HISTORY OF THE NORTH EAST EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

by Molly Pruitt, Executive Director

November 2004

In 1985 NEISD Trustee John Seibert recommended to the Board of Trustees and Superintendent Ed West that a non-profit foundation be formed, to fund for North East students educational programs that because of declining state financial help could not be covered by the District’s regular budget.  He reasoned that as the student population was steadily increasing and the State was adding unfunded mandates such as the 22/1 student-teacher ratio in K-4^th grade, proportionally more of the budget would have to be used for basic obligations such as hiring more teachers and providing more teaching space and equipment and therefore less could be used for enrichment; however, North East taxpayers would continue to expect our students to receive an education of highest quality and therefore the District must find ways to insure its continuance.

The Board of Trustees, of which I was a member, approved in December 1985 the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of what was initially called The North East Independent School District Educational Foundation, Inc., and the Articles of Incorporation, which gave it 501(c)(3) status as a charitable corporation, were approved by the State in January 1986.  Its Directors were automatically the seven Trustees and the Superintendent.  It had (and has) no members, Directors having all the rights members would have.   Its purpose, as stated in the bylaws, was (and is) “to seek, cultivate, and obtain revenues to be used for developing and expanding educational opportunities for students of the North East Independent School District.”  The District paid the initial expenses involved in setting up the Foundation.  Its name was shortened in 1987 to North East Educational Foundation. 

Because NEISD Trustees were automatically Directors, the yearly School Board elections kept changing the makeup of the Foundation board, and there was no impetus toward Foundation-related activity.  Then in summer 1987 I volunteered to become Executive Director and start some fund-raising.  Because our bylaws stated that “all expenses incurred by the Foundation shall be paid by the Foundation and none shall be paid by the District,” the first step was to solicit enough money to repay the District for the expenses it had incurred in setting up the Foundation.

Superintendent Arnold Oates and I solicited several possible major donors to become members of a Founders Club by donating $2500 or more.  (Four other Clubs were also designated to categorize donors of lesser amounts.)  The five initial donors were Heard, Goggan, Blair & Williams; Broadway National Bank; Tom E. Turner, The Club at Sonterra; Mr. and Mrs. Frank F. Ramert, Jr.; and James A. Oppelt, who on his retirement as an Associate Superintendent asked that all gifts to him be designated for the Foundation.  The five donors were presented with plaques and a large plaque listing their names was placed on the wall of the old Central Office foyer.  With funds generated from these donors we reimbursed the District for all Foundation bills it had paid.  More donations were received during that year, enough to buy stationery and other supplies, and certificates of the appropriate Club were sent to the donors along with notes of acknowledgment.  After accumulating over $4000 in our treasury, in 1988 we funded our first program, chosen from a list suggested by the Academic Enrichment Department:  a $1000 payment of fees for North East’s Academic Decathlon teams to attend Decathlon summer camp.

Our first audit, in summer 1988, was conducted by Jim Biasiolli, North East’s Internal Auditor, on his own time. But then he asked us to find an external auditor, and since 1989 Grant Thornton, which later became Padgett, Stratemann, has conducted our audits.  Padgett, Stratemann also serves as our advisor on tax, finance, and bylaw matters.

Originally there were four officers:  Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Secretary, all of whom were parallel officers of the NEISD Board of Trustees, and an elected Treasurer.  When I became Executive Director in 1987, the revised bylaws called for my position, an Assistant Executive Director, a Secretary and a Treasurer.  But there never was an Assistant Executive Director, and the position of Chairman was continued.  In 1989 with another bylaw change Secretary and Treasurer were combined and all officers had two-year staggered terms.  Then in 1991 Secretary and Treasurer were separated again, so that there were five officers who were elected for up to three years with renewal every year.  That system remained in place until 2000, when the Board of Directors voted to take the Executive Directorship off the officer list and make it an appointed position that could be changed at any time by Board vote and would no longer be subject to yearly renewal through election.  For the 1988-89 school year NEISD Trustee Jean Ogden served as Executive Director since I was too heavily occupied for that year as President of the Board of Trustees; then in summer 1989 I was reelected to the Executive Directorship and have remained in that position to the present time.

By early 1989 it was apparent that most North East Trustees were not interested in actively working with the Foundation, and steps were taken to change the composition of the Foundation’s Board of Directors.  In February the Board approved a bylaw amendment to take effect no later then August 1989:  there would be nine Directors, of whom no more than two would be Trustees, the Superintendent would continue to be a Director, and the others would be community volunteers.   In May new Trustees were elected and there was initial opposition by the newcomers to losing power over the Foundation, but finally in August a majority of the Foundation Directors (Trustees and Superintendent) agreed on the bylaw amendment.  Muriel McDonald and I remained as the two Trustees.  Another approved bylaw amendment called for an Advisory Council to be added to the Foundation structure.  So that fall each of the nine Directors recommended several people who might be interested in joining the Advisory Council, and out of that number a Council of 25 people from the North East community was added, with Ed Mainz as chairman, to work on activities related to fund-raising.  Their term was one year with unlimited renewal.  The Council divided into committees:  Projects and Programs, Grant, Budget, Development, and PR, and later Membership.  All worked with enthusiasm to promote the Foundation.  Meetings of the Advisory Council and also the Board of Directors were held at venues that were not part of NEISD, because a couple of Trustees were aggressively opposed to any relationship at all between NEISD and the Foundation.

