About Friends of TOPS
Friends of TOPS (FOT) is the fundraising organization managed by family members and caregivers of children enrolled in TOPS. It is a 501(c)(3) tax deductible non-profit, administered by the TOPS Site Council. Our Tax ID is: 94-3142402. We support both curriculum enhancements and community building projects, making sure our faculty and staff have the resources they need to provide a complete experience for our kids.
Site Council is one of our school’s governing bodies and is made up of school administrators, appointed staff, a member of the Eastlake community, and elected representatives who are family members or caregivers of children enrolled in TOPS. There is a parent or caregiver representative for each grade band, and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program. If you are interested in one of several open positions on Site Council, including Co-Secretary and Co-Treasurer, please email secretary@topsk8.org.
Budget and Programs
Since each year’s fundraising goes towards programs that will take place in the following year, requests for funding are due in the spring of the prior school year. For example, a program to be funded in the 2023-2024 school year, a request for funds would have been made in the spring of 2023.) The requests will be reviewed and the budget approved by Site Council, acting as the Friends of TOPS board.
Here is a full list of the 2023-24 Friends of TOPS funded programs.
“The need for instruments is high. All 4th and 5th graders play an instrument - band or orchestra - and that is super different from any other Seattle K-8 or elementary school music program... and that is what distinguishes TOPS’ music program from the other schools within Seattle Public Schools.”
“We have three teaching artists that come in and work with us. They are all professional actors, play writes and choreographers…They teach the classes and they write the curriculum and plays. They run the whole program…The money from Friends of TOPS go directly to fund these fantastic teaching artists.”
“The high school programs want musicians from TOPS who’ve gone through music in 4th, 5th, and middle school grades - those kids are some of the strongest musicians going into their high school programs. ”
“Historically the kids at Math Agency at TOPs have been learning at a .6 grade level per year, so they are falling further behind each year. The kids in the Math Agency program are now learning math at a rate of 1.6 grade levels of math per year... If we are able to serve two grades, we think we can take almost all the kids that are behind and get them up to grade level.”
“Planting the Seeds is the annual 8th Grade Service Project...Students are divided into groups of eight students and with a staff leader, they venture out by foot and bus for three days and two nights volunteering at agencies that serve and empower individuals affected by economic and housing injustices. The students learn about these injustices while also working at the agencies serving food, preparing meals, making hygiene kits, gardening, cleaning, or painting houses.”
Program Proposals
For the 2023-2024 funding cycle, the Friends of TOPS Board had guided discussions to reach funding decisions. There is not a strict list of requirements for funding proposals. However our discussions were guided by this document, which is available for the whole community to view and includes translations.
Friends of TOPS members also recognize that the 2023-2024 school year may continue to be different than other years. While we hope all budgeted programs may proceed, decisions about how school exists for the year may impact whether programs can occur. Should programs need to be cancelled, reallocations of funds may take place in order to better serve our students.
The community will be asked to submit program proposals for the 2024-2025 school year in Spring 2024.