A group of prominent community leaders have formed a foundation to support schools in Callisburg Independent School District (CISD). The Callisburg Education Foundation has announced their focus to enhance community support and to expand resources that enrich teaching, inspire learning and maximize opportunities for all students in the CISD.
The Callisburg Education Foundation was formed under the umbrella of Callisburg Partners in Education, an independent, non-profit, charitable organization governed by a volunteer board of directors. The sole purpose of the newly-formed Education Foundation is to benefit CISD by providing funds for educational programs and activities which are not funded by the normal operating budget.
These funds will be used to facilitate student achievement and skill development, to recognize and encourage staff excellence and to expand community involvement from individuals, businesses and civic organizations. Funding priorities will also include funds for innovative teaching grants that will provide resources directly to the classroom for teachers to implement exciting new educational programs.
The grant process has been established and teachers and staff are now eligible to participate in requesting funds at the beginning of this new year. CISD Superintendent Chris Bradshaw presented Foundation information and an invitation to request a grant to the teachers in January. When asked about the teachers’ response to the grants, Dr. Bradshaw said, “Our teachers have been very thankful and excited about this opportunity. We’ve had several teachers comment that they have had great ideas to implement STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) projects or character education programs that could help with social and emotional learning that this could help fund. We have had a great response in applications from all three campuses. I know these grants will positively impact our students' learning and look forward to what we can do with these funds.” The Education Foundation is delighted and privileged to present this opportunity to the staff.
The Callisburg Education Foundation is a charitable organization under the Internal Revenue Service section 501(c)(3) and contributions to the organization are tax deductible. According to Karon Sullivant, The Callisburg Education Foundation President, the idea for the foundation grew from a need for supplemental funds and awareness of a growing number of education foundations servicing North Texas school districts.
“We brought in Foundation Innovation LLC, a firm which specializes in developing foundations to ensure that we meet our first year goals and objectives,” she added. Foundation Innovation has worked with many communities and school districts in Texas and other states to establish foundations to benefit public school systems.
According to Shawn Callaway of Foundation Innovation, “Following in the footsteps of public universities and colleges, K12 school districts and their local communities are establishing their own foundations to leverage private dollars and expand opportunities for their teachers and students. There are currently hundreds of education foundations set up in Texas and the number continues to grow.”
“The Education Foundation Board of Directors is dedicated to our community and educational excellence and I am proud to serve with them to support and enhance the tools available to the district,” Callisburg Education Foundation secretary Whitney Lemons said. “We are very excited that community members have organized to help attract private funds to benefit our schools.”