Each year the Board of Trustees has to decide how much money it will have to run the school, and sets a budget accordingly.

The school’s primary source of income is from an operations grant (government funding). All schools receive operational funding from the Ministry, but Decile 10 schools like Cashmere Primary School receive a much lower rate of operational funding with regards to the allocation of Targeted Funding for Educational Achievement (TFEA) and the Special Education Grant (SEG).

The operations grant does not cover (by some margin) all of the school’s actual costs. Voluntary parent donations, fundraising and any other income received (such as international student fees) are needed to cover the shortfall in funding provided by the Ministry.

Voluntary donations from parents are crucial in allowing us to provide additional resources that enrich the learning environment at Cashmere Primary School. These donations allow us to maintain a higher level of staffing and resourcing so that we can better meet the learning needs of our students. They also help us provide information and communications technology equipment and other resources (such as library books, musical instruments and sports equipment) that the school would otherwise not have.

This year, the school’s budget anticipates a deficit of $26,000. The school is reliant on donations to avoid this deficit increasing further.

Remarkably, for the past 20 years, the voluntary parent donation has been set at $150 per student without any adjustments, even for inflation. It has become evident to the Board that the current financial situation, as well as the ongoing learning opportunities that we wish to provide for our students, mean that it is in the best interests of our children that the voluntary donation be increased.

We hope that you as parents will recognise that while none of us like increasing the amount of the donation, it is being done only after careful consideration, and for the purpose of giving educational advantages to your child(ren). We trust you will accept the realities of the current situation in which the school finds itself and continue your support on which we are so reliant.

2017 Voluntary Donation

This year, after careful consideration of the school’s financial position, the Board requests a voluntary donation from parents as follows:

Payment for 1 child at CPS

Payment made by 14th April 2017 - $180

Payments made after 14th April 2017 - $200

Payment for 2 children at CPS

Payment made by 14th April 2017 $340

Payments made after 14th April 2017 - $380

Payment for 3 or more children at CPS

Payment made by 14th April 2017 $460

Payments made after 14th April 2017 - $500

Please note: For New Entrant Children (who start part way through the year) we ask for contributions at the following rates:

$180 if starting from the beginning of the year, $150 if starting after week 5 of Term One, $100 if starting during Term Two and $50 if starting during Term Three.

These amounts reflect the actual costs of providing our learners with the resources and opportunities that our school community has come to expect, and for which we can be proud. These can be paid to Westpac Bank - Cashmere Primary School, Account No. 03 0855 0334364-00 (Please put family name in reference section), Or by cash or cheque to the school office.

The voluntary donation is tax deductible, so you can claim a percentage of your donation back from the IRD (typically 33%). Making this claim is straightforward (for more info see IRD website) . If you make a donation to the school on or before 31 March 2017, you can claim back your tax credit after 1 April 2017. Donations made after 31 March 2017 can be claimed back after 31 March 2018.

The school donation is not a fee and therefore is not compulsory. However parents are encouraged to make this donation as it is a critical source of funding for the school, and we should all be attempting to support our children. We recognise that for some families the donation may cause financial difficulty – if this is the case, you have the option of making a smaller donation. The school is appreciative of all assistance that families provide it to help support the education of our young learners.

If you have any questions about the voluntary donation, please contact the Principal Gavin Burn.

Yours sincerely

Cashmere Primary School Board of Trustees

Brian Ellwood - BOT Chair