Annual Update2014 - 2015

Tom Den Herder, President

Sabina Otteman, Vice President

Sam Vriezema, Treasurer

Sara Stevens, Secretary

Jackie CurtissSara Donkersloot

Gary FeenstraNikki Kleinheksel

Leslee LewisBrandi Mendham

Chris PollackJim Schoettle

Rick Van DorpCatherine Wasson

Cal DeKuiperSuperintendent

Wendy RebhanExecutive Director

Mary Beth TimmerDevelopment Coordinator

Executive Director’s Message

visit us online at zeelandeducationfoundation.org

“Making Quality Public Education a Lifetime Gift” is the mission statement of the Zeeland Education Foundation. We find this a challenging and exciting job but enjoyable because it is for our wonderful Zeeland Public School district. The support we feel from parents, teachers, administrators, local businesses and community members is beyond comparable. Our success during this past year could not have been done without all of you. We thank you for helping us and look forward to the future with you.

During this past year, our successes have included hosting Conversations with Cal. This is a quarterly, informal gathering of local business and community members coming together to hear school news from our superintendent, Cal DeKuiper. This has been a wonderful way for Cal to further connect with our broader Zeeland community.

October 28, 2014 was the date of our first Fowl Play dinner. John U. Bacon, University of Michigan professor, was the speaker who entertained us with Michigan football stories and also affirmed the importance of quality public education in the future. We thank the generous donors who helped us raise almost $40,000 at this event! And we anticipate further success this October 28, 2015 when Jim Kaat, Zeeland alum and former professional baseball player, will be our featured speaker.

Due to the success of the 2014 Fowl Play dinner, we were able to award $30,000 in grants this spring. On May 13, we honored all the grant recipients. Please read the list in this Annual Update and congratulate the teachers who were awarded a grant. This is a rigorous and competitive process and they are well deserving of the recognition.

We are looking toward the future and have developed a strategic plan to guide us and help us to achieve our goals. Continuing to enhance academics at Zeeland Public Schools is our primary goal. We see ourselves as the “academic boosters” for ZPS and we are excited to work with Brandi Mendham, the curriculum director, to ensure that academics are enhanced on a continual basis.

Another goal we have is to grow our endowment fund, the Legacy Fund, to $1 million. We want our district to continue to be an academic leader in the area and a district of choice. We know that this goal is possible because of the generous support we feel from the community surrounding Zeeland Public Schools.

With this in mind, would you please consider supporting this goal by making a 3-year pledge or giving a one-time gift using the enclosed pledge form? We are excited for the future of the Zeeland Education Foundation and the support it will be able to continue to give Zeeland Public Schools in the future. Please join us in helping us reach $1 million!

Sincerely,

Wendy RebhanExecutive Director

Alumni Directory Underway

Zeeland Public Schools is teaming up with Harris Connect to assemble an updated alumni directory. Please expect to be contacted by Harris Connect this summer. Should you have questions or concerns, ZPS Education Foundation will also have a web page devoted to the project.

The alumni directory will assist ZPS and alumni with providing up to date contact information for lost connections, class reunions, and district updates.

Alumni will be given the opportunity to purchase a directory from Harris Connect.

Board of Directors

Fraction tools Chad Boorsma/Adams $450Sensory tools Missy Lambers/Quincy $600Makey Makey Lisa Shears/Elementary technology $1,000Stand2Learn desks Roosevelt 2nd – 5th grade teachers $3,230Spanish books on CD Yesenia Lazo & Dayana Kaboos/NG $300Tower Garden System Stacey VanPortfleet & Brynne Dika/Adams $875Cricket cutter/magnetic walls Sarah VanFarow/Cityside $1,460Curriculum and activities for Special Ed Alesha Parnacott/New Groningen $750WilBooks Woodbridge Kindergarten teachers $2,660Portable Kitchen Maggie DeYoung/New Groningen $650Commissioned work/composer Nichole Bier & Aaron Good/MS band $1,500Wilboooks Ellen Kontowicz/ECC $3,125REDMIKE Audio System Amy VanZetten/Woodbridge $670WeatherBug Brad Stevens/Creekside $3,000Speech Buddies School speech language pathologists $2,450Lending library of fine motor interventions Jenni La Porta/Lincoln $800Project Based Learning supplies Michael Fenlon/High School $3,000Portable Green Screen Heather Remy/Creekside $220Pulse Oximeters Mike Reyonlds/High School $225

Grants Awarded Spring 2015 Grantee/School Amount

The Zeeland Education Foundation is celebrating 10 years of partnership with Zeeland Public Schools and we are excited for the future financial support we hope to offer. We see the Education Foundation as the “academic boosters” for the district and with Brandi Mendham as the new curriculum director we know this partnership will only get better!

