St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation

A nonprofit organization

$5,178 raised by 30 donors

35% complete

$15,000 Goal

Our mission is to provide resources and educational opportunities, in partnership with St. Vrain Valley Schools and our local communities, to enhance student success and teacher excellence. As a result, our goal is to supplement the traditional education experience in ways that maximize the effectiveness of teachers and result in enhanced student achievement in an increasingly complex and competitive worldwide environment. We have the opportunity to positively impact over 33,000 students and 1,500 teachers annually.


Student Success 

  • Student Scholarships - The Education Foundation oversees and manages over 35 scholarships in partnership with families, foundations and business partners for seniors from St. Vrain Valley Schools.  These scholarship are for secondary education bound students who will be continuing their education at a trade/vocational school, a 2 year college or university or a 4 year college or university.  This past Spring the Education Foundation awarded $205,000 in scholarships to the St. Vrain Valley Schools Class of 2023. Thank you to our generous scholarship donors for helping to make dreams come true for these students. 
  • Crayons to Calculators St. Vrain Valley - This program ensures that every student in St. Vrain Valley Schools has the supplies they need to start the school year off right and have a successful year of learning.  For the 2023/2024 school year close to 5,000 backpacks were distributed to students. 
  • 529 Jump - The Education Foundation in partnership with the City of Longmont created this program to bring awareness to saving for post-secondary education by utilizing a tax-deducting 529 savings account.  The goal for the program is for every student in kindergarten to 3rd grade in St. Vrain Valley Schools to have a 529 savings account.  
  • St. Vrain Supports Fund - The Education Foundation created the St. Vrain Supports Fund to help support our St. Vrain Valley Schools community. We work closely with Student Services to provide funding for basic need items such as coats, shoes, toiletries and food.


Teacher Excellence

  • Teacher Innovation Grants - Each Fall the Education Foundation encourages St. Vrain Valley Schools' teachers to submit grant applications for projects which support the District’s strategic direction, supplement standard curriculum and enhance efforts to meet student learning needs. More specifically we are interested in providing support for proposals that are creative and innovative in scope, will have results in improved achievement for students, that focus on closing the achievement gap for students and encourages life-long learning.  For the 2023/2024 school year the Education Foundation will fund over $60,000 in grant projects.
  • Tribute to Teachers - In partnership with St. Vrain Valley Schools, we honored 162 teachers from each school in the district at the annual Tribute to Teachers event.  The 2023 St. Vrain Valley Schools Teacher of the year was Lori Lopez, 1st Grade teacher from Alpine Elementary.  The 2022 St. Vrain Valley Schools Teacher of the Year finalists were Karen Carr, Health Sciences teacher from Career Elevations and Technology Center, Julie Lyddan, Social Studies teacher from Coal Ridge Middle, Sandra Rethage, Mathematics teacher from Longs Peak Middle and Kenneth Howe, Music/Drama teacher from Skyline High.
  • Eleanor Venture Travel Grant - Each year this travel grant provides a teacher with an educational travel experience. This experience is expected to enhance the teacher's classroom skills, expand curriculum options and benefit future students. In 2023 the Education Foundation was able to award two grants.  The first grant was awarded to Charlie Plehaty a Music teacher from Lyons Elementary.  Charlie traveled to Harare, Zimbabwe to learn the cultural heritage of playing the marimba.  During the trip Charlie had the opportunity to play a collaborative performance and connect with local schools.  The second trip was awarded to Paige Taylor a Science and Mathematics teacher from Mead Middle.  During Paige's trip she traveled to Central America visiting 5 countries in 26 days.  She visited cultural landmarks, a coffee plantation and an active volcano.  


Did you know?

  • On average classroom teachers spends over $750 of their own funds to supplement materials for their classes.
  • For the 2022/2023 school year, over $104,700 was requested for Teacher Innovation Grants designed to enhance learning opportunities for students. The Education Foundation funded 61 projects totaling $61,580.
  • In 2023 we awarded over $205,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors.
  • For the 2023/2024 school year we provided close to 5,000 backpacks through the Crayons to Calculators St. Vrain Valley program to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed as they head back to school


Learn More About Our Programs


Mission

Our mission is to provide resources and educational opportunities, in partnership with St. Vrain Valley Schools and our local communities, to enhance student success and teacher excellence.

As a result, our goal is to supplement the traditional education experience in ways that maximize the effectiveness of teachers and result in enhanced student achievement in an increasingly complex and competitive worldwide environment. We have the opportunity to positively impact over 33,000 students and 1,500 teachers annually.

Background Statement

St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in 1985. Former school board member and local philanthropist Eleanor Flanders spearheaded its creation. Beginning in 1987 our Foundation has provided grants to educators within the St. Vrain Valley. Over the years, hundreds of grants have been awarded to classroom teachers to provide opportunities that students would not otherwise have had. Such grants not only provide learning opportunities for students, they renew teachers, give them another tool for teaching and provide them with reinforcement which says that their ideas are important. Since inception, the Foundation has made awards totaling approximately $2.9 million.

The Foundation has a very positive, interactive relationship with the St. Vrain Valley School District. As the district's primary independent fundraising arm, the Foundation provides a conduit for individuals, other foundations and businesses to support programs essential to student success. Funding from these sources come into the Foundation and are then directed into areas identified as most critical by the St. Vrain Valley School District and schools that are in most need.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation

other names

St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation, SVVSEF, St. Vrain Valley Educational Foundation, Inc., Education Foundation for the St. Vrain Valley

Year Established

1985

Tax id (EIN)

84-0979954

Category

Education

Organization Size

Medium Organization

Address

619 Bowen Street
Longmont, CO 80501

Mailing

PO Box 2598
Longmont, CO 80502

Service areas

Boulder County, CO, US

Weld County, CO, US

Phone

720-652-8208

Other

303-702-7634

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