As our first fund-raising project, the Development Committee prepared and mailed a solicitation letter in late 1989, targeting over 25,000 parents of North East students, introducing the Foundation and requesting contributions.  At the bottom of the letter was a cut-off form to send back with either the donation or a request for more information about the Foundation.  At that time we had a P.O. box for our mail, but the 10333 Broadway address was used for the letter.  Costs were covered by individual and business donations, and contributions of $1,954 were received.  We mailed an information sheet to those people who had requested it.

In 1990, after extensive research over several years into insurance companies to handle liability coverage for our Officers and Directors, we contracted in fall 1990 for $1,000,000 coverage, and the contract has been renewed each year since that time.

Now that the treasury was growing, the Board of Directors in 1990 approved formation of an Endowment Fund, into which 25% of undesignated contributions would be placed.  Later on, after our financially successful 1992 gala, it was decided that 25% of net gala proceeds would also be placed in the fund.  As the fund began to grow a separate bank account was opened for it and an Investment Advisory Committee was formed to oversee it.      

The Projects and Programs Committee sent out in January 1990 our first request to all North East school personnel and the Central Office staff for projects that the Foundation might fund. The person wishing to suggest a project was asked to describe it in writing on the back of an explanatory memo.  Information was also sent to the newspapers and was published in the Recorder-Times; we received several suggestions as the result of the article. There were about 50 proposals received. The Projects and Programs Committee separated the proposals into groups:  A = for Foundation funding, B = for the Grant Committee, C = for PTA funding, and D = for District funding.  They chose two projects in the A group for 1990-91 funding:  an Academic Decathlon math and science test bank for team study and an elementary geography program by Nystrom on map and globe skills for each elementary school.  The committee’s recommendation was approved by  the Board of Directors.

Then we tried to raise the $52,000 needed for the geography program.  In summer 1990 a letter under Ed Kelley’s signature was mailed to selected businesses asking for help in funding the geography program, but response was very poor.  Then in November 1990 we sent similar personal letters signed by Board Chairman John Seibert and Superintendent Richard Middleton to a few prospective major donors but received no replies.  We did have enough money to pay $1000 for the test bank in early 1991. But after realizing that we couldn’t raise the $52,000 needed for the geography program, we substituted a lower-priced map skills program and made plans for a fund-raiser raffle.  In March 1991 a one-page letter describing the geography program and soliciting raffle items was sent to selected businesses, and 11 items were donated. The drawing was held in June 1991 at King Wah Gardens:  3300 tickets were sold @$2 or 3/$5 for a chance to win one of 11 items, and this fund-raiser brought in $4728, enough to raise the total amount designated for the program to $6300.  Then we were able to divide the total cost of the program with the District, so that for each set @$309 the Foundation paid $159 and each elementary school willing to share the cost paid $150.  The 24 elementaries that participated received their sets in January 1992.

During the 1990-91 school year the Membership Committee recruited more volunteers for the Advisory Council, including some representatives of NEISD campuses.  By November 1990 there were 30 members and by May 1991, 48.  The Advisory Council  (including two liaisons from the Board of Directors) was enthusiastic and hard-working, while most of the 9-member Board of Directors did little but approve or disapprove projects the Council proposed and rarely if ever attended Council meetings.  By the summer of 1991 it was obvious that the very active Advisory Council members and the relatively inactive Directors were not working with each other effectively, and the Advisory Council’s numbers were diminishing as members became discouraged about their ability to implement plans without prompt Director approval and help.

Through more bylaw revision in August 1991 the two groups were joined into a large Board of Directors of up to 27 people, three of whom – the Superintendent, the NEISD Community Relations Director, and a Department of Instruction representative – were appointed without term and 24 elected.  Directors were to be “persons from the North East community who have volunteered to promote the purposes and goals of the Foundation and work in its behalf” and could be employees of the District or not.  Nineteen Advisory Council members agreed to stay on to become elected Directors.  Terms for the 24, all beginning October 1, were two years with one renewal, and 12 were elected every year.  Officers were elected for one year with two renewals.  Everyone was asked to commit to help raise money or facilitate the raising of money.  Directors chose to work on one or more committees:  Special Events, Grant, Solicitation, and Projects & Programs.  Also, on Dr. Middleton’s recommendation the Foundation moved toward becoming more closely allied with the District:  this included meeting at Central Office, eliminating our P.O. box and using North East’s address for our mail, and increasing our cooperation with District personnel.

