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Roswell North Education Foundation enriching the education of our students |
Press Release
READ ALL ABOUT IT! RNEEF Kick Off Campaign Newsletter.
An Educational Foundation for Roswell North!
Roswell North Elementary Launches Educational Foundation
ROSWELL, GEORGIA, August 11, 2009. The parents, staff and administration of Roswell North Elementary are proud to introduce their new 501(3)c educational foundation. The Roswell North Elementary Educational Foundation (RNEEF), a non-profit, tax-exempt entity formed to support the school financially and enable educational funding for the school beyond what is currently funded by declining federal, state and local tax dollars. As resources to the schools are squeezed, many schools are forming their own educational foundations to support their schools. Roswell North is the first public elementary school in Roswell to roll out a non-profit foundation. RNEEF will allow parents, staff, alumni, businesses and interested citizens to make tax-deductible donations of cash, in-kind gifts and securities to the foundation to support the school, as they do other charities throughout the year.
Founding members and officers include President; Maggie DeCan, Vice-President; Sue Sharp, Treasurer; Tara Guinn, Secretary; Beth Hawkins Fincher, and at-large trustees Ralph Perales, Inge Robb, Lori Thomas, Francie Towey and Molly Thompson. Principal Jerome Huff will also serve as an ex-officio member of the Board.
After surveying parents, teachers and the administration and hearing overwhelming support for the formation of a non-profit foundation and determining that the number one priority of each group was the funding of technology improvements at the school, RNEEF will focus on funding programs and purchases that advance the technology within the school as well as the study of science and math at RNE. The first major initiative that the foundation is taking on is the goal of purchasing of an interactive teaching white board in each classroom to support a more enriching learning environment. This goal will require more than $150,000, which the organization hopes to raise through grants, business donations, parental, staff and community donations as well as an annual spring party and silent auction focused around student art. Additionally, RNEEF has been asked by and is working with other local elementary schools, such as River Eves and Hembree Springs elementary schools, who have requested help in forming their own non-profit foundations.
Principal Jerome Huff, known for his enthusiasm and energy, could hardly contain his excitement for the new foundation. “This has been a dream of mine since I came to Roswell North, to have a group of committed parents focused on raising money to financially support the school, above and beyond what our wonderful PTA already provides. I can’t wait to see the first Active Board, purchased by the foundation, installed in the school,” said Mr. Huff.
Roswell North, already a winner of numerous national and state level awards over the past 5 years, including PTA National School of Excellence, the Governor’s Platinum Achievement Award and Standard and Poor’s National Narrowing the Achievement Gap award, hopes that their new foundation will build on the culture of excellence at RNE. “We believe that new technology can be a key factor that will differentiate RNE. It is vital as we prepare our current student body for the 2020 workforce, that students be more than just comfortable with technology but proficient with it,” says Foundation President, Maggie DeCan.
This nonprofit organization has begun accepting tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations. Future plans include grant solicitation and community and school based fundraising events. For information on donating to the Roswell North Elementary Education Foundation contact Tara Guinn at 770-518-4930.