We developed, funded, and delivered these extracurricular programs for students: Young Writers – On Our Minds, The District 181 Student Art Show, and KIDS Grants
The District 181 Foundation partners with District 181 to support programs for students and teachers that supplement and enhance the curriculum at all schools. The programs included: Got STEM 181?, Multi-School Speakers & Programs for Students, Educator Grants, Summer Professional Development Grants, The Danny Riehle Living Classroom Learning Lab, SELAS/Cultural Empathy Programs, and Tech Ambassadors.
Helping others support students is an important objective for the District 181 Foundation. This year we continued to support the very popular Community Speaker Series and began development on a Community Connection database to give community members a tool for sharing their expertise with students.
To inspire community involvement, pride, and support for the exceptional education provided to all District 181 students.
Be a valuable catalyst, partnering with District 181 and the community, to encourage and support creativity, innovation and excellence in education for all students.
The District 181 Foundation receives all of its funding through donations from families, individuals and businesses in our local communities. We receive no tax or government funds.
Serving the District 181 Community
The District 181 Foundation delivers programming and resources to all members of the District 181 community, enriching and enhancing our excellent educational system. Nationally renowned speakers, student enrichment programs such as The Young Writers Program, the D181 Student Art Show, KIDS Grants for students, and professional development opportunities for teachers are just a few of the programs provided each year. Each year the District 181 Foundation continues to grow and innovate in collaboration with our community.
History
In 1996, the Board of Education of District 181 directed a year-long study to assess the feasibility of establishing a foundation for the school district. A committee of staff members and citizens studied the issue and determined that a foundation was viable and could offer significant value to District 181 and the community.
The District 181 Foundation was formally established in 1997 and incorporated in 1999 as an independent 501(c)(3) organization to support initiatives that benefit students across District 181 which are not or cannot be funded by tax revenues.
Since its inception, the District 181 Foundation has invested over $1,700,000 in District 181 schools.
About District 181
District 181 is located in the western suburbs of Chicago, IL, serving the communities of Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Oak Brook, Burr Ridge, and Willowbrook. It is a K-8 public school district educating nearly 4,000 students with seven elementary schools and two middle schools.
District 181 Schools
CHMS HMS Elm The Lane Madison Monroe Oak Prospect Walker
Erin Bielski
John Bielski
Julie Boruff
Andrea Flynn*
Mridu Garg*
Julie Grieve
John Haarlow
Beth Hoekman
John Kokoris
Melanie Lamoureux
Michelle Lipman*
Kate Meyer
Megan Mikhail
Heena Musabji
Bill Nordby
Tom Norton
Vijay Rao
Neeraj Sahni*
Deepti Shenoi
Tony Spizzirri
*Executive Committee
Executive Director
Meg Cooper
Board of Education Representatives
Margie Kleber
D181 Administration Representatives
Jeffrey Alstadt
Kathy Robinson
D181 Teacher Representative
Heather Scott
Amanda Campbell
For over 20 years, the D181 Foundation has invested in and developed innovative and inspiring initiatives that support District 181's goals and bring important learning opportunities to all District 181 students. Below are some of the highlights:
In anticipation of the opening of CHMS, the Foundation provided half of the funding necessary to create the Applied Technology Labs at both middle schools. That investment resulted in D181 becoming one of the first K-8 districts in the state to offer an applied technology program.
Since 2013, the Foundation has helps to sponsor
nationally renowned experts who inform and inspire families in the K-12 community about important issues in education, wellness, and parenting.
In 2006, recognizing that future students would not be able to hear first-person accounts of WWII, the Foundation funded a video of the middle school WWII Day speakers. The result was not just a teaching resource for students, but a treasure for the entire community.
The Foundation currently supports the Danny Riehle Living Classroom Learning Lab. Past initiatives have included gardens at elementary schools and the purchase of microscopes.
We believe that a powerful way to impact student learning is to provide teachers with learning opportunities that help them grow as educators. Foundation funding has included Institute Day speaker fees, group training for incorporating technology into the curriculum, courses to improve inquiry-based learning teaching techniques, and grants for teachers to participate in summer classes and conferences.
The Foundation has been an active supporter of bringing STEM opportunities to the district. We run the Got STEM? and Tech Ambassador programs. We offer inquiry- based training for teachers and financially supported the pilot program for 1 to 1 computing.
Every year the Foundation sponsors a districtwide display of student art work, celebrating our districts commitment to the arts.
The Foundation purchased the CHMS Wind Turbine in 2010. Students were actively involved in the planning and the turbine offers enhanced science class experience with real-time data.
The Foundation brings a unique writing experience to the district each year. Writers are given an opportunity to explore poetry, short stories, essays and more!
The District 181 Foundation fiscal year is July 1 - June 30.
Tax ID Number: 36-4259388
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