Parents for small class sizes plug along...

Parents for small class sizes plug along

Parents trying to raise money to preserve low class sizes in the

Huntington Beach City School District collected $9,200 last week

during a three-night fundraiser at local McDonald’s restaurants.

Community for Class Size Reduction is a local parents group

working to keep low student-to-teacher ratios in kindergarten through

third grade. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, the group

collected donations and earned 25% of sales made at participating

McDonald’s restaurants.

Though the group hasn’t tallied all recent donations, money raised

at the events brought the fund above the $60,000 mark. The group

needs $205,000 to keep class-size reduction at current levels for

next school year and $455,000 to restore the program to third grade.

“If we can bang out nine to 10 grand, we’re moving right ahead,”

said Joe Churilla, a parent who handles finances for the group.

An average of 215 to 420 people visited the restaurants during the

event. School employees and parents gave crew members a hand by

helping out behind the counter.