Bixby Parents Hope Fundraiser Helps School District 'Bridge The Gap'

A group of Bixby parents is going to work to keep their children’s schools fully funded.

It’s a tall order because the school district shaved almost $2 million from the budget, but the parents have a plan to help bridge the gap.

The idea behind their initiative is to help Bixby schools make up the $202 per student they will lose, and they’ve come up with a creative way to make that happen.

Bixby Public Schools faces a $1 .7 million dollar cut; something that worried parent Julie Prox.

"It's scary to think the funds are going to get cut. You wonder what kind of an education your child is going to get," she said.

Board members voted to keep all certified teachers, but eliminate nearly two dozen support staff jobs, cutting transportation and janitorial expenses.

And some administrators will take pay cuts.

Parent Tristy Fryer said, "I started getting concerned that more and more was going to be taken, that teachers were going to lose their jobs; and so a few parents got together and said what can we do. We didn't want to complain, we wanted to become a part of the solution."

Due to financial concerns, a group of parents started ‘Bridge the Gap,’ a fundraiser to raise money to meet the deficit, and support for the plan is growing.

"It started with a small group of parents and it pretty much snowballed overnight," said parent, Joely Fleger.

The fundraising initiative gives donors the ability to make contributions online or write a check.

Supporters hope to spread the news with the 202 challenge - $202 is how much each student will lose next year.

People can do 202 of anything to spread the word.

School lets out Thursday, but the fundraising initiative lasts throughout the summer. You can learn more here.