Former Spencerport Central School District Superintendent Mike Crumb and current Superintendent Dan Milgate have wanted to start an education foundation for many years. Foundations supplement school budgets in times of decreasing school budgets and increasing governmental mandates, and have demonstrated success and benefits at area school districts like Hilton, Greece, BOCES and nationwide.
The newly established Spencerport Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to secure funding and award monies to provide supplemental resources that will enrich and enhance teaching and learning in the Spencerport Central School District and help prepare students for the twenty-first century.
In partnership with the public and private sectors, the SEF will financially support creative and innovative programs in the areas of academics, the arts, and extra-curricular activities that engage students and staff and that enrich and enhance the education offered by the district.
SEF will be led by President Tom Cannan, Treasurer Bridget Martin, and Secretary Sara Snarr. Board members include Sue Brumm, Mike Ferron, Lorenzo Rotoli, Mike Crumb, and Nancy Bodhorn. District administrators Dan Milgate, Jonathan Salzberg and Rick Wood will advise. These board members bring a variety of expertise to the board – backgrounds in finance and accounting, parent-teacher organizations in the district, chamber of commerce, former Spencerport parents and school employees – but they share an interest and commitment to Spencerport schools and students and believe in the good that the school district is doing.
The foundation will partner with the school district to meet educational needs that are outside the regular school budget. Options may include extra funding for disadvantaged students taking AP exams, funding for academic competition trips to state and national competitions, materials and projects that enrich and extend outside the regular curriculum. The foundation will also be offering mini-grants to teachers within the school district. Teachers will be able to apply for extra funds for various projects and materials needed in their classrooms.
The goal is to have the award process up and running with funds available by the end of the year or early 2020 at the latest. The first fundraiser will be an event at McColley’s Irish Pub, 89 Union Street, Spencerport, on May 10 from 3 to 7 p.m.
The Spencerport Education Foundation is looking for interested parties to help with events and planning behind the scenes. Volunteers are welcome on a short or long-term basis. Any individuals or business who would like to join as sponsors, should contact SEF. The foundation is also open to partnering on employee contributions, employee contribution matching, estate gifts, as well as creative funding methods.
For information, visit www.spencerporteducationfoundation.org/ or connect with Spencerport Education Foundation on Facebook. Donations, which are tax exempt, can be sent via mail to: Spencerport Education Foundation, PO Box 211, Spencerport, NY 14559. The group plans to be able to receive donations through their website sometime within the next few weeks.
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