The new Board immediately began to coordinate fund-raising plans with great energy. Our first major fund-raiser gala dinner, “A Star-Spangled Tribute!,” was held in February 1992 at the Wyndham Hotel, with Congressional Medal of Honor recipient MSgt. Roy P. Benavidez speaking on “Patriotism in America.”  Gen. William McBride was Honorary Chairman.  Desert Shield/Storm veterans from North East were honored and the 9 who came, each with one guest, all were given free dinners.  At the reception beforehand no alcohol was served, since the event was considered a school function; a soft drink cash bar was provided.  Individual reservations cost $35 and our solicitors obtained corporate sponsor tables:  7 Gold tables @ $1000, 11 Silver @ $500, and 3 Bronze @ $350. There were 220 people served out of a guaranteed count of 260.  Humana donated the $1000 speaker’s fee, and Billye Simmons donated flowers for the tables.  Churchill High School did our printing at cost, and we hand-addressed the invitations.  Our first Foundation brochure, designed by Debbie Cano Howard and printed by Quadrangle Press, was made available to the guests.  As part of our agreement with the Sergeant’s sponsoring company we paid for 100 of his books @$11.95 and sold them at the dinner; of 29 not sold the ROTC later bought 15 and the others were donated to school libraries.  Net proceeds from the dinner and associated contributions reached almost $11,000.  We were very pleased by the positive response to the gala and immediately began to plan the next one.

After placing 25% of net proceeds into the Endowment Fund, we were able to use most of the remaining proceeds to share with the District the cost of Nystrom’s world geography program for the 6^th grades of our 9 middle schools, with social studies consultant funds covering $165 per school and the Foundation contributing $170.  So by the end of the 1991-92 school year a total of 33 schools would receive the program.

In spring 1992, with about $10,000 available for program funding, we sent out a revised proposal form to campuses and Central Office personnel, and an article in the “Recorder-Times” requested proposals from the public.  Of 11 proposals submitted the Projects Committee chose two to recommend to the full Board for possible funding:  the IDEA+ Oral Language Program, for all students with delayed or defective language skills, and “See the Paintings,” an art appreciation program for all K-5^th grades.  We could not afford to fully fund both with the $10,000 available, so the Board voted to prioritize by funding the art program first.  However, Bill Zinsmeyer contacted Humana Women’s and Children’s Hospital and its personnel agreed to fully fund the program in partnership with the Foundation.  In return for this funding, children’s pictures would be framed and hung in the hospital halls, expressing the relationship between art and health, brightening the hospital and helping raise morale. The hospital contributed $6800, with which the District bought 31 art programs, one for each elementary school.  In early spring 1993 Robert L. Mooney of R.L. Mooney Galleries donated 25 matted frames for the pictures, and later he added 10 more.  A dedication ceremony to unveil the picture display and honor student artists and their parents was held in May, with plans to change the pictures every six months.

Since the art program was obtained at no cost to the Foundation, the speech program was then approved for funding.  In December $9950 was paid for 50 sets, one for each speech pathologist in the District. 

Our second fund-raiser gala, with the theme “The Sky’s the Limit,” was held in February 1993.  Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, founding chairman of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, spoke on “Nurturing Tradition, Fostering Change in Education,” there was a video presentation “The Mission Continues,” and we gave certificates of appreciation to the three North East Teachers of the Year.  Having decided to hold the gala in a hotel within North East boundaries, we had chosen the Sheraton Fiesta Hotel, but the ballroom’s outdoor foyer proved our undoing since guests had to sign in amid swirling icy winds.  With 6 Gold sponsors, 12 Silver, and 4 Bronze, plus 128 individual reservations, there were 313 plates served; many North East administrators attended and by request of four of the table sponsors we filled their tables with teachers.  (We have continued to the present day this practice of asking and receiving permission to fill empty sponsor table places with teachers.)  The invitation and program covers were designed by a Driscoll Middle School student, and an anonymous firm donated our paper and printing.  Total net proceeds = $11,765.

In June 1993 the Board approved for funding for the 1993-4 school year a comprehensive program called MegaSkills, the purpose of which was to help parents help their children learn ten basic values, attitudes, and behaviors which promote success in school and in life. The program included training leaders to present a structured series of workshops to parents and teachers on how to use and teach the ten MegaSkills.  The Foundation funded at least one representative from each of 31 elementary schools and one middle school to attend a two-day training session, also paying for all materials needed by trainers and parents plus the trainer’s expenses.  The District helped us financially until our February 1994 gala brought in enough money for us to reimburse the District for the total cost of $11,000.

The art program funded in 1992-3 continued to produce pictures by North East elementary children that were framed and hung in Women’s and Children’s Hospital hallways.  Art consultant Jerry Frey had changed out pictures from the original group in October 1993, and then in spring 1994 the Foundation assumed responsibility for changing the pictures twice a year, obtaining them from Jerry and coordinating with the hospital representative on holding a reception for student artists and their families each time a new set of pictures was hung.  Then the hospital administration changed and its personnel were not as receptive to our project, so the periodic receptions were eliminated. Finally in March 1996 the pictures then hung remained there permanently, signaling the end of the project.

