Bricks outside Wildwood Elementary School on Hiawatha Avenue would be inscribed with the names of donors. View Full Caption Wildwood Elementary School

EDGEBROOK — Determined to fill the gaps created by deep budget cuts, a newly formed group of parents of Wildwood Elementary School students are working to rebuild the school's music and sports programs.

Supporters of the top-ranked school, which just opened a brand-new annex to relieve years of severe overcrowding, are selling engraved bricks that will line the school's front walk at 6950 N. Hiawatha Ave. to fund music and sports programs slashed by Chicago Public Schools officials earlier this year striving to fill what they said was a $1.1 billion deficit.

"This is a great way to leave a lasting legacy at Wildwood School while supporting programs that will benefit hundreds of students," said Marni Willenson, chairwoman of the Friends of Wildwood board and the parent of a student.

Founded this summer, Friends of Wildwood intends to use the proceeds from the bricks to fund a new a new music-instruction program while insulating the school's athletic programs from budget cuts.

"Music and sports are important components of a well-rounded education for elementary-school students, and we believe our group's efforts will help make these programs a reality," Willenson said.

Bricks can be bought through Nov. 15, and every donation will be matched by an anonymous donor up to $50,000, organizers said. The bricks will be installed in the spring.

Red bricks, measuring 4 inches by 8 inches, are available for $250 and gray bricks, measuring 8 square inches, are $400. Three extra-large premium center squares, with four 8-square-inch bricks clustered together, are available for $2,000 each.

Before the start of the school year, CPS officials announced they would eliminate funding for elementary school sports teams and stipends for 5,300 grade school coaches to save $3.2 million.

Wildwood was one of 16 Far Northwest Side schools to get $1,000 or $1,500 from Taft High School's Local School Council in an effort to help preserve elementary school sports programs.

After DNAinfo Chicago reported that schools were forming their own leagues to give students a chance to play sports, CPS officials said they would "coordinate" sports leagues — as long as schools paid $50 per team and picked up all of the costs associated with the program.

Fundraising at schools in relatively affluent parts of the Far Northwest Side is common as parents and school leaders strive to blunt the impact of the school district's budget crisis, which has yet to be fully resolved.

Negotiations are underway between school district officials and the Chicago Teachers Union. In addition, district officials have warned that 5,000 teachers could be laid off in November if state lawmakers don't give the district $500 million to pay its bills.

For more information about purchasing a Wildwood brick, email Gemini Mittenthal at fowbricks@gmail.com.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: