What will they do now? / West Contra Costa students face a future with no school libraries, no counselors and no sports Parents, banks and the Oakland A's quickly scramble to close huge funding gap, save programs and staff

The Oakland Athletics, two banks and a growing network of parents began a fund-raising drive Wednesday in an emergency effort to help schools in west Contra Costa County save their athletics programs and libraries.

Donations on the first day amounted to more than 75,000ドル -- a long way from the 16ドル.5 million the West Contra Costa Unified School District abruptly chopped from its budget Monday night. But aid from the Oakland A's has yet to be included.

The district stunned the Bay Area when its board announced it would become the first public school district in the state to eliminate all high school sports, close all libraries and lay off all music teachers and counselors in the fall to balance its 180ドル million budget for 2004-05.

Teachers and students praised the donors for providing a significant step toward the nearly 2ドル.5 million necessary to save libraries and basic sports programs for high school students. Monday's cuts also included the layoffs of 200 employees serving the 35,000-student district.

"It no longer seems quite so grim, so impossible," said Rene Siles, coach of the Richmond High School boys soccer team, which won its league championship last fall. "There is hope that maybe, just maybe, we can save these sports for these kids who really need it."

Earlier, at a news conference in the library at Richmond High School, officials from Wells Fargo Bank, Mechanics Bank and the Oakland A's -- flanked by dozens of high school athletes and cheerleaders -- announced they would pitch in to help the financially strapped schools.

Wells Fargo said it would donate 50,000,ドル and Mechanics Bank agreed to donate 25,000ドル to help save sports and libraries.

Mike Billeci, a Wells Fargo executive, said he hoped the donations would "create momentum" so that "other businesses will follow suit."

Along with the banks, A's Vice President David Alioto announced the baseball team would donate half the cost of each new ticket sold at three designated home games this summer.

"This has the potential to raise a lot of money for the schools," Alioto said.

Alioto said the A's were throwing their entire public relations staff into promoting the games on June 9 against the Cincinnati Reds, July 27 against the Seattle Mariners and Aug. 25 against the Baltimore Orioles.

"Half of each ticket goes to the schools," Alioto said. "So if you buy two 26ドル seats, you're giving 26ドル to help the Richmond schools."

In light of the new corporate support, and rumors of other possible donations, district Superintendent Gloria Johnston said she was asking the principals at the district's six high schools to come up with "bare bones" budgets to save sports at their schools.

Because of budget problems last year, the district was forced to cut most junior varsity team sports from this year's budget. Restoring team sports to the level of the 2002-03 school year would cost an additional 500,000ドル.

"It's still the worst it has ever been here," Johnston said. "But this private support gives us reason to be optimistic."

Financial woes aren't new to this district, which in 1991 was bailed out of bankruptcy by the state. The district continues to repay the state for the loan at a rate of about 2ドル million a year.

Meanwhile, a group of parents and concerned citizens from the cities served by the district -- Richmond, El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, El Sobrante, San Pablo and Kensington -- banded together via the Internet to donate 80ドル per family to the school of their choice. That is the average amount a homeowner would have paid if Measure J had passed last week. That parcel tax measure was narrowly defeated and would have raised about 7ドル.5 million a year for five years for the district.

The idea of donating 80ドル to a local school was first proposed last week on an Internet site by El Cerrito parent Sue Mertens, and it rapidly spread to the various parent groups in the 35,000-student district.

"It makes perfect sense to ask people who otherwise would happily pay the tax to give it directly to their child's local school," Marsha Williamson, a parent active in aiding El Cerrito High School, said via e-mail.

"We want to get a flood of supporters," said Al Kirkman, a retired high school counselor at De Anza High School and a conditioning coach at Pinole Valley High School. "We can no longer rely on aid from the state or anyone else. We have to lift the boat ourselves."

The idea has drawn the interest of some residents who were opposed to Measure J because they didn't trust the district administrators to spend the money in the classroom.

"If that money is going to be used for specific programs at specific schools, then I'm interested," said Kevin Rivard, who leads a parent committee at Richmond High School. "Too many times I've seen money that was supposed to be spent by schools diverted downtown by (district) administration. "

Board members said the 80ドル donations gave parents a starting point for trying to salvage programs.

"I will be contributing at least 80ドル to a school," said board member Glen Price. "If you are concerned with supporting critical programs in your local school, this is a way you can make a difference. Even a small difference would be very helpful."

