To the editor:

To the FM community,

Thank you for turning out so enthusiastically for the school budget vote and board of education election. Thank you also for supporting our school budget, and congratulations to those who succeeded. Though I fell short in the election, I was deeply humbled by the outpouring of support, and am so appreciative of those who understood my message of prioritizing the needs of our students and teachers, in a fiscally responsible manner.

Understanding that not everyone is on social media, I want to share with you a letter that my wife Jenée and I posted online on the morning after the election. Here is that letter:

“Today dawns a new day, but with the same priorities: our students and teachers in this district. They were our focus throughout this campaign, and will continue to be.

Toward this end, Jenée and I are pleased to announce a $1,194 matching gift to the FM Education Foundation. We will match, dollar for dollar, the next $1,194 in individual donations made to the FM Education Foundation. These funds will directly benefit our students and teachers in the classroom.

For the 1,194 of you who joined our cause, we are so grateful, and we ask that you all continue your support of our students and teachers through a simple donation of $10 each (or more if you wish) to the FM Education Foundation.

For those who didn’t join our cause, we respectfully ask that you do so now by similarly donating to the FM Education Foundation to support our students and teachers.

To our current and elected Board of Education members, we extend a friendly challenge: we ask that you join with us and pledge $500/each to the FM Education Foundation as a similar matching gift. You may comment below to confirm your pledge, or email us directly at [email protected].

Please donate, and please “like” and “share” this across our district, for the benefit of our students and teachers.

Thank you for supporting our students and teachers!”

Many have already donated to the FM Education Foundation in response to this letter. I hope that you will join with them in supporting our students and teachers. You may donate here: fmeducationfoundation.org/donate.

Daniel Seidberg

Manlius