photo credit: SchoolsRule Sonoma County (Christopher Chung)
Lorez Bailey is the new ambassador for SchoolsRule Sonoma County

 A local publisher and former nonprofit director has been tapped to join SchoolsRule Sonoma County. 

SchoolsRule is an initiative of the Sonoma County Office of Education. It raises funds on behalf of all public students throughout the region's 40 school districts.

Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Amie Carter, launched SchoolsRule Sonoma County after seeing the success of a similar program in Marin County. That's according to county education office spokesperson Nashelly Chavez.

"We know that we have a generous community here in Sonoma County and we also know that Sonoma County students could really benefit from extra support right now," said Chavez.

Chavez says Lorez Bailey is the new Ambassador for SchoolsRule Sonoma County. Bailey was the executive director of Chop’s Teen Club and is the former publisher of the North Bay Business Journal.

She tells KRCB News her new role as Ambassador is to build awareness.

“We want our community to know about this program and what we're doing to really try to benefit all students and Sonoma County. So for me, I think initially, I just want people to know that this wonderful program exists and find ways to bring in more support for SchoolsRule Sonoma County," said Bailey.

In its first year, the initiative distributed over $136,000 to local education foundations. The largest donation--$23 thousand dollars--went to the Petaluma Education Foundation.

Chavez says they got wonderful feedback from the education foundation recipients.

“This money that we were able to collect for them was the biggest donation that they had ever received in decades," explained Chavez.

Bailey says funding from SchoolsRule can be used however it is needed by each education foundation or school.

“This money is not restricted. Yes, there are priority areas such as literacy, student well-being, agriculture and hospitality, STEAM – and if people don't know what STEAM is: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. But these are unrestricted dollars that foundations and schools can make decisions on what they know is best for their schools and how best to use these funds. And I think that for me, that's one of the most exciting things about it is that we're giving this these funds, but in the end, we're giving schools and Foundations team power to decide what they think is best, and how best to use the funds," Bailey said.

Bailey says accountability is important as well.

“We're going to be doing school site visits. We're going to be compiling a full list of not just where the funds went, but how they were used. So this year is going to be an exciting year of sharing impact," said Bailey.

SchoolsRule-Marin has been able to raise over $8-million since it began in 2011. Bailey says she sees huge potential for SchoolsRule Sonoma County.

“SchoolsRule-Marin has been a wonderful partner, they shared so much of best practices, what they've learned, you know, if they could look back now and also helping us manage expectations that this is something that has to grow over time," explained Bailey.

Program staff say some of the largest donors to SchoolsRule Sonoma County to date include Redwood Credit Union, Sonoma Clean Power, and Exchange Bank.