The procedure for accepting donations that are designated for other NEISD organizations but “pass through” the Foundation because of its 501(c)(3) status was finalized in July 1993.  A gift designation form was created with the help of our tax advisor at Padgett, Stratemann, wherein the donor states amount and purpose, the Foundation agrees and accepts the donation by resolution, and NEISD receives the equal amount from the Foundation (also by resolution), sending it on to the receiving entity (which cannot be an individual).  We have been called upon to be a conduit in this manner several times since 1993.

Our third annual gala was held at the Airport Hilton Hotel in February 1994, with the theme “Family:  Foundation for the Future.”  Mike Morrow spoke on “The Future Is Not What It Used to Be.” Bill McCandless, President of Groos Bank, was Honorary Chairman. Honored were the three Teachers of the Year and one principal who had received a national award. (From then on, at every gala we honored the three Teachers of the Year and often one or two other educators who had won a top-level national education award.)  The $35 reservations were bought by 111 individuals, there were 45 tables, and table sponsors included 3 Gold @ $1000, 18 Silver @ $500, and 12 Bronze @ $350.  Number of plates served = 428 of a guaranteed count of 449, a big increase over the year before.  The same firm donated our paper and printing. Centerpieces illustrating the theme were made by volunteer elementary and middle school classes on round Styrofoam bases that we provided, and three prize ribbons were awarded.   At a Pre-Gala Reception for principals at Groos Bank in January each guest had been asked to submit a list of business people for our invitation list, so our mailing list grew and produced several new table sponsors. Groos Bank also sent our invitations under their mailing permit.  For the first time a very well attended cash-bar reception was held before the gala dinner, with background harp music. Total net proceeds = $13,683.        

A new fund-raising project was begun:  selling commemorative brick pavers for the plaza, which we named the Plaza of Honor, in front of the main entrance to Littleton Gym at Blossom Athletic Center.  A paver with two lines of 12 characters cost $35 and one with three lines $36.  The Board added a Plaza of Honor Committee to its committee structure.  Planning the design and logistics of the Plaza of Honor with District-related professionals took many more months than expected, with many problems to solve.  However, our committee began almost immediately to promote the sale of the bricks and to receive orders.  During 1994-5 the promotion included asking North East-affiliated organizations to sell bricks and receive $2 for every brick sold, but very few organizations were receptive to the idea.

When our mailing address had been 10333 Broadway we had no office there; all work was done and records kept at home by our volunteer Directors.  Then after the North East Education Center was completed and there was an unused room in the Community Relations section, we were given that room in summer 1994 for a small office.  Since that time our mailing address has been 8961 Tesoro Drive.

The 4^th annual gala was held in February 1995 at the Airport Hilton, featuring Coach/Teacher Bob Shannon, from East St. Louis High School in Illinois, who gave a very inspirational speech on “Hopes and Dreams” and also spoke to Roosevelt High School students the afternoon of the gala. The gala theme was “Education and Business:  Building Excellence Together.”  Bill McCandless again was Honorary Chairman.  At the start of the program a video about the Foundation, prepared by Victor Garcia, was shown on two screens on either end of the ballroom.   The speaker’s fee and our audio-visual expenses were covered by Tom Turner, Sr.  We had 48 tables, 6 of which were Gold, 10 Silver, and 25 Bronze, with 442 plates served out of a count of 474.  Centerpieces based on the theme were made again on a volunteer basis by elementary classes, and we gave three ribbons for the best ones.  The same anonymous firm did our printing, with paper that we furnished, and Groos Bank reimbursed us for the cost of invitation mailing.  The pre-gala reception for principals in January at Groos Bank successfully influenced several of them to find table sponsors for their schools.  Net profit was $10,643.  In April the list of donors to the gala was published for the first time in “Headlines,” giving public recognition to the growing number of our donors.  From then on we were able to have our donor lists printed every year in some District-wide publication.                                       

A new proposal form was developed and packs were sent to schools and departments in spring 1994.  Four program proposals out of 10 submitted for the 1994-5 school year were approved for full or partial funding, for a total amount of  $11,810. Then for the 1995-6 school year 4 more out of 6 submissions were approved for a total of $5,332, which we paid in late 1995.  One of the programs in each year’s set was an offshoot of the original MegaSkills, which was regarded by teachers and administrators as outstandingly effective.  In September 1995 at the suggestion of John Seibert I wrote for and received a grant of $3000 from the Commercial Credit Corporation, member of the Travelers Family, to help pay the total cost of the second MegaSkills program.  The Foundation Board had added an Evaluation Committee to its structure, and the committee began to request, and receive, written evaluations of the year’s funded programs in May 1996, all of which were very positive.

