Foundation
The Union Schools Education Foundation was organized in 1991 by Union district patrons and administrators who were dedicated to making investments in education, and thereby, enhancing the quality of life in our community and state.
The Foundation is a broadly based, non-profit corporation and is exclusively educational and charitable. Separate and apart from Union Schools, the Foundation maintains its own integrity while working closely with the school district. Tax-exempt donations from individuals, corporations and foundations are used solely for the benefit of our students and teachers.
Job Opening - Union Schools Education Foundation (USEF) Seeks Executive Director - Resumes due April 30
Mission
The Union Schools Education Foundation will generate funds for innovative teaching projects to reward and reinforce excellence throughout the district.
2012-2013 Trustees
Officers
Jill Bennett, President
Greg Boudreau, Presidert-Elect
Brent Carroll, Treasurer
Beverly Laubach, Secretary
Trustees
Mary Arnold , Laura Bell, Kristi Brooks, David Fisher. Tyler Gooch,
Melinda Hyams, DeAnn Magness, MaryJo Meziere, Suzanne Mobley
Cindy Morrison, Kevin Saley, Debra Searcy, Julie Stewart, Mark Thompson, Diane Tupper
Ex-Officio Trustees
Dr. Cathy Burden, Sarah McBryde, Gretchen Haas-Bethell
Jeff Bennett, Evelyn Roberts, Kim Berns
Union Public Schools depends on public funding for basic district operations. Implementation of many innovative programs and ideas requires private resource acquisition. The Foundation is instrumental in helping provide access to education excellence through funding of creative programs as well as recognition of student potential through scholarships.
Support of the Foundation is an investment in our future and will help ensure continued advancement of Union's superb educational curriculum.
USEF Annual Report & Financial Report
Why a Foundation?
Union Public Schools was founded in 1919 when four small rural communities were combined to form what was then the largest consolidated school district in the state. Today, Union is part of the Tulsa/Broken Arrow metropolitan area, and the four original communities have faded into memory with the advancement of new housing divisions. Student population now exceeds 13,000 and is expected to continue growing.
Are today's Union students receiving the best education possible?
According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education report "Investing in Oklahoma - The Progress of Education Reform, Vol. II," the per-pupil expenditure in Oklahoma is $4,084, significantly lower than the national average of $5,986 per pupil.
In recent years, public funding for Union has been enough to cover the basics: salaries, building costs and some classroom supplies. What's lost? The ability to implement innovative programs. Ideas and suggestions from teachers, parents and students go unrealized for lack of funding. That's why your help is so important.
Support of the Foundation is an investment in our children, our schools and our community.
- Students benefit from projects that stimulate thought and expand the existing curriculum.
- Teachers see their creative method of enhancing the learning process encouraged and rewarded.
- The community benefits from a top-notch education system through an improved quality of life and the ability to attract business and growth.
To learn more about how you can contribute expertise or financial resources, contact:
Union Schools Education Foundation
8506 E. 61st Street
Tulsa, OK 74133-1926
(918) 357-4321
Contributors
The Union Schools Education Foundation, Inc. Board of Trustees acknowledges the the individuals, businesses and companies who have supported the Foundation. List of supporters.
Foundation Grant Applications
Funds generated through the Foundation are administered in the form of teacher grants.
Grant application forms are available for reproduction online or from individual school site administrative offices. Grant application deadline falls near the end of January each year.
/ Grant Application / WORD VERSION /
To assist you in developing grant applications to the Union Schools Education Foundation, the above link is the Grant Scorecard used by Foundation trustees to evaluate grant requests. This scorecard provides the criteria and weightings by which grants are measured.
The Union Schools Education Foundation presented checks to its 2012-2013 grant recipients during Teacher Appreciation Week in May. Forty-two grants totaling $38,753.28 were given to 44 different teachers at 13 of the district’s 19 sites. The classroom projects to be funded ranged from $248.95 to $2,000.
