A group of community leaders have come together to form a foundation to support Rockdale ISD public schools. The Rockdale ISD Education Foundation (RISDEF) has announced their focus to enhance community support and to expand resources for the district.
According to Ward Roddam, president of the Rockdale ISD Education Foundation, “We are very excited that community members have organized to help attract private funds to benefit our schools.”
The sole purpose of the newly-formed education foundation is to benefit the district 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 support for innovative teaching grants that will provide resources directly to the classroom for teachers to implement exciting new educational programs. The grant process is being established and teachers and staff will be eligible to participate in requesting funds this spring.
The Rockdale ISD 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 Rebecca King, the RISDEF coordinator, “The idea for the foundation grew from a need for supplemental funds and awareness of a growing number of education foundations serving Central 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 Suzi Pagel of Foundation Innovation, “Following in the footsteps of public universities and colleges, K-12 school districts and their local communities are establishing their own foundations to leverage private dollars and expand opportunities for their teachers and students. Education Foundations provide a tangible way for citizens to support and invest in their local public schools.”
“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,” states Ward Roddam, President of the Rockdale ISD Education Foundation. “We are very excited that community members have organized to help attract private funds to benefit our schools,” he added.
- Log in or Subscribe to post comments.