CURRENT DISTRICT PROJECTS
This year the District asked us to support four projects:
School Loop — School Loop is an online application for high school students and parents to communicate with their teachers, as an alternative to e-mail. Schools and teachers can post homework for students, school announcements, and downloads. Teachers can have a website inside School Loop, where they can post class-specific information. Students can look up their homework, grades and e-mail their teachers. The system provides a calendar system for assignment due-dates. Students can also store files in a digital locker for later use. Groups can be formed by students with the permission of a teacher or a staff member. Parents can sign up to keep track of their child’s progress and check homework, assignments and grades.
Naviance — The District has implemented the Naviance Succeed suite, which enables our schools to develop and manage a multi-year plan for each student. Each plan helps chart a personalized path toward meeting graduation requirements and achieving college and workplace readiness. This year an additional grant from the Foundation is making available an online SAT preparation course.
Engineering Curriculum / Robotics — Robotics is an interdisciplinary program that fosters business, engineering, marketing and collaboration skills among students. It provides hands-on training as students build 120 pound robots for local, regional and national competitions. Students, teachers and parents collaborate to raise funds, publicize events and promote the program throughout the community. Engineering classes and curriculum at District schools are designed to coordinate with the robotics teams to provide an integrated learning experience. As funding for the Foundation grows, so will efforts to expand the engineering program and curriculum at all five of our high schools.
Visual & Performing Arts — The Foundation is also providing funds to support visual and performing arts at each of our five high schools which includes theatre, choral, instrumental music and arts programs.
THE FOUNDATION'S ENDOWMENT
With the receipt of an anonymous $20,000 donation in October 2000, the Foundation launched a drive to build an endowment fund and in the first year received $129,000! Since then the endowment has grown to $400,000 through additional donations, additions from the Foundation's annual operating funds, and from investment appreciation.
Each year the Foundation Board decides whether to spend some or all of the fund's annual earnings on Current District Projects, or whether to "roll it over" into the fund. In any case, none of the direct contribution money is to be spent, thus preserving ongoing earnings that ultimately wind up supporting the District and our students.
