It wasn't—it was last year. And the time has come to start it all again.

The successful campaign of a year ago made it possible for the district to retain teachers and maintain small class sizes in Los Gatos elementary schools and Fisher Middle School. The first $850,000 of the nearly $1 million raised has already been allocated to the district to achieve that goal, and additional funds have been set aside for curriculum advancement and consistency at Fisher.

But just because the layoff notices sent to teachers in 2003 could be shredded to become just so much pink confetti for the 2004 New Year's celebration, that doesn't mean that the job is done.

The LGEF is at it again—partly because of the momentum created and the feeling of community generated by the campaign of 2003, but mostly because there is a continuing need for financial support for the LGUSD.

The foundation cannot rest on its laurels, and to that end the LGEF is once again making its way through Los Gatos and Monte Sereno in an effort to drum up donations for education, and it's time again for the community to step up and offer its financial support.

While the district may have dodged a bullet in 2003, thanks to the LGEF and a generous community, another round is sure to be fired by the state. Like LGEF co-presidents Pam Kissiah and Sandy Nakata said in their letter to district parents, "State budget woes are not behind us. While we have a new governor, the same economic realities that cut this year's budget are projected to remain. Yet our desire for quality children's programs remains strong and we must raise the funds necessary to provide them."

"This year LGEF is committed to working with the community to once again garner the support needed to preserve the quality of today's education," they added, "while slowly building toward a stronger future."

Kissiah, Nakata and the rest of the volunteers who make up the LGEF should be proud of what they have accomplished, and the community should be proud of them as they stay the course in 2004 to continue their pursuit of a quality education for Los Gatos and Monte Sereno youngsters. While the current Bush administration banters such rhetoric as "No Child Left Behind," yet slashes government funding for education, Kissiah, Nakata and others like them are out on the front lines raising funds to make sure that those words ring true.

Los Gatos and Monte Sereno children will not be left behind, no thanks to the federal government but with a great debt of gratitude to the volunteers of the LGEF and generous community members who care about the needs of our school children.