New Scholarship Just Made Available to Seniors!
The Mattawan Public Education Foundation is excited to announce a new scholarship in the amount of $1,000 that has been made available by a generous community donor. This new scholarship is called the
"Dedication Scholarship." Find out more about this scholarship and the other MPEF scholarships available. Don't miss out on the opportunity to apply for one or several of the
12 MPEF scholarships available this year!
more information here
Planning for 2011 Creative Instruction Awards Underway!
Last year,
24 new classroom projects were funded through our CIA program!
Teachers and staff can
download the 2011 CIA application now, for the new school year. Applications will be due October 7, 2011, with the awards to be announced on October 21, 2011.
more information here
Get your flu shot at Medicine Tree Pharmacy in Mattawan and help MPEF!
Thanks to Don Jacks, R.Ph. and the folks at Medicine Tree Pharmacy, who will make a donation to MPEF based on the number of flu shots given this year. Just stop by the pharmacy, located at McGillen's Crossing in downtown Mattawan at 56109 Village Center Circle, to support MPEF. No appointment necessary. Open Mon - Fri, 8am - 6pm and Saturday, 9am - 1pm.
more information here
Why does Mattawan Consolidated School require additional funding? I thought that taxes supply the funding for education.
- It is no secret that state funding for public schools has been dropping year after year. However, for our children to compete in the modern global economy, more than just the basics are necessary. MPEF provides for funding in three areas: (1) with creative instruction grants to allow teachers and administrators to introduce new and innovative teaching practices and tools, (2) with professional development grants to advance the skills and knowledge of school staff and (3) with scholarships to financially assist students in their post-secondary education.
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How are the projects that the MPEF supports different from the regular classroom curriculum?
- MPEF allows for the school administration and the teachers to explore and introduce new ideas. Without the funding from MPEF, many of these ideas would not move forward.
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How does MPEF manage its donated funds?
- MPEF, like most foundations, invests donations in "General Funds" and "Endowment Funds." Most simply, general funds are used to support current MPEF programs and expenses or specific programs if designated by a donor. Endowment funds are invested by the foundation to provide income to fund future programs. Donors can also send contributions designated for the MPEF endowment.
Each of these two funds is also divided as "restricted" and "unrestricted." Restricted funds may be given to MPEF from a donor who wants them used for a specific purpose or program (a scholarship, for school libraries, for choir, etc.). Unrestricted funds are given unconditionally to MPEF and the foundation determines how these are spent.
For most donations, MPEF designates approximately 75% to current programs supported through the general fund and 25% is invested in endowment funds designed to build income for the foundation's future programs.
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What is the process for establishing a scholarship or an endowment fund?
- Please contact MPEF using the contact form on this website to start the process. We will be happy to work with anyone to support their passion for advancing education in the Mattawan school system.
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Who runs the Foundation?
- The foundation is run by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of community members, with support from the school board and administration.
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How does MPEF manage its investments?
- General funds (whether restricted or unrestricted) are typically used for the current year, so these are invested in short-term investments such as money market fund or short-term bonds. Endowment funds are invested separately in a portfolio designed to generate income from the principal amount, when may then be used to support current programs and scholarships.
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What is the Creative Instruction Award?
- These awards are given for new, original, creative ideas that teachers, or groups of teachers, apply for to create a positive learning impact on our students.
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When are they awarded?
- In September, teachers are encouraged to fill out a CIA application. The deadline is usually toward the end of October. Awards are generally announced 2-3 weeks after the application due date. These dates are all announced in early September.
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How do I apply for a Creative Instruction Award?
- Teachers are encouraged to fill out a CIA application that is sent out via e-mail in September, posted on our website and available in any of the school offices. It is to be submitted by a specific deadline, usually toward late October.
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Where do the funds for these projects come from?
- The funding is provided by the community through donations from our annual fund-raisers.
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How does the foundation decide how many dollars to award?
- The amount of donations is what determines how much funding is available.
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What kinds of projects are funded?
- Many different projects have been funded from "Mattawan Kids Care" - a project in a 2nd grade classroom to help seniors in our community to "A Night with Encore" - an open house at the Middle School sharing all the great activities the students do in their Encore classes. Our website has information and photos from this year's awards as well as past years.
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Who determines what projects get funded?
- The projects to be awarded funding are chosen, through a blind process, by a committee comprised of board members and community members.
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