The February 1996 gala was held at the Wyndham Hotel, with Texas Commissioner of Education Dr. Mike Moses speaking on “Educating Children in the 21^st Century.”  Theme:  “Public Education – a Shared Commitment.”  The Pre-Gala Reception for NE personnel, where gala information was distributed, had been held in the Education Center in January.  Printing and paper again were donated.  Centerpieces illustrating the theme   were made by volunteer elementary school classes; first prize was $100 from Groos Bank, second prize was a pizza party, and third prize was an ice cream party.  For the first time the centerpieces were offered for sale after the gala for a $10 minimum, bringing in $245, and those unsold were later donated to Women’s and Children’s Hospital.  The video about the Foundation was shown again, and a Plaza of Honor brochure designed by Victor Garcia was distributed for the first time.  Individual reservations were still $35 but sponsor table prices increased.  There were 8 Gold tables @ $1000, one Silver table @ $750, and 19 Bronze tables @ $500.  Total plates served:  417 at 44 tables.  Net proceeds totaled $15,513.  Since this year was the Foundation’s tenth anniversary, the founding Trustees and Superintendent were sent special invitations, and those able to attend were guests at John Seibert’s Prudential table.

Our bylaws were amended in December 1995 to allow a maximum of 30 elected Directors besides the three appointed Directors.  There were 5 projects approved in June 1996 for 1996-7 funding out of 7 proposed, and we gave our checks to the District in early fall, for total funding of $6558.

During several meetings that fall and winter Directors firmed up the Foundation’s funding philosophy, which had gradually changed over the years as we became more specific in the criteria determining consideration of submitted proposals.  Some of our rules did not change:  e.g., there should be no limit on monetary amounts requested or approved, and we will not fund what the District should or will be paying for.  Originally our proposal form emphasized that we would choose only District-wide programs for the best use of our limited funds, but as more money for program funding was becoming available every year, we broadened that criterion.  Now the Directors’ January 1997 conclusions were incorporated into a rewritten proposal form.  Those conclusions were:  1) we will fund district-wide projects, single campus projects, and single classroom projects, with priority given to the first two; 2) one evaluation criterion will be evidence of support for the project by the campus or the District (as appropriate); 3) funding will be awarded on an annual basis, with subsequent funding requiring reapplication  emphasizing the prior year’s results; 4) proposers must include a line item budget with their proposal, state from what other sources they are requesting or have already requested funds, and give evidence that a District-wide project will be accepted across the District; 5) our role is to fund worthy projects and programs, wholly or in part, and to evaluate their effectiveness, not to supervise their implementation or maintain them.

Our ongoing plans for the Plaza of Honor brick program had to be incorporated into a District drainage and handicapped access project required at the front of Littleton Gym, and when that work was finally finished we were able to lay our first 239 engraved bricks in July 1997.  Some brick donors had unfortunately waited since 1994 for their designated bricks to be laid.  From then on we have laid a set of bricks once a year, usually during the summer, with notification always sent to each purchaser and each recipient.

The February 1997 gala at the Omni San Antonio Hotel (formerly Wyndham) featured Texas author Prudence Mackintosh, whose speech was “Thoughts on Who’s Teaching What to Whom.”  A very successful Silent Auction, chaired by Marcia Lehman, was held for the first time, bringing almost $6000 from bidding on 47 entries.  There was background piano music at the reception.  Theme:  “Celebrate the North East Team!”  Centerpieces expressing the theme were made by the children, with the same three prizes as last year; the sale of some centerpieces afterward produced $110 and the rest were later donated to Normandy Terrace Nursing Home.  There were 8 Gold sponsors, 3 Silver, and 22 Bronze:  49 tables, 432 plates served out of 499 purchased.  Paper and printing were donated, and Pepsi-Cola sponsored the speaker’s fee and expenses.  The speaker’s latest book was sold and we received 30% = $269.33.  Total net proceeds totaled $26,208. 

Our Foundation office in the North East Education Center was given a used computer, and in May 1997 we hired Joyce Lewis, a part-time Community Relations employee, to computerize our donor information and invitation list at $8 per hour on a flexible schedule.  We submitted her hours of work and amount owed each month to the District Accounting Office, the District paid her, and we reimbursed the District.  She worked for the Foundation off and on through January 2000 updating our computer list.  Since 2000 we have paid the NEISD Department of Management Information Services every year to update the list and print mailing labels.   

For the 1997-8 school year we funded 11 programs out of 20 proposed, for a total of $24,825.  The Evaluation Committee sent questionnaires in the spring to all recipients and positive evaluations were received on all programs.  At the same time 28 proposals were submitted for 1998-9 funding and 10 were approved by the Board, for a total amount of $25,242.        

The 1998 gala was held in February at the Omni Hotel, with duo pianists Igor Kipnis and Karen Kushner (four hands, one piano) giving a 20-minute classical concert as featured performers.  Theme:  “Working in Harmony for Children.”  A video, “Foundation, Brick by Brick,” developed by Victor Garcia, was shown before the program began.   Centerpieces were made by volunteer classes again, with the same three prizes and an Honorable Mention prize of a trip to McDonald’s; a few were sold at the end of the evening and the rest taken later to Normandy Terrace.   Kipnis and Kushner liked the First Place winning centerpiece (depicting them at a piano) that they took it with them at the end of the evening. The expanded Silent Auction with 73 entries brought in over $11,000.  The price of an individual reservation went up to $40 while sponsor table prices remained the same.  There were 6 Gold sponsors, 3 Silver, and 27 Bronze.  Total count = 470, number of plates served = 461, number of tables = 50.  We paid for printing and paper; Pepsi-Cola sponsored the presenters’ fee and some costs and also bought a Gold table; Alamo Music Center donated the piano and benches.  Silent Auction proceeds were $11,027 and net gala proceeds totaled $28,500.  Kipnis and Kushner also gave outreach workshops, sponsored by NEISD, to 5^th grade students at two elementary schools on the Friday before and two more on the Monday after the Saturday gala, and on Sunday they played a full-length concert at Lee High School as a benefit for the North East School of the Arts, with their $4000 fee underwritten by four firms.

