Education Foundation of Fairfield Public Schools
"One Piece of the Puzzle"
Mission
- Enhance Learning Opportunities
- Encourage Creative and Innovative Educational Programs
- Promote Utilization of Current Technologies
- Encourage and Increase Community Involvement in Our Schools
History
The Education Foundation of Fairfield Public Schools, Inc. organized in March of 1997, supports the tradition of excellence in education through the use of private revenues. As public monies become scarcer and education demands increase, it has become more difficult to meet the needs of our students. Private revenues can be used to help meet the needs in a more timely manner and can create opportunities for broader educational experiences not currently available to students and teachers.
The Education Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors that determine how funds are retained and distributed. The foundation is separate from the Fairfield Community School District and its board of directors. However, representatives of the school district's board of directors, administration, faculty, and student body are consulted to assist in evaluating opportunities and priorities for the use of the foundation's funds.
Grant History
In the spring of 1998, the Education Foundation of the Fairfield Public Schools awarded $1,700 to teachers who applied for funding to purchase materials to enhance students’ learning experiences in their classrooms. Pursuant to its mission to assist teachers in their efforts to engage students in learning, and to supplement District funds, the Foundation went on to fund similar requests totaling $113,700 over the next 10 years. In the spring of 2008, the Foundation funded 20 applications, totaling $17, 600. The grants included funds to purchase a new sound system for the Middle School Cafetorium and 30 TI-Nspire calculators for high school math students.
- Raise funds for current innovative projects as well as for endowments to perpetuate learning opportunities into the future.
- Seek opportunities to invest in a variety of educational experiences through grants to educators and students.
- Increase community appreciation of the rewards available through involvement in the education process.
- Create a directory of district alumni and facilitate utilization of alumni as educational resources.
Board Members are:
The Education Foundation of FCSD is a wonderful way for the community as a whole to provide direct classroom support to teachers and students. The grants awarded through the Foundation provide many needed and updated materials to keep our students prepared for the higher technological and thinking skills that will be required of their generation. The community of Fairfield should be very proud of all their efforts to support an important cause such as this. I am honored to be working on this board and with a group of people who are deeply dedicated to education.
Beth Greiner-Ward
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"I was a student in the Fairfield
Community School district during my K- 12 years. After living outside
Iowa for several years, I've seen the positive value of my
education in comparison to some other areas of the country. I feel lucky to have
had this experience and am glad to work with an organization that provides more
opportunities for the next generation of students."
Ben Huff
huff0329@iowatelecom.net
641-472-1046
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Involvement in the Education Foundation is one way to demonstrate commitment to our children and community. John Dewey wrote that the aim of education is the enrichment of the individual and society by developing a child’s “social power and insight”. I hope others will take advantage of opportunities to show how much we value education as the way to enhance the quality of community life, and support the Foundation’s efforts.
Margaret Kelly
melizabethkelly@gmail.com
(641) 472-2912 |
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"With small children, I have realized the importance of teachers having the necessary tools to educate our youth. With restricted budgets as they are, this is a necessary avenue that we have to be able to help those that are willing to go above and beyond in teaching our children. Our community does a fantastic job of supporting the mission of the Education Foundation and I hope that we can inspire new donors every year." Terri Kness
Terrikness@gmail.com
641-233-7504 |
Teachers are the ones educating our future leaders in all walks of life. I feel it's important to provide them with the resources to do the best job possible |
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The education of our children is perhaps the most important aspect for the continued growth of our community. The budget constraints our schools are under can hinder that success. The Education Foundation steps in as a vehicle to channel resources to our teachers and students. As a graduate of Fairfield High School, I am deeply honored to serve as a board member and work with the Fairfield School District. Your investment in the Education Foundation is an investment in our children and our future.
Bev Nelson
livewire3@iowatelecom.net
(641) 693-8202
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The Fairfield Community Schools has a reputation for providing quality education for all students. It is an integral part of the community and plays an important role in the growth and development of our students today as well as the future. I am honored and hope I can repay in some way what Fairfield’s school system provided for our children. This can be done best through my involvement in the Education Foundation. Where opportunities can be enhanced and encouraged by using private funding to supplement educational programs.
Glenn Perkins
bminc@netins.net
(641) 472-1774 |
I am thankful to have been asked to help support our school district. As a parent with four children in the Fairfield Community School District, I understand the value of providing our students with the best possible education to facilitate a successful experience as they follow their chosen career path. Through generous community support, this group can provide support in the way of the correct tools and resources to keep our educators energized and result in our students becoming more engaged in their education.
Doug Kuehl
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I am honored to serve on the board of the Education Foundation. Our educators face a daunting task of providing a top notch education for students in the face of difficult economic times and tight budgets. This is where the Education Foundation, through the generous support of our many donors, can provide a valuable assist with classroom supplies and resources. As a proud graduate of Fairfield High School, and with my children following suit, I am committed to our mission of enhancing the educational experience in our schools.
Chad Thompson
cbthmpsn@hotmail.com
(641) 470-1447 |
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I was very pleased to be asked to serve as a director for the Education Foundation. Not only did I teach in Fairfield for thirty years, but my family is now working on the fourth generation of Fairfield graduates. I feel the Fairfield schools provide an excellent education for our students. The Education Foundation helps the district maintain this high level of achievement by enabling the teachers to purchase learning tools they otherwise would not be able to have. With budgets as tight as they are, this foundation is an invaluable asset to our community.
Danella Van Tasell
danella@lisco.com
(641) 472-4796 |
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Ex-officio Members:
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Providing a high quality education to the young people of Fairfield is one of the most important things we can do. This requires the efforts of many to give our educators the resources to enhance the education process above and beyond the level traditional sources allow. The Education Foundation is an excellent vehicle to allow individuals to personally contribute to our education system. It has shown that it can make a difference in Fairfield and it will continue to do so.
Craig Foss
Legal Counsel Representative |
"I am honored to serve as the teacher representative for this organization that has done so much to provide funding for our classrooms. I see this position as an opportunity to provide a voice for all teachers in the district. If there is a question about the benefit of a particular item, I can be an advocate for the teacher and support the request."
Cathy Kaska
Teacher Representative |
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The Education Foundation helps to promote the importance of education to the students in our community. I am more than honored to be a part of this committee, to help further the education for students. Being a senior at Fairfield High School, I understand the importance of making the classroom interesting with different projects and especially for this generation, new technology. The Education Foundation is such an amazing group because it allows the teachers and students to achieve success in the classroom. Donations given to the Education Foundation help to fund the new projects and technology teachers are wanting. This group is essential to the continued success and high education of Fairfield Community Schools!
Shannon Cochran
Student Representative |
I was the teacher representative of the Education Foundation for many years before I retired and I was fortunate to see the useful and exciting grants awarded to teachers. When a teacher is excited about a new innovative way of presenting materials to her students, the children get excited about learning! Now as the school board representative, I appreciate the support of the foundation even more! As the board tries to balance the budget in these difficult economic times and tries to meet the needs of the curriculum, we often have to so no to requests for non-essential things. Now teachers have somewhere else to go for those needs. Your donations touch the lives of many students and enhance their learning experience in the Fairfield Schools!
Jeri Kunkle
School Board Representative |
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Art Sathoff - Superintendent of Fairfield Community Schools
Education Foundation of Fairfield Public Schools, Inc.
403 S. 20th Street
Fairfield, IA 52556
Website updated: February 2011
Created by J.Watts; Updated by : A. Watts, S. Kientz
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