MCCSC Foundation turns 40

The Foundation for Monroe County Community Schools, which offers grants to the school system, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.

The foundation was created by 18 citizens to supplement the money the school district receives from the state.

Sara Neeley, executive director, said the foundation receives money through donations from local citizens and businesses.

During the past 10 years, the foundation has granted schools $108,000  to develop science resource centers and purchase books, fitness gear and microscopes.

“The mission of the foundation is to help the teacher enhance the classroom,” Neeley said.

Last school year, 31 upperclassmen also received $12,000 in scholarships toward college and 51 grants worth $65,000 were awarded to teachers.

Bloomington New Tech High School has also received $500,000 during the last few years, and Fairview Elementary received money to help implement their Artful Learning program.

Students can also receive grants to fund projects.

Last October, a Bloomington High School South student was awarded money to create a construction project of a Jack-o-Lantern. The canned food was then donated to a local food bank.

“Bloomington has got to be the giving capital of the world,” Neeley said.

They have also partnered with the IU School of Global and International Studies for the past six years and have been able to send two educators to China through this partnership. This helped move forward a Chinese language immersion program that will begin in the three MCCSC middle schools this coming fall.

Neeley said many schools have had to deal with budget cuts, and teachers sometimes have to pay for supplies from their own pocket.

“These funds help them become better teachers,” she said.

Thomas Bunger, the president of the foundation, has been on the board since 1985 and is following in the footsteps of his father, who drafted the initial document for the formation of the foundation.

“I’m a believer in public schools,” he said.

Bunger said during 60 days in 2010 the foundation helped raise three-quarters of a million dollars  for extracurricular activities at MCCSC schools.

“To raise that amount of money in 60 days was pretty amazing,” he said.

He said the future of the foundation can be hard to determine because it is mostly
reactionary but said he hopes 20 years from now, the foundation can have a $1 million endowment on a regular basis.

Joanne Weddle has been involved with the foundation for the past several years and currently serves on the board.

Weddle said the grants help teachers give students extended experiences that are hard to come by without proper funding. She reiterated the importance of their library
grants.

“Anytime you can put more books in the hands of kids, that’s important,” she said.

She said she hopes they can raise more money in the future. They currently cannot give out a grant for every request. The board is also trying to reach out in a wide range of ways to represent the community, she said.

The board has also been talking about developing a strategic plan for the future, which she said she would like to see implemented.

“I absolutely love being on the board,” she said. “The things we are doing with the money are just so important to education.”