Our Grant Committee was never able to fulfill successfully its purpose of writing for grants to fund projects that were worthy of being funded but too costly for the Foundation.  There was too much of a time lag from assignment of a project to the committee to their finding the right source and applying for the grant in the manner specified. The committee did not obtain any grants for projects during the time it was active, and it was finally dropped in October 1998.

The Advisory Corporate Council of the Academy of Creative Education asked the Foundation to hold a scholarship fund for ACE under our 501(c)(3) status, and after written guidelines were prepared and approved by both entities two new articles governing committees were added to our bylaws in November 1998.  The guidelines give us the principal power and responsibility for handling the scholarship funds.  A Scholarship Committee, consisting of four Foundation Directors and three ACE representatives, was added to our committee list, and a separate bank account was opened to hold the scholarship fund, which is growing slowly year by year.

The February 1999 gala was held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, with BRAVO!, a 12-member student performing ensemble from the North East School of the Arts, giving a 30-minute program “A Portrait of American Musical Theatre.”  Theme:  “Building Dreams on a Strong Foundation,” emphasizing our brick project in decorations and printed matter.  The Silent Auction with 100 items brought in over $16,000.  There were 10 Gold sponsors, 4 Silver, and 32 Bronze, with a total of 63 tables.  Number served =  575.  This year the elementary art cluster coordinators organized and supervised the creation of centerpieces by elementary classes, and there were four prizes given.  We emphasized the brick program by asking guests to purchase a centerpiece for $36 and receive a free brick for the Plaza of Honor; many complied. Diane Burnett designed the invitation and program covers; printing was donated by Bob Bryant of The Watermark Group and by PG&E Gas Transmission.  The SHW Group, Inc. of Houston donated an honorarium for BRAVO!  Total gala profit was $38,852, which included the $16,000 from the Silent Auction and $1052 from the sale of centerpieces/bricks.  This year the recommended dress was After Five Attire, which added to the evening’s festive atmosphere.

For the 1999-2000 school year 19 programs were fully or partially funded out of 40 proposals submitted, for a total of $19,854.  Checks were written to NEISD in September 1999 and sent to the school principals for purchase of these programs.

For the February 2000 gala at the Adam’s Mark Hotel, Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar, Ph.D., spoke on “Space Exploration:  from Apollo to the New Millennium” and showed a video of her space experiences.  She had visited Krueger Middle School’s Space and Technology (KSAT) magnet program and Roosevelt High School’s Design and Technology Academy (DATA) the day before the gala.  Also featured was a group of students from North East high schools performing “Nostalgia 2000,” a revue of the century’s most recognizable songs and dances.  Theme:  “Imagination and Discovery:  Education 2000.”  There were 9 Gold tables @ $1250, 11 Silver @ $750, and 40 Bronze @ $500, plus 141 individual reservations at $40, for a total of 69 tables.  Number served = 655.  The NEISD Art Coordinator assigned classes to make centerpieces; ten prizewinning classes each received a $50 check (money donated by several Directors), with no ranking, a process that was popular with everyone.  Again guests were asked to purchase a centerpiece for $36 and receive a brick for the Plaza of Honor by using informational envelopes placed on each table.  A few centerpieces were bought, and the rest were donated later to Normandy Terrace.  Cover designs were created by Lyn Belisle’s ACE. Ink. graphic design class; that was the only donation this year.  Printing was done by Right Images with paper from FasClampitt.  Recommended dress was After-Five Attire, and the guests complied enthusiastically.  Silent Auction net proceeds = $21,254; total gala proceeds =  $45,741.  The ballroom was overcrowded, with tables too close together and a jam at the Silent Auction, so we decided to move next year to the larger Alzafar Shrine Temple, still trying to stay within North East boundaries.

In June 2000 the Board of Directors decided on an attendance requirement for Board meetings, attendance at three of five meetings per year being required to keep membership on the Board in the absence of extenuating circumstances.  This requirement has been very effective in insuring good attendance and, by extension, active involvement in all Foundation activities.  There has never been a fee required for serving as a Director:  the only requirements are that each Director belong to a committee and donate time, money, and/or auction items to support the gala.

For the 2000-2001 school year 28 projects were fully or partially funded out of 39 proposals submitted, for a total funding of $41,213. Two checks went to NEISD in late June 2000 and the others in late July, to be disbursed to the involved schools.

