Odyssey Community,

We’re excited to share the proposed OPTO budget for the upcoming 2026-27 school year attached to this announcement. Major changes proposed include:

1. Covering parent meeting childcare and Camp Parsons through general donations rather than “pay to participate” to make these activities available for everyone.

2. Charging families the full cost per student of outdoor ed, rather than partially covering them through general donations, to make more transparent the cost and avoid fundraising confusion.

3. Increasing scholarships and grants to support families in need of financial assistance for outdoor ed, field trips, and other activities.

4. Adding funding for STEM and library resources to reflect expected costs.

5. Adjusting classroom supplies, field trip, and mini class budgets to reflect actual spending in the 2025 - 2026 school year.

6. Adjusting event or fee-based activities and donation-supported activities to better differentiate them.

There are also other minor adjustments to align the budget with expected spending, remove one-time expenses, and clarify budget categories. In addition, we intend to plan our fundraising activities to include the spend-down of existing carryover balances in 2026. The result is a total donation-based budget that we hope will improve and enhance the school experience and doesn't significantly change our donation needs for next year.

Please reach out with any questions, and join us during the last OPTO meeting of this school year on Weds, 6/17, at 4:30pm on Zoom to formally approve and adopt next year’s budget!

Thank you, everyone, for your time, energy, and donations that make this school such a special one!

Your OPTO Executive Team