Grant Recipients for 2012-2013 / Grant Recpients for 2011-2012
Grant Recipients for 2010-2011 / Grant Recpients for 2009-2010 /
Grant Recpients for 2008-2009 / Grant Recpients for 2007-2008 /
Grant Recipients for 2006-2007 / Grant Recipients for 2005-2006
Grant Application Guidelines
The Union Schools Education Foundation offers grants to educators of the Union School District. Grants enhance the educational environment and fund projects that provide unique and creative educational opportunities for students that otherwise would not be funded through district allocations.
The following general criteria have been established as a basis for awarding grants:
- Impact on student learning or the creation of an environment that will enhance the learning process.
- Project / program uniqueness and creativity.
- Complete description of the program/project and an outline of how it will be implemented
- The number of students that will be impacted by the program/project and the useful life of the program/project, i.e., one-time use or recyclable.
- The stated need for the program/project.
In awarding the grant, the Union Schools Education Foundation and its Allocation Committee shall be governed by the following general principles:
- Individual teacher, team or classroom grants will be limited to a maximum of $1,000 each.
- Site grants may be submitted and will be limited to $2,500 each. A site grant must impact a majority of the students at a particular site.
- District wide or special program grants will be limited to no more than $5,000 each. District-wide or special program grants must impact students throughout the district within a grade level and preferably all students within a education level (i.e. elementary, middle, intermediate or high school).
- Multiple grants may be submitted, however, only two (2) grants will be awarded per individual or team member during one school year. A limit of one site grant per site will be awarded during one school year.
- To ensure the integrity of the grant allocation process, members of the Allocation Committee shall not have any direct evidence as to the identity of the applicant. To ensure anonymity, the name of an elementary school should not be referenced in the application. If the identity of a secondary school is referenced in an application, every effort should be made to not reference a teacher name or any other description that would indicate the identity of the applicant. Grant applications will be disqualified if any reference to applicant name appears on the application form.
- Except as otherwise provided for herein, the Allocation Committee shall determine the exact procedure for reviewing the grant applications and shall make recommendations to the Union Schools Education Foundation’s Board of Trustees regarding funding of grants .
- The final awarding and funding of grants decision shall be made by the Foundation’s Board of Trustees after a presentation of recommendations by and of the Allocation Committee.
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The Foundation will award grants based on the merits of the application and the proposed
program/project and will consider impact on learning and measurable cost effectiveness. - The Foundation may consider grants for additional phases or components/phases of a program/project for which the Foundation has previously awarded a grant.
- The Foundation Board of Trustees may at any time request grant recipients to provide documented effectiveness of their funded program/project.
- All grants must have a completed application and be submitted through the Allocations Committee and the grant review process. Applicant must obtain approval by the Principal, Site or Program Administrator. District grants must have approval of the Superintendent. Approvals should be indicated on the Grant Information form. Grants must be received by January 31st of the year in which the grants are to be awarded.
Each year, the Foundation provides funds for educational grants. History has shown the Foundation receives more applications and funding requests than there are funds available. The Allocations Committee reviews all grant applications and will recommend grants based on a predetermined scoring system. A copy of the Grant Scorecard is available for review by applicants. There is no set minimum grant. Educators throughout the district are encouraged to:
- Complete the application legibly, neatly and thoroughly with special attention to how the learning process or environment will be enhanced.
- Be thorough and accurate in assessing the impact that your project will have on student learning or the learning environment.
- IF THIS IS A TEACHER, CLASSROOM OR TEAM GRANT, BE SURE THAT YOUR GRANT APPLICATION DOES NOT DISCLOSE THE NAME OF THE APPLICANT OR SCHOOL NAME IF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. ONLY THE GRANT INFORMATION FORM SHOULD INCLUDE THIS INFORMATION. APPLICATIONS THAT CONTAIN THIS INFORMATION WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
- Detail your funding request. Get necessary signatures. Do not exceed the maximum amount allowed in your request.