A new green Plaza of Honor flyer had been designed by Diane Burnett for the 1999-2000 school year.  Packs of flyers were sent to all schools in August to be added to the Welcome Packets that all students receive at the start of the school year.  Response was good, and we laid 102 bricks in July 2000.  Diane updated the flyer in summer 2000 to be year-neutral, and 50,000 were sent to all schools that August for the Welcome Packets.  Response again was good, and we were able to lay 125 more pavers in June 2001.

The Evaluation Committee, begun in 1994, gradually became inactive and was dropped in 2000. Because of continual scheduling difficulties, members had not been able to carry out their intent to visit all program sites, and the secretary to the Associate Superintendent of Instruction always insisted on collecting and summarizing the written evaluations sent back to us each May by each year’s funding recipients – so the committee had less and less to do. The proposal form continued to include a list of evaluation questions to be answered in writing by recipients before the end of the school year, but the recipients tended to forget to send in their evaluations without intense prompting. Therefore, on the 2003-04 proposal form, for the first time, there were no evaluation questions. Instead a separate sheet of evaluation questions was sent to each funding recipient in spring 2004, to be completed and returned directly to me by the end of school.  This method is more efficient and will be continued.

The February 2001 gala was held at the Alzafar Shrine Temple, which had more room for the growing number of our tables but required us to organize all details ourselves and provide everything except tables and chairs.  Our theme was “Steering the Way to the Future.”  Students from the North East School of the Arts gave a program of “Oklahoma” songs and dances.  Besides the Silent Auction, a Live Auction was held for the first time, led by auctioneers Marcia Lehman and Richard Ojeda.  Food was catered by Black Tie Affairs, and the caterer also contributed Western decorations and table centerpieces in keeping with the “Oklahoma”- related theme.  Dress was “Texas Chic” or After Five.  Again the ACE, Ink. graphic design students designed the invitation and program covers.  Silent Auction proceeds were $23,947.  There were 11 Gold sponsors @ $1250, 12 Silver @ $1000, and 20 Bronze @ $750, with individual reservations at $50.  Total tables = 59, total plates served = 535, total net proceeds = $54,655.

Payments of $33,452 for 30 projects of 54 proposed were approved by the Board of Directors in June 2001 and the checks were sent to schools in August for the 2001-2 school year. Then principals and teachers asked if funds could be received before the end of school in order to be included in the succeeding school year’s budget.  So the Board decided in October 2002 that grant proposals should be distributed in late January of each year rather than March and be returned around March 1 rather than May 1, so that Board approval of Projects Committee recommendations would take place at a May rather than a June meeting and checks would then be delivered by the first week in June.  This schedule has been followed since that time.  The new schedule meant that payments of $43,692 for 34 projects of 46 submitted for the 2002-03 school year were made in early June 2002.  Our fiscal year ends June 30, and because two sizeable sets of program payments were made during that one fiscal year, there was a deficit in Foundation income until the next gala produced new revenue.  We received many notes of thanks from principals and teachers for our implementing the schedule change they had requested.

In January 2002 we updated our Foundation brochure to reflect current policies and practices, with some different photos and coloring.  The new brochures were distributed for the first time at the 2002 gala. 

In May 2002 we laid 101 bricks in the Plaza of Honor and in June 2003, 76 bricks.  As of that latter date we had laid 782 commemorative brick pavers.  Each August we continued the practice of including a flyer for brick purchase in each school’s Welcome Packets given to students at the beginning of the school year.  In 2003, for instance, this meant about 57,000 sheets distributed to all schools. 

Our 2002 gala was held March 1 at the Hyatt Regency on the Riverwalk, with the theme “Best Little School District in Texas.”  Olympian Josh Davis spoke on “Excellence in Education…a Foundation for Success,” and the Reagan High School “Soundsations” sang during dinner. Individual reservations again cost $50, but table prices rose.  There were 18 Gold tables @ $1250, 12 Silver @ $1000, and 32 Bronze @ $750. Total tables = 79, total plates served = 737.  We were now paying for all paper and printing and honoria ourselves.  We put together table centerpieces of silver pails, apples, crayons, rulers, etc., and red Big Chief tablets with Dr. Middleton’s picture on the cover and a list inside of all projects funded to date were placed on the tables.  Right Images, our printer, also took care of our mailing in an automated mailing process, saving us much time and effort and thus making the cost worthwhile.  Besides the Silent Auction, a Live Auction was held for a few costly items, again hosted by Marcia Lehman and Richard Ojeda. A PowerPoint presentation by Diane Burnett of some of our funded programs was shown on screens in the ballroom until dinner.  Total auction proceeds = $24,700; total gala net income = $62,062.

