About the Foundation

The Foundation is a not-for-profit organization which was established in 1993 at the Superintendent’s request and now includes parents, staff and Board of Education representatives.  Dedicated to procuring outside resources to benefit students, the Foundation solicits grants from public and private sources, individual donations and in-kind services and also cultivates partnerships with local businesses, corporations, and community-based organizations. 
 

Foundation members meet regularly with staff, administrators, Board of Education liaisons and the Superintendent to determine district needs and direct fundraising efforts.  The Foundation Board is comprised largely of parents.  Call the office at 366-8457 or e-mail to foundation@tufsd.org for more information. 

What Does the Foundation Do?

GETS GRANTS
The Foundation was the catalyst for hiring a grant writer to obtain outside, competitive grants.  The grant writer, now jointly funded by the school district and Foundation, has won grants totaling over $10.5 million as of fall 2006. 

SUPPORTS DISTRICT INITIATIVES
With proceeds from the Annual Appeal and Dinner Dance, along with individual and corporate gifts, the Foundation is able to provide many gifts to the school district. Recently, the Foundation funded two new playgrounds at Tappan Hill, a theater arts program at WI, a Middle School Chorus program, the Dual Language program, new Smart Boards, new instruments for band and orchestra students, a film making class for High School students and so much more.

PROVIDES GRANTS TO TEACHERS
Each year the Foundation allocates approximately $15,000  - $18,000 for a competitive grant program open to all district teachers.  Individual teachers or teams of teachers may apply.

TAKES STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM
The Foundation supports the annual 8^th grade trip to Washington D.C., and has also enabled students to travel to Albany, Broadway, Project Adventure, college visits, Stone Barns and many other educational places.

PROMOTES ARTS IN EDUCATION
The Arts Plan pools resources from the Foundation, EPTA and district.  The Plan provides a planned and coordinated mix of arts enrichment for students as they move through the elementary grades.  The plan includes exposure to dance and theater

HOSTS THE FOUNDATION ROUNDTABLE
The Foundation has organized a Roundtable of other school foundations in the area.  The Roundtable meets twice a year to share fundraising ideas, address common problems and promote collaboration.  For the past several years, Hitachi America, Ltd. has generously provided meeting space, refreshments and general support for the Roundtable.

INVOLVES PARENTS
The Foundation welcomes all parents to join our efforts to support their children’s education.  Volunteers are invited to join one or more committee: Dinner Dance, Fundraising, Needs Assessment, Program Oversight, Finance, PR, or help translate documents into Spanish.  Community members are also invited to attend a board meeting to voice an opinion or learn more about the Foundation’s activities. 

WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY
Over the years, the Foundation has worked with many generous community groups, foundations and corporate sponsors.  We thank these organizations for their support:
Art Images & Graphics, Assemblyman Richard Brodsky, Bell Atlantic, Boys and Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester, Cappelli Foundation, CIBA, Coffee Labs, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, Cornell Coop Extension, Dynamic Evaluation, Inc., Elizabeth Mascia Child Care Center, EPIC, Exxon/Mobil, Family Service of Westchester, The Family YMCA at Tarrytown, First Unum, FUJIFILM, Hitachi America, Ltd., Historic Hudson Valley, Hudson Office Supply, The Hudson River Museum, Hudson Valley Writers Center, Jacob Burns Film Center, Jazz Forum Arts, JCC, The First Korean Church of NY, First Unum, Kraft Foods, Literacy Volunteers, Living History Arts, Lyndhurst, Marymount College, Mobil/Exxon Wedge Service Center, Murray Franks Cards & Gifts, The Music Hall, National Book Scholarship Fund, The Neighborhood House, New York Foundation on the Arts, NYNEX, New York Life Foundation, Open Door Family Medical Centers, Phelps Hospital, Readers Digest Foundation/Teacher in the Library, Reckson Associates, RSHM LIFE Center, The Rotary Club, SER of Westchester, School Arts Partnership, SUNY Purchase, Texaco, Teachers’ College at Columbia University, Unistar Federal Credit Union, United Way, University at Albany, Verizon, Warner Library, Westchester Arts Council, Westchester Community Foundation, Westchester Hispanic Coalition, and Westchester Jewish Community Services.