Decatur City Schools
F o u n d at i o N
2010-2014 Capital Ca mpaign
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Arun Chandnani
mission
Tommy Davis, Assistant Principal at Cedar Ridge Middle School and Director of the Decatur Youth Symphony
The mission of the Decatur City Schools
Foundation is to promote and enhance educational excellence for all students in the Decatur City Schools.
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Decatur City Schools
u n d at i o N I t s t a r t s w Fiot h our schools
Donnie Lane, President of Enersolv
Tedrick Goodlow and Rebekah Naler
Think about it. Everything in our community starts with our schools. Our workforce. Residential growth. Our community quality of life. Most of all, the future success of our children starts with our schools. What happens in the next five to ten years in the Decatur City Schools will determine what Decatur looks like in ten years and beyond. Your support of our schools now not only makes our schools stronger, but our community as well.
Decatur City Schools
F o u n d at i o N
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Jade Rizo
Ellen Didier, President of Red Sage Communications, Inc.
Our Goals The Decatur City Schools Foundation has a proud history of making a difference in our schools by providing funding for everything from technology, to classroom resources, teacher training, and the arts. Building on this history of success, the Foundation is stepping forward to help define a new direction for its partnership with our schools. Our goal is to build strong alliances between the Foundation, our schools, our school board, parents, and the business community. This coalition of partners will help find and leverage the resources that will help our schools succeed. At the same time expecting higher standards for and greater accountability from public education. When the Board of Directors of the Foundation made the decision to take this bold new direction, the first step was to reach out to the community to help determine priorities for our schools. Over 50 interviews were conducted with parents and leaders in our schools and in the business community.
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Decatur City Schools
u n d at i o N I t s t a r t s w Fiot h our schools
Jim Fincher, 3M Decatur Site Manager
Jack Salter
The Objectives Four objectives were identified as important by the participants in these interviews:
A
Ensure our high school graduates are life and work ready.
B
Prepare our high school graduates to qualify for enrollment in higher education institutions.
C
Enhance technology in the classrooms
D
Continue and expand performing arts and fine arts
The Foundation board has developed a detailed plan to achieve these goals and make an impact in our schools. Four initiatives have been defined in this plan.
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Jamell Washington and Austin Todd
Ray Hardin, General Manager of Decatur Utilities
Innovation Program for Student Achievement The Decatur City Schools and its School Board have initiated a Continual Improvement Program that contains aggressive goals for increasing student achievement using measurable data such as test scores and graduation rates.
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The Foundation supports this effort and has developed the Innovation Program for Student Achievement to help schools achieve their goals and to establish a culture of innovation throughout our school system. The Foundation is facilitating a process of collaboration with school principals to encourage research and sharing of ideas as they develop a plan to increase student achievement at their school. These plans will be based on success stories from other schools around the country or from successful approaches within our system.
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Decatur City Schools
u n d at i o N I t s t a r t s w Fiot h our schools
Jack Fite, President of Fite Building
Leland Barnett
Each school will submit a finalized plan and request for funding to the Foundation that defines how initial grant money would be used to achieve progress goals. Progress will be assessed regularly throughout the year using measurable data. Ongoing collaboration sessions will be conducted, in order to quickly identify and share approaches that are working while addressing areas of concern. Schools that meet their stated goals each year will receive financial rewards that can be used for program expansion, classroom supplies, technology, or student enrichment activities. Schools that exceed their goals at a level defined by the foundation will receive a higher level of reward funds. Results will be measured at different grade levels using data such as test scores, graduation rates, and more.
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Keunna Wallce
Tim McGill, CEO of Parkway Medical Center
Classroom Technology and Training New technology including digital whiteboards and tablets provides a highly interactive learning environment that greatly increases student engagement. Studies have shown positive effects on student achievement through use of these technologies when paired with robust training programs for teachers.
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Decatur City Schools has developed a comprehensive plan to provide current technology in every classroom within three years. The Foundation will work with the schools to obtain funding to make this a reality. Results will be measured by the number of classrooms with new technology and the hours of teacher technology training funded by the Foundation.
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Decatur City Schools
u n d at i o N I t s t a r t s w Fiot h our schools
Sarah Grace Mitchell
Sheila Davis, Quality Lead at United Launch Alliance
Grants and Matching Funds Program There are many education-targeted funding sources such as government programs and foundations. The Decatur City Schools Foundation plans to actively pursue grants and matching funds to leverage money invested in the Foundation for our schools. i n i t i at i v e
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Initial Areas targeted for Grants include: ACT and SAT preparation courses Career Tech programs The Leader in Me initiative The Decatur City Schools Film Festival Technology Measurable benchmarks will be defined and assessed for each program funded through grants.
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Kyle Pike
Lynn Ozier, President of Willo Products
Funding for Student Achievement and Investor Communications It is hard to predict every need the school system will have for the next five years. Likewise, as successful efforts are identified, additional funding may be required to sustain or enhance efforts. The Decatur City Schools Foundation has earmarked a portion of campaign funds as its fourth initiative to provide flexiblity in programs that impact student achievement. Also included in this initiative is funding to cover regular communication of progress to our investors and the community. i n i t i at i v e
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Decatur City Schools
u n d at i o N I t s t a r t s w Fiot h our schools
The plan is set 1
The Innovation Program for Student Achievement
i n i t i at i v e
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Grants and Matching Funds Program
i n i t i at i v e
i n i t i at i v e
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Classroom Technology and Training
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General Funding for Student Achievement and Investor Communications
The total cost of this action plan is $1,000,000 over five years. The Decatur City Schools Foundation has charted a bold course to bring together leaders in our schools and in our entire community in order to achieve extraordinary academic success for all of our students. Your support will not only benefit our children today, but will impact our entire community for years to come.
pledge Please contact the Decatur City Schools Foundation with your pledge of support: PO Box 1224, Decatur, AL 35602 256-616-1734 info@decaturcityschoolsfoundation.org www.decaturcsf.org
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Campaign Leadership Honorary Chair: Barrett Shelton, Jr. Chairs Ellen Didier Charles Elliott Jim Fincher Jack Fite Donnie Lane
David Breland Terri Collins Tommy Daniels Sheila Davis Justo Dorantes Lynn Fowler
Co-Chairs Charlotte Gregory Bruce Jones Dick McEntire Alicia Nails Jeremy Nails Libby Neill
Jim Page Tom Rossi Jimmy Ray Smith Mary Ila Ward Pat Woller
F o u ndat ion B oa r d L e a de rship Ellen Didier, President Tommy Daniels, Treasurer Annie Ruth Harris, Secretary Sylvia Betts Charles Howard Karen Duke Lynn Fowler Sam Houston Jennifer McCain Jim Page John Woller Executive Director: Allison Blackburn Akins allison.akins@decaturcsf.org Design donated by Red Sage Communications, Inc | 256.560.0098 www.RedSageOnline.com Photography donated by Chenault Studios | 256.350.0958 www.ChenaultStudios.com
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