Leander Educational Excellence Foundation

Leander Educational Excellence Foundation

By Sarah Mangum Saturday, 07 July 2007

Foundation provides educators extra resources

Leander ISD is a fast-growing school district. With state funding for education stretched thin, foundations are needed to help cover the cost of basic educational needs such as library books and projectors, according to Leander Educational Excellence Foundation board president Jim Nosler.

“We act as a support mechanism for the district. We provide an independent source of funds for a variety of education-related tasks. Our goal is to support innovation, enrichment and equity in pursuit of academic excellence,” Nosler said. “The budget does not always match the need of the district. There is a growing need for bilingual books, but there is not adequate money in the budget.”

LEEF began last August when Nosler said he realized that because of the economic growth, development and the attraction of the school system, LISD needed an extra source of funding. LEEF raises money through various activities, including a classic car show. It also receives money from business contributions and from district employee donations.

“The people who live in Leander and Cedar Park who make money can now give money back to the school system. The community as a whole benefits from LEEF,” Nosler said. “It enhances the learning environment for children, it impacts how well teachers can teach by adding flexibility and resources and it enriches the business community by giving our future work force the best education.”

When supplies are not available because they are beyond the district’s budget, funding from LEEF can provide the money, according to Nosler.

The first program LEEF began was raising money for teacher grants. Money will be made available for the instructor with the most innovative and promising way to teach students, according to Nosler.

“Every teacher uses their own personal money to do their job. They shouldn’t have to,” Nosler said. “We recognize teachers and their hard work, and we give them their due.”

While other non-profits that support the school district concentrate on one campus or one extracurricular activity, LEEF supports LISD district-wide, according to Nosler.

“We want to be the facilitator to bridge the gap between the community and the district,” Nosler said. “Our plan is to build a dialogue with the community to ensure higher education for its students. Families with children are a huge impact on our community. The entire community depends on the quality of education our students receive.”

How LEEF helps

• Students:
  • Provides opportunities for students desiring to continue education and training beyond high school.
  • Supports improving access to programs for students from all social and economic levels.
• Teachers:
  • Offers Innovative Teaching Excellence Grants to teachers who have great ideas for learning.
  • Teacher Recognition Certificates provide a tangible symbol of appreciation for LISD teachers.
  • Supports excellence by providing a local “Educational Incubator” to foster classroom innovation.

Leander Educational Excellence Foundation, P.O. Box 358 • Cedar Park, 785-0372 • Jim Nosler, board president, www.LeanderEdFound.org