Since 2005, we have provided over $200,000 in grants to the staff of Zeeland Public Schools to incorporate innovative ways of teaching and learning. Our assets have grown to $712,800 with the bulk of investments held at the Community Foundation of Holland/Zeeland. We know that for the future we need to continue to grow our endowment, the Legacy Fund, in order to provide additional opportunities in the years to come.

During the past few months we developed a strategic plan to help us move into the future. Our focus is to reach a financial level that would allow us to place at least $50,000 annually into Zeeland Public Schools through the granting process. We also set a goal to raise the Legacy Fund to $1,000,000 or more to ensure that the Education Foundation will be able to support the district for many generations.

As we grow, we hope you will grow with us. Please use the included pledge/gift form to join us in growing our endowment. Your gifts make a difference at Zeeland Public Schools!

Sincerely,

Tom Den Herder, President

Donors make a direct impact to our district ~ Thank you.Thank you to the following donors for their generosity. The total contributions of over $70,000 have helped make quality public education a lifetime gift!

AmbucsMichael and Tina AmesDave and Leanne AshBank of AmericaMatt and Lynette Bell, BellBJW BerghorstHolly BoehleLyle and Ruth BoermanScott & Mary Jo BoermanKenneth and Christy Boeve, Kurt and Lisa BomersJacob and Kelly BonnemaJoel and Marianne Bouwens Tom and Teresa Bouwens Todd and Michelle BrennanSteve and Krystal BulthuisCraig and Donna BunceHenry and Sarah ButerRobert and Susan CarlsonDuane CarpenterCDS GreenhouseChemical BankShonn & Deborah ColbrunnCollier's/TSP RealtyBrandan and Nicole CompagnerSteven and Shawn CompagnerBrent & Kim ConverseGary and Lou CorsbieKyle and Jackie CurtissMichael and Susan DalmanJoel T. DavelaarGregory and Karen DeinesKenneth and Carol DeJongeDeKock Family FoundationCal and Beth DeKuiperTom and Sue DenHerderChris and Amy DenHerderMatt and Katie DenHerder

Robert and Karen DenHerderMarlies DeWittDickinson WrightJim and Sara DonkerslootChuck and Sue DrnekBill and Mary ElhartMarylin ElhartEXIT 76 CORPJack and Judy FaberGary and Diane FeenstraDean and Jodie FerrellFestida FoodsScott and Kristin FreemanGDK Construction Co.Geenen Family FoundationCharles and Julie GeenenGentexGMB ArchitectsAaron GoodMike GoorhouseJarold GrotersScott and Kyle Ann GuernseyChris & Christy GuffeyTimothy and Erica HamiltonTodd & Kathi HammondMatt and Jodie HaverdinkKurt and Kristina HenryDavid and Debbi HildenbrandJim and Gwen HoekstraArthur and Trudy HoffmeyerBenjamin and Sarah HondorpTodd and Peg HousengaJ&H OilDave and Barb JanssenMicki JanssenMark and Susan JohnsonScott and Lorie JohnsonDaniel Kender

Conrad and Barb KleinhekselBrad and Kim KoleanDon and Sally KomejanGary KottLakewood ConstructionAndrew and Leslee LewisMacatawa BankJonathan and Amy MachielaGabriela MendezBrandi MendhamPhil and Martha MenerickClarence and Mary MerrillMiller JohnsonBetty R. MillerJack H. MillerScott and Shari MoorePaul and Cyndie MorleyKevin and Amy NashAndy and Sabina OttemanTyler and Jodi OwczarskiSteve and Laurie PollChris and Rebecca PollackThomas and Pat PostmaScott and Christine PowersJames and Paula PrattDave and Barb PyleJohn and Ann QueryGordon RaterinkKevin and Wendy RebhanNancy RebhanRequest FoodsBradley and Betsy RheinSally RietveldKirk RoedelAbram and Kristen RoordaKevin and Kim RosenauChad & Kimberly RotemanJim and Janet Schoettle

