Bettendorf students donate $2,400 for BCSF 'Change for Changing Times' fund drive
		Student council members at Bettendorf High display the check for $1,500 they raised as part of the "Changing Needs for Changing Times" fund drive.
		Bettendorf elementary, middle and high school students donated more than $2,400 as part of the “Change for Changing Times” fund drive of the Bettendorf Community Schools and the Bettendorf Community Schools Foundation. Students and parents were asked to contribute their pocket change to the fund drive, part of the foundation’s”Changing Needs for Changing Times” capital campaign. The campaign was held during National Education Week, Nov. 14-20. The campaign was the first time students were involved in a capital fund drive. All proceeds of the $1.6-million capital fund drive will go to technology upgrades at the elementary, middle and high schools. “Our goal is to help keep our schools up-to-date with new equipment and technology to meet the changing need of our students into the 21st Century,” foundation President Glen Gierke, Jr., said. “The foundation hopes to raise $600,000 that will be matched by the school district and the two local riverboat authorities to provide a total of $1.6 million for school improvements. “The money will be used from elementary media centers/libraries, middle school science and music, and high school science, music and art programs,” Gierke said. More than half of the $600,000 foundation goal has been raised so far. Donations are welcome by the public and can be sent to the foundation at the district office: Ray Stensvad Administration Center, 3311 Central Ave., Bettendorf.
		Bettendorf Community Schools Foundation December 3 Board of Trustee Meeting Minutes
		MEMBERS PRESENT: Bereskin, Blayney, Bright, Drexler, Ellard, Gackle, Gierke, Goodmundson, Lindstrom, Marty, Russell, Schaefer, Seitz The meeting was called to order at 12:06 p.m. by President Gierke. MINUTES: The minutes of the November 5, 1999 meeting were approved as written. CORRESPONDENCE: Budge is looking for volunteers for the superintendent search next week. Interviews will be Wednesday, at 2:15 - 3:30, and Thursday from 12:30 - 2:10. Dan Ellard and Caralee Blayney offered to attend. Budge passed out article entitled &Mac226; "Robin Hood Doesn&Mac226;'t Approve&Mac226;" which was about parents making donations to their children's schools and how the ACLU wants to stop this practice. TREASURER&Mac226;ÄôS REPORT: Dan Ellard reported that a CPA will start on January 2000 to help run our finances. Dan will get information out to those bookkeeping services that are interested in this opportunity. Three proposals will be reviewed. Vanguard Fund is up due to the growth in the fund. $15,000 was received for our Visiting Scholar program. Treasurers report was approved as written. PRESIDENT'S REPORT: Budge reviewed our requirements regarding voting with quorum and if we don't have quorum, maybe we can do voting by proxy. John Finnessey will be at the next school board meeting on Monday, December 6th at 7 p.m. Budge will present John with the plate the Foundation made for him as a thank you and a going away gift. Anyone from the Foundation who can attend should. Our Changing Needs for Changing Times campaign is over half way to our goal as of today. FUNDRAISING REPORT: Greg Gackle reported that most schools have participated in the campaign. Approximately $2,400.00 has been collected. The campaign will finish up next week. The money collected will go into the CNCT account. Thank you letters will go to all the participating schools. Lynne will get information to the schools for their newsletters. PUBLICITY: There will be a meeting in January for the Fundraising Party. Date and time still undecided. SCHOLARSHIP: Susan Marty reported that the Visiting Scholar program is moving ahead. NOMINATING COMMITTEE: Jim Russell reported that the following four people are the nominated officers for the year 2000