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Mission

 

To help Mary Lin Elementary School achieve its educational goals by providing instructional, physical, and technological opportunities for the enrichment of Mary Lin students.

 

Background & Historical Accomplishments

 

The Foundation was formed in 2008 with the goal to bring innovative technology—specifically, interactive whiteboards—to Mary Lin Elementary School. With support from parents, grants, Mary Lin PTA, and neighborhood organizations (Candler Park, Inman Park, and Lake Claire) in only eight years the Foundation has made impressive contributions totaling over $300,000 to Mary Lin Elementary School, including:

  • Funding thousands of dollars of professional development courses for our teachers

  • Providing two outdoor weather stations

  • Providing and maintaining 25 Promethean ActivBoards and 1 Mobile ActivBoard

  • Providing three sets of ActivExpression accessories for Promethean Boards

  • Funding nearly $15,000 for creation of a Teacher Resource Room

  • Co-funding a Mac Lab (12 iMacs) for the Media Center with Mary Lin PTA

  • Providing the library with a complete set of Common Core Curriculum exemplar texts and each grade-level teacher with a complete grade-level set

  • Providing specialized learning materials to the Autism Unit and inclusion classrooms

  • Providing NTSA Picture Perfect Science curriculum materials and book collections to the Media Center’s professional materials collection

  • Providing a camcorder kit and video cameras to the GATE program to use in creating student multi-media portfolios

  • Providing subscriptions to computer resources such as BrainPop and Study Island and to classroom instructional materials like Social Studies Weekly

  • Co-funding and managing the construction of a new playground

  

Accomplishments 2015-16

               

The Foundation’s major focus this year was completing the playground campaign and installing the new playground, and WE DID IT!  Students now enjoy a beautiful, accessible playground with a court for foursquare and basketball, safe and fun climbing equipment and swings, spinners, “slide mountain” with a fort, a giant chessboard, a track, sports supplies, a Buddy Bench dedicated to our counselor, Ms. Brenda Stroman, who passed away this school year, and lots of room to run and play.

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Projects/Goals – The Foundation’s projects and goals for the year included:

 

  • With the leadership of parents Susan Maloney and Alden Henderson, creating a Book Fund to provide books to students who would otherwise be unable to purchase books during the Little Shop of Stories book fairs

  • Continued funding of teacher professional development grants to supplement opportunities already available to our teachers and to provide access to training that would not otherwise be available

  • Adopting Standard Operating Procedures for Serving as Project Fiduciary to guide the Foundation’s role in special projects such as the playground campaign and the outdoor classroom campaign

  • Encouraging continued strategic partnerships with the Mary Lin administration, LSC (now GO Team), and PTA

  • Restructuring Board positions to reflect development of the Foundation and changing roles and responsibilities

  • Setting the groundwork for the creation of an annual campaign, the Rocket Fund

  • Holding the first annual Major Donor Dinner to recognize and show appreciation for those who have made substantial financial contributions to the Foundation


Fundraising - The Foundation had a successful year with fundraising, including:

 

  • Raising $1,900 at Fall Fest (Inflatables funded by the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization)

  • Raising approximately $17,700 at the annual Rocket Run 5k and 1-Mile Fun Run during the Inman Park Festival

  • Raising approximately $6000 at the two Little Shop of Stories book fairs

  • Raising approximately $6,900 with a Brick Sales Fundraiser

  • Raising approximately $705 through donations via fundraising efforts hosted by the Candler Park Market, Savi Market, and the Flying Biscuit

  • Raising approximately $170 through AmazonSmile charitable contributions

  • Receiving a donation of $10,500 from Mary Lin PTA for the Playground Fund and Outdoor Classroom Fund

  • Receiving $674 in individual donations for the Book Fund.