Gary and Phyllis ScholtenPaul SchoolmeesterJonathan SchreurJeff and Becky SchrotenboerRonald ScottShoreline SprinklingBrad and Carol SlaghDawn SmithMark and Sandra SnyderDavid and Ann SomeroCraig and Sara StevensJared and Tiffany StevensLaurie TermaatDavid and MaryBeth TimmerScott and Jill TobakTown & Country GroupJudy TuttleJon and Lisa Van Der KolkVanDerMeulen's Fine Finshers, IncDavid and Barb VanGinhovenRichard VanOssMarc VansoestMitch and Deborah VeldheerRick and Betsy VoetbergJon and Lisa VossSamuel and Kathy VriezemaWarner, Norcross and JuddCatherine WassonRoss and Amanda WeenumWest Michigan Community BankWest Michigan HockeyWest Michigan Pediatric DentistryEdward and Marcia WirthThomas and Julie Working, WorkingZeeland Family DentistrySteven ZeeripRick and Carol Zuverink

2014 FOWL PLAY DINNER RAISES $39,609“Birds of a feather flock together”. We sure proved that to be true at our first annual Fowl Play Dinner held on October 28, 2014. Chix and Dux supporters of Zeeland Public Schools gathered together to support the Zeeland Education Foundation. Through the proceeds from our sponsors and a raffle of local business items, we raised almost $40,000!

It was a great evening at the Yacht Basin Conference Center starting with family-style dinner provided by Beechwood Inn. Our guests learned about the important work of the Foundation by hearing from the Foundation visionary, Gary Feenstra and by watching our video which can now be seen on our website (zeelandeducationfoundation.org). We ended the evening with an entertaining and motivational speech from John U. Bacon, author and University of Michigan professor.

We would like to thank all of our sponsors and businesses for helping to make our first Fowl Play Dinner a soaring success!

Yacht Basin Marina Warner, Norcross and Judd Hungry HowiesRequest Foods Catherine Wasson Jimmy JohnsGentex Corporation West Michigan Community Bank Jennifer Ketchum PhotographyFestida Foods West Michigan Pediatric Dentistry Massage.calmColliers International Zeeland Family Dentistry Michigan West Shore NurseryLakewood Construction ZR Graphics Pizza HutBJW Berghorst Chris Bart Premovation Audio & VideoChemical Bank Alicia Bazan, Body Perfections Public Marlies DeWitt Captain Sundae Teerman’sDickinson Wright LLC Chix Country Store Zeeland BakeryGDK Construction Don’s Flowers and Gifts Zeeland RecreationJanssen Family Dux Pond StoreEdward Jones – Sam Vriezema Elbo RoomKleinheksel and Bouwens Families Family FareMacatawa Bank The FarmhouseNorth Shore Garden Center Hidden Gardens & Suites Subassembly Plus Holland Cakery ‘n’ Sweets

2015 FOWL PLAY DINNER SET FOR OCTOBER 27The Zeeland Education Foundation is excited to announce that Jim Kaat will be our speaker for the 2015 Fowl Play Dinner!  The dinner will take place on October 27, 2015. For more information about the event, contact Nikki Kleinheksel and Sara Stevens (chairpersons) at zef.fowlplay@gmail.com or go to zeelandeducationfoundation.org.

2015 Grant Winners

183 W Roosevelt Avenue Zeeland, MI 49464

Our MissionTo enhance the academic excellence of Zeeland

Public Schools’ students by providing funding for resources that promotes scholastic achievement

and extraordinary learning opportunities.

Support the Zeeland Education Foundation by filling out this card and sending it along with your donation (check or money order) to:

Zeeland Education Foundation183 W Roosevelt AvenueZeeland, MI 49464

Or visit www.zeelandeducationfoundation.org to donate online or to view other donation opportunities.

Name: _________________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: __________________________________________________________

Phone: (______)___________________ email: _____________________________

Total Gift Amount $ ______________

Option 1: oI/We would like to make annual installments for the next 3 years of $ ___________ beginning on (date)____________.

Option 2: o I/We would like to a make a one-time gift this year.

Make Quality Public Education a Lifetime Gift