For the March 2003 gala our total plan changed.  The event was named “Starlight Gala,” with the slogan “Lighting the Future” and a specific descriptive logo, all intended to be used for all future galas as well as this one.  Dress for the first time was Black Tie Optional.  The Hyatt again was a very successful venue.  NEISD Superintendent Dr. Richard Middleton spoke on the “State of the District,” Becky Robertson succeeded Marcia as Silent Auction chairman, a professional auctioneer directed the Live Auction, and there was dancing with music by Planet Soul until midnight.  Two new sponsor categories were created:  a Corporate Sponsorship for $10,000 and a Diamond Table Sponsorship for $5000, both advertised in the Silent Auction letter, with a Corporate Sponsorship deadline of December 29 so the corporation’s name and logo could be printed in the invitation and program.  Sponsors in both categories would attend a Pre-Gala Reception, just before the gala reception, at the Lone Star Palace across from the hotel and also receive special table recognition.  One firm, Bradley Architects, became the first Diamond Sponsor.  Individual reservations were $60; there were 13 Gold tables @ $1500, 5 Silver @ $1250, and 33 Bronze @ $1000.  Total tables = 64, total places served = 568.  Centerpieces were live greenery and pink flowers, and there were gold, silver, and black decorations.  Silent Auction proceeds = $17,900; net gala revenue = $64,674.

For the 2003-4 school year 55 of 59 proposals were accepted as following the criteria listed on the proposal form, and of the 55 there were 35 recommended to the Board for full or partial funding.  In May $48,487 was approved for those 35 programs and the checks were sent to the schools immediately.

Our February 2004 Starlight Gala was held again at the Hyatt Regency on the Riverwalk, with the same theme, colors, and Black Tie Optional dress.  To the Silent and Live Auctions we added a raffle, with tickets @ $5 or 6/$25 included in the invitation packs and also available at the gala registration area.  A PowerPoint presentation by Diane Burnett showing children using Foundation-funded programs was shown on a big screen behind the stage until the program began.  Table centerpieces were pots of live ferns, each with several stars on long sticks. A star was placed under one chair per table and the person finding the star won the centerpiece to take home -- a very successful innovation.  Three raffle drawings were held at different times during the evening.  Otherwise, there was no program other than the dancing, again to the music of Planet Soul, starting when Silent Auction check-out was announced.  This year there was one $5000 Diamond Sponsor:  Garza/ Bomberger and Associates.  Tickets were $60 per person; there were 19 Gold tables @ $1500, 4 Silver @ $1250, and 27 Bronze @ $1000.  Total tables = 70, total plates served = 649, total raffle proceeds = $1720, total auction proceeds = $23,720, total net gala proceeds = $70,854.

No bricks were sold at the 2004 gala, and we were only able to lay 57 bricks in July.  In order to stimulate sales Directors decided that in honor of NEISD’s 50^th Anniversary in 2004-5 we would sell special anniversary bricks during that school year @ $50 as well as our usual two-line brick @ $35 or three-line @ $36.  Every anniversary brick will have a pre-printed “*NE 50th 2005^*” logo line and two personal lines of 14 characters each, in a Sunset Gold color rather than the usual Sunset Rose.   We hope that District alumni and former personnel will use this medium to honor a person, school, event, etc. from the District’s past.  The revised flyer, printed on gold paper, was added to every Welcome Packet and is being distributed to selected sites around the District.  Already sales are brisk.  

The Projects Committee in fall 2003 updated the proposal form again, to clarify the criteria for project funding.  It reiterated that the Foundation does not help individual students; it enhances and supports instructional programs.  There should be no financial rewards for what students should be doing anyway.   As stated on the 2004 proposal form, the Foundation does not fund personnel stipends/salaries and staff development; capital outlay items  (fixtures, furniture and equipment) such as computer hardware, cameras, and bookshelves; transportation and lodging; or foods.  Prizes must be educational in nature and not easily lost or destroyed.  Projects must enhance and support the instructional program.  The question about funding one-time performance vs. long-term programs will continue to be decided on an individual basis, but funding will continue to be awarded on an annual basis and subsequent funding will require re-application with emphasis on the prior year’s results.  There will continue to be no limit on number of projects or amount of money granted to any one school.

There were 66 program proposals received by the March 5, 2004 deadline, and the Projects Committee recommended 44 for full or partial funding.  In May the full Board agreed with the recommendation, for a total funding of $55,220.  The checks were distributed to all schools by the end of the school year.

During fall 2003 the Board of Directors formed an ad hoc committee to explore ideas for Foundation growth and increased solicitation; it grew into a Strategic Planning Committee, which was added to the committee list.  Directors agreed with the committee’s request for a summer strategic planning meeting to decide on the future of the Foundation. Two Strategic Planning Sessions were held at the conference center at Los Patios, on June 26 (8:30-3:30) and August 7 (8:30-1:00), both ably facilitated by NEISD principals Sally McBee and John Hinds.  Many ideas were discussed and several suggestions for action resulted from the Sessions, and this fall the Board will make some important decisions for further Foundation work.

Basic to all future plans was the written opinion expressed anonymously by a large majority of attendees during the second Session that the Foundation should remain separate from the District, as was the original intent of our founders, and not become an internal part of it. This opinion was ratified by unanimous vote at the September 2004 meeting of the full Board of Directors.  The vote means that financially the Foundation will continue to support the District rather than the District supporting us.  It means that we will continue to cooperate with the District while making independent decisions, as our Directors keep working to raise funds that will pay for projects and programs to help enrich, expand and enhance educational opportunities for North East’s children.