Meanwhile, student protests and walkouts continued at four high schools in the district Wednesday. The events were boisterous but peaceful at Richmond, El Cerrito and Kennedy high schools.

But the student walkout at Pinole Valley High School turned ugly after police said some youngsters had jumped on cars and stolen items from a nearby convenience store. Most of the 200 to 300 students were not involved in illegal activity and will not be disciplined, according to district officials and police. There were no arrests.

District officials and police said any student arrested in future protests would face discipline. Police videotaped the student protests for possible evidence in criminal cases.

Details about the special A's ticket offer are available by phone at (510) 638-4627 or by e-mail at fundraising@oaklandathletics.com

Checks specifically for sports programs can be sent to the West Contra Costa Athletic Fund at account number 039-645177 at any branch of Mechanics' Bank. Checks for the libraries can be sent to West Contra Costa Literacy Fund, account number 039-645495 at Mechanics' Bank.

BIG-TICKET CUTS

The West Contra Costa school board approved 16ドル.5 million in cuts this week to balance its budget for the coming school year. Here are some of the most expensive items:

2ドル.8 million: 37 school counselors

1ドル.4 million: 24 librarians and assistants

1ドル.2 million: 14.5 school psychologists

941ドル thousand: 10 principals

620ドル thousand: 9.2 music teachers, assistants and supplies

525ドル thousand: High school sports

Source: West Contra Costa Unified School District

SAVING THE SCHOOLS

How residents of the West Contra Costa Unified School District have voted recently on parcel taxes and bond measures:

Approved: Bond measure E, June 2, 1998 -- 40ドル million for repairs and a new middle school. Cost to property owners: 17ドル per 100,000ドル of assessed property value for 25 years.

Approved: Bond measure M, Nov. 7, 2000 -- 150ドル million to tap into state money for fixing or rebuilding elementary schools. The 25-year bond costs homeowners 29ドル a year per 100,000ドル of assessed value.

Approved: Bond measure D, March 5, 2002 -- 300ドル million for repairs. Average cost: 49ドル per 100,000ドル of assessed value for 30 years.

Rejected: Measure C, Sept. 16, 2003 -- 450ドル million for repairs at a cost of about 58ドル per 100,000ドル of assessed property value.

Rejected: Measure J, March 2, 2004 -- Parcel tax to generate about 7ドル.5 million a year for five years at an average cost of 80ドル per property to pay for more counselors and custodians.

-- HIGH SCHOOLS

De Anza (Richmond)

El Cerrito (El Cerrito)

Hercules (Hercules)

Kennedy (Richmond)

Pinole Valley (Pinole)

Richmond (Richmond)

-- MIDDLE SCHOOLS

Adams (Richmond)

Crespi (El Sobrante)

Lovonya DeJean (Richmond)

Helms (San Pablo)

Hercules (Hercules)

Pinole (Pinole)

Portola (El Cerrito)

-- ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

Bayview (San Pablo)

Cameron (El Cerrito)

Castro (El Cerrito)

Chavez (Richmond)

Collins (Pinole)

Coronado (Richmond)

Dover (San Pablo)

Downer (San Pablo)

El Sobrante (El Sobrante)

Ellerhorst (Pinole)

Fairmont (El Cerrito)

Ford (Richmond)

Grant (Richmond)

Hanna Ranch (Hercules)

Harding (El Cerrito)

Hercules (Hercules)

Highland (Richmond)

Kensington (Kensington)

King (Richmond)

Lake (San Pablo)

Lincoln (Richmond)

Madera (El Cerrito)

Mira Vista (Richmond)

Montalvin Manor (San Pablo)

Murphy (Richmond)

Nystrom (Richmond)

Ohlone (Hercules)

Olinda (El Sobrante)

Peres (Richmond)

Riverside (San Pablo)

Seaview (San Pablo)

Shannon (Pinole)

Sheldon (Richmond)

Stege (Richmond)

Stewart (Pinole)

Tara Hills (San Pablo)

Valley View (Richmond)

Verde (Richmond)

Washington (Richmond)

Wilson (Richmond)

-- ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS

Adult School (Richmond)

Delta (Richmond)

Gompers (Richmond)

Harbour Way (Richmond)

Kappa High (Richmond)

Middle College (San Pablo)

North Campus (San Pablo)

Omega (Richmond)

Sigma High (Pinole)

Transition Learning Center (special education) (San Pablo)

Vista (Richmond)

Source: West Contra Costa Unified School District