The campaign has a May 23 deadline to raise $1 million in order to fill a funding shortfall in the Los Gatos Union School District caused by state-imposed budget cuts. As of May 12, the foundation had raised $520,000 for the campaign. "Because we've raised that amount of money, now we get to save four teachers' jobs," said foundation President Teri Kent.

According to Kent, the group has recently been receiving total donations of $50,000 on a daily basis. And the fundraising efforts continue, with pledge booths established at each of the five schools, fliers displayed in businesses around town, coffee gatherings in homes to talk budget, and, last week, phone-a-thons and neighborhood walkabouts. The walkabouts consisted of students walking their neighborhoods, passing out fliers and asking surrounding residents to donate to SOS.

"That's really our key way to reach out to the neighborhoods," Kent said. The pledge booths, Kent said, "seem to be working because people sometimes forget to put their donation in the mail."

SOS also has classroom ambassadors at the schools who are calling and sending emails to parents. "They're representatives of each class in each classroom," said campaign committee member Rusty Ingram.

A forum was held on May 13 for families of children who are going to be enrolled in kindergarten next year. "That's designed specifically to help them understand what's going on and why they received a mailer," Kent said.

The campaign was kicked off five weeks ago with a series of meetings on the budget and SOS, hosted by district Superintendent Mary Ann Park and SOS representatives.

"It's been a whirlwind" of fundraising and receiving community support, Kent said.

The money raised will pay for programs and staff that the district plans to eliminate in anticipation of declining enrollment and Gov. Gray Davis' proposed education cuts—including program initiatives in science, reading and writing, math and the visual and performing arts; instructional aides; library material and staff; textbooks; and teachers.

While SOS requested that each family donate $600 or more, Kent said, "The average donation is holding above $600." Forty percent of donations received came from families who had not given money to the foundation in the past.

Kent said the positive response from the community has been overwhelming, with Los Gatos Mayor Sandy Decker publicly supporting the cause and five pink-slipped Blossom Hill Elementary School teachers helping out with the mailing effort.

For more information on the foundation or the SOS campaign, visit http://lgef.org/SOS.shtml.