poetry and storytelling; and the integration of music, language and movement, ” says NCS Director Rachel Bishop. “To support these programs requires a tremendous amount of fundraising on the part of parents. By creating a group focused on this one goal, we will strengthen and accelerate our fundraising efforts.”

Board membership on the Foundation is open to Novato Charter School parents as well as community leaders.

For more information about Novato Charter School, call 883-4254 or visit their web site at www.novatocharterschool.org.

Contacts: Rachel Bishop, Director, Novato Charter School at 415.883.1719 or Jeannette Longtin, Novato Charter School Board Chair at 415.485.0835.