A first-class education program might include the following items that are not funded, or not fully funded, in the current budget: 

• Enrichment programs at all grade levels that encourage students to achieve to their fullest potential. Examples of past BAEF funded programs include:

      ~ The middle school Jazz Workshop,

~ The high school Illick’s Mill Environmental Project,

~ Middle schools introduction to robotics, designed to heighten student’s critical thinking, problem solving and to enhance creativity,

~ Elementary school Science Fest,

~ The WDIY-FM Youth Media Program, where high school students were trained to write and produce news features in the National Public Radio style

~ The Patriot Project, a high school and middle school one week choral summer camp.

• Permanent funding to maintain state-of-the-art school libraries that work with our public library;

   •  To provide greater access to students (and the community) during and after school hours;

•  Science programs that integrate a full range of instrumentation and technology to engage students in the investigation of scientific phenomena;

   •  Endowments of distance learning offerings to take full advantage of the those expanding opportunities;

 •  Permanent funding to maintain our athletic fields and performing arts venues that are enjoyed by students, community groups alike;

 •  Challenging new courses of study, such as broadcasting, marine science, and computer programming and repair, that offer students an opportunity to work toward a specific career interest;

 •  Evening and alternative programs that offer choices for students and others who wish to take courses that their current school day schedule cannot accommodate;

•  Development funding for tools that foster greater collaboration between parents and teachers around children’s academic goals;

 •  Additional time and resources to research, develop, and pilot programs that move our system forward toward excellence.