Cuts in funding for public education. Local property tax caps. More students in need of basic supplies. Teachers trying to do more with less. Sounds hopeless. In some school systems, maybe it is. But not in the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township – thanks to the Lawrence Township School Foundation.
It was a different world when school board members, administrators, parents and community members established the Lawrence Township School Foundation back in 1983. It was one of the first public school foundations in the state of Indiana and its role was primarily one of funding grants for teachers to provide special classroom programs. Today, the foundation supports a myriad of key programs and initiatives that helps its students reach their full potential.
To keep pace with today’s world, the foundation has refreshed its logo, vision, mission and positioning statement. The foundation, which now describes itself as “igniting the power of community,” vows in its new mission “to provide the resources needed for all children to excel.” That’s no small task, especially in a township with one of the widest gaps in income disparity.
“Moving forward, I see that the foundation can be a catalyst for uniting the community in its commitment to our young people and their education,” said Ellen Robinson, executive director of the foundation. “Currently, not all young people have the resources they need to excel. The foundation’s vision is that, together, we can begin putting the pieces together so that this is no longer the case.”
Ellen says it’s no longer acceptable that kids are not achieving and not thriving and that she, her staff and the Foundation benefactors believe all children can and will be great. The solution lies in developing and promoting a culture of giving to our schools. So she urges parents and community members to give to their local schools and to the foundation.
In fact, the foundation has launched the Power of Community Campaign, with a fundraising goal of $1 million this year. She asks that every person connected in any way to the Lawrence Township Schools, in her view that’s everyone in the community, give something. All gifts, no matter the amount, says Ellen, are important and will make a difference. Volunteering is also something the schools need. Since Ellen became executive director about a year ago, she and her staff have been reaching out to every school in the township to find out and prioritize the things they truly need. She has also personally met with every principal to hear, firsthand, the challenges they are facing.
Through Ellen’s leadership, the foundation is building relationships and making connections with alumni, parents, teachers, retired teachers, business owners and the community at large to make the Power of Community Campaign a success. The goals of the campaign are:
• To ensure all students experience high school and post-high school success;
• To provide students with the skills and learning they will need to be successful in the 21st Century;
• To build a sustainable future for our kids and our schools; and
• To build the foundation’s capacity.
One recent example of how the foundation has made an impact on Lawrence Township School students is the WIN Program at Lawrence Central High School. The foundation was able to build a relationship, over time, with LC 1971 graduate Frank H. Levinson, Ph.D. He recently made a $330,000 gift to endow the WIN program, which is an after-school initiative that provides students, free of charge, an opportunity to complete their homework in a safe and comfortable location. Students in the program have access to computers and tutoring services from certified teachers. Thanks to Levinson’s gift, participating students have this after-school resource three days a week.
“It’s our vision moving forward that private philanthropy, like Dr. Levinson’s, will involve other individuals, corporations and foundations that result in the establishment of endowments to ensure our sustainability and, in turn, the future success of our children and our schools,” Ellen said. “It’s clear that our township of nearly 16,000 students, cannot continue to rely solely on public tax dollars for the delivery of quality education.”
To make a donation, visit the foundation’s website at www.msdltf.org or call the office at 317-423-8301.