  • Receiving $3725 in individual donations for the Playground Fund

  • Receiving $1000 in individual donations for the Outdoor Classroom Fund

  • Receiving $3,447 in individual and corporate donations for the general fund

  • Receiving a grant of $300 from the Candler Park Neighborhood Organization for the Playground Fund

  • Receiving a grant of $2000 from the Inman Park Neighborhood Association for the Playground Fund

  • Receiving a grant of $300 from Lake Claire Neighbors for the Playground Fund

  • Participating in our first Georgia Gives Day and Giving Tuesday fundraisers

 

 

Grants - The Foundation approved the following grants:

 

  • Funding the purchase of sensory materials and a kidney-shaped table for the third grade inclusion classroom for Ms. Noel ($430)

  • A grant to the Media Center following the hugely successful fall Little Shop of Stories book fair, which supported the purchase of a new World Book Encyclopedia set and 22 DVDs to accompany Common Core exemplar text materials as well as new books for circulation ($2000)

  • A grant to the Media Center following the also hugely successful spring Little Shop of Stories book fair, which will support the purchase of new reference materials (atlases, dictionaries, thesauri, etc.) and other new books for circulation ($2000)

  • Professional development grants totaling over $3900 for:

  • Partial funding for Ms. Snyder to attend a training opportunity with the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya

  • Registration, travel, and accommodations for Ms. Fuller, Ms. Bringslid, and Ms. Robinson to attend Greg Tang’s Third Annual Math Plus Conference in Kansas City, Missouri

  • Registration for Ms. Baldwin to attend the Summer Education Conference at the Woodruff Arts Center in collaboration with the High Museum, Woodruff Symphony, and the Alliance Theatre

 

 Many thanks to those who served on the Board for 2015-2016!

 

Executive:

Sherry Neal, Chair

Jay Sandhaus and Patrick Sullivan, Treasurer

Janet Patton, Secretary

 

Trustees:

Melanie Cole

Sarah Colley

Eric Goldberg

Annsley Klehr

Tim Silvis

Jane Smith

Trish Sprain

Christopher Timmons

 

Ex-Officio:

Sharyn Briscoe (principal)

Lori Green (teacher representative)

Kim Meyer (PTA representative)

Merri Neff (LSC representative)

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Also, a huge thank you to all of the Mary Lin students and families who bounced at Fall Fest (and encouraged others to bounce), who participated in and donated to the Rocket Run and solicited donations from friends and family, and who volunteered at all of our fundraisers and events!  There are simply too many to list everyone by name in this report, but please know your time and participation is greatly appreciated.  We couldn’t have done it without you!

 

Looking Ahead:

 

The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2016-2017 Board of Trustees:

 

Executive (Officers serve 1 year in their role):

  • Chair – Kim Meyer (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Secretary – Merri Neff (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Treasurer – Patrick Sullivan (Trustee 2015-2017)

 

Trustees

  • David Aynes (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Melanie Cole (Trustee 2015-2017)

  • Eric Goldberg (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Lindsay Hill (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Annsley Klehr (Trustee 2015-2017)

  • Janet Patton (Trustee 2015-2017)

  • Julie Roseman (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Jane Smith (Trustee 2015-2017)

  • David Stevens (Trustee 2016-2018)

  • Christopher Timmons (Trustee 2015-2017)

 

Ex-officio:

  • PTA Representative – Julie Noble/Lisa Milko

  • Teacher Representative – Denise Bringslid

  • GO Team Representative – Galit Levitin

  • Principal – Sharyn Briscoe

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Goals for 2016-2017

As a growing non-profit we continue to learn and develop.  The following are priorities during the coming year:

 

  • Increase giving among school families with the institution of an Annual Giving Campaign, the Rocket Fuel Fund

  • Continue to provide grant opportunities and training for our teachers and staff

  • Continue to develop effective communication and collaboration with the Mary Lin administration, GO Team, and PTA

  • Continue to educate the Mary Lin community and neighborhoods on how the Foundation works with the Mary Lin administration, PTA, and GO Team to benefit Mary Lin

  • Continue improved utilization of the Facebook page and other social media outlets to promote recognition of the Foundation and its work in the community

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