Saluting Oklahoma's Local Education Foundations
Oklahoma's 192 Local Education Foundations Recognizing, Encouraging Academic Excellence
Gov. Brad Henry has declared October 23 through 29 as Local Education Foundation Week in Oklahoma, celebrating the achievements of the state’s 192 local education foundations (LEFs) and encouraging public support for the work they do on behalf of Oklahoma’s public schools.
“Concerned citizens in communities across the state have established local education foundations to raise private dollars and mobilize community support for the betterment of their local public schools and the children they serve,” the governor’s proclamation states. Local Education Foundation Week “honors the important work of these foundations on behalf of our children and our future.”
Gov. Brad Henry signs a proclamation establishing the week of Oct. 23 through 29 as Local Education Foundation (LEF) Week in Oklahoma. Foundation supporters attending the signing are (from left) Zach Allen, Norman; Charlotte Jones, LEF outreach director for the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence; Lou Christian, Blanchard; Tonya Ricks, Shawnee; Susan Parker, Oklahoma City; Masie Bross, Oklahoma City; Caroline Gist, Putnam City; Tamera Patterson, Shawnee; Brenda Wheelock, OFE communications director; Susan Adams, Edmond; and Emily Stratton, OFE executive director.
Highlighting LEF Week will be the 17th annual Fall Forum for Local Education Foundations to be held Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the Oklahoma Memorial Union, 900 Asp Ave., on the University of Oklahoma Norman campus. The Fall Forum is the state’s premiere training and networking conference for public school foundation leaders and educators. The Fall Forum is presented by the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, which provides free outreach services to new and established LEFs.
Oklahoma has one of the nation’s largest networks of local education foundations, with 192 currently on record with the Foundation for Excellence. Based on a 2005 survey of Oklahoma local education foundations, the 108 responding foundations have, since inception, awarded more than $26.6 million to community schools. These include grants, scholarships and funds for other activities not available through regular school budgets.
“Across Oklahoma, citizens recognize the importance of our state’s children receiving the best public education possible,” said Emily Stratton, executive director of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence. “It is this belief that has led to Oklahoma’s exceptionally successful local education foundation movement. The mission of these grassroots, community organizations is to recognize and encourage academic excellence in public schools through private support.”
While Oklahoma’s local education foundations vary in size, structure and programming, all are 501 (c)(3) non-profits led by boards of directors comprised of community volunteers. Local education foundations are funded almost entirely by private contributions, relying on community supporters to raise and distribute funds.
Most LEFs have chosen the Grants-to-Teachers Program as the primary means by which funds are distributed. Teachers must write proposals for these grants, which provide classroom equipment, curriculum materials, field trips or other resources not available through traditional school funding.
Four Clinton Public Schools teachers launched an astronomy camp for students in grades 5 through 9 after receiving a grant from the Clinton Public Schools Foundation to purchase a high-quality telescope. Spurred by the program’s success, the teachers recently received a Toyota Tapestry Grant of nearly $10,000 to purchase additional equipment, including a sun-viewing telescope, laptop computers, projectors and a photo printer. Students are using the computers and projectors to do presentations for the community.
“Without the support from the Clinton Public Schools Foundation for phase one of this project, we could have never received the Toyota grant,” said 7th grade science teacher Sue Ayn Moore. “Because of the foundation, I can do things for my kids that the district couldn’t otherwise afford to do. I wake up excited every day knowing that these learning tools are here, and my students are excited too!”
Second-graders in Newcastle became “Masters in the Making” thanks to a grant from the newly formed Newcastle Education Foundation, which provided new art curriculum materials to help students improve art expression, appreciation and knowledge. “Students showed an increase in confidence, appreciation and expression in art-related activities,” said teacher Stephanie Cox. The Collinsville Education Foundation recently awarded a grant for a special large-format keyboard and computer mouse to give students with disabilities greater accessibility to computer activities. Meanwhile, students at Thomas Elementary created a bird sanctuary for an outdoor classroom, thanks to a grant from the Holdenville Education Foundation.
In Stillwater, approximately 500 Pre-K through fifth-grade students at Westwood Elementary School are receiving weekly Spanish lessons through a volunteer-based language and cultural education program. The Stillwater Public Schools Foundation has supported this volunteer effort through teacher grants for Spanish curriculum materials and for a Spanish Culture Day. “Our education foundation has helped make possible the beginning of Spanish education at the elementary level in Stillwater,” said Lisa Staubus, project coordinator. “It will make our children more hirable as adults and make them better global citizens.”
In addition to Grants for Teachers, Oklahoma’s local education foundations support a variety of other programs to recognize academic achievement and support the needs of the district. Many foundations sponsor events to award scholarships and recognize outstanding students and teachers. The Bixby Educational Endowment Fund holds an Evening of Excellence and presents honor cords to all National Honor Society members, while the Broken Arrow Public Schools Foundation annually awards a $5,000 cash prize to the district’s Teacher of the Year.
Innovative projects are being sponsored by foundations throughout the state. The OkmulgeeEducation Foundation annually provides tickets, chaperones and sponsors for students to attend Broadway productions and other arts presentations at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The Ada City Schools Foundation provided funds to create “Hagarville,” a safe playing and learning environment for children at the Glenwood Early Childhood Center. The play area is modeled after a small town, with a flower shop, school, vo-tech, parking lot, and a bait and snack shop. “The project is designed to increase safety on the playground and enhance literacy among the school’s youngest students,” said Pre-K teacher Jamie McNabb.
The Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, through its Partners in Education Program, is working with the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce and the school district to recruit 10,000 volunteer tutors by 2007. Since 2002, the Claremore Public Schools Foundation has recruited citizens to assist classroom teachers by working one-on-one with students or with small groups on daily activities or special projects. Last year, Volunteers in Education participants donated over 900 hours of service to the district. “This program has had a very positive impact on our students,” said Superintendent Mike McClaren. “It’s also a good way to get the message out to the community about what’s going on in our schools.”
The Putnam City Public Schools Foundation sponsors a variety of innovative programs, including its Putnam City Author Program, which brings published authors to the district’s 19,000 students and provides free, autographed books. “The goal of the program is to increase students’ interest in reading and writing,” said Caroline Gist, executive director of the foundation. “All areas of the curriculum benefit, as teachers and library media specialists create hands-on, interactive activities to complement the visiting author’s subject matter.”
Other foundations provide funding for teachers to attend professional development conferences or continue their education, such as the Enid Public Schools Foundation’s Teacher Scholarships program. Some foundations, including the Edmond Public School Foundation, sponsor Principal-for-a-Day programs to give citizens and community leaders an inside look at the city’s public school system.
Claremore civic leader Frank Robson, a pioneer in Oklahoma’s LEF movement and major supporter of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence LEF Outreach Program, said the state’s public school foundations have helped to bridge the gap between the citizens and the education community.
“The foundation movement has given more ownership to the general public in the common school system in Oklahoma,” he said. “It also has shown teachers that people in the community really care about the quality of education. It has given educators a sense of value and importance that they may not have had before.”
For more information, visit “Saluting Oklahoma’s LEFs” on the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence Web site at www.ofe.org or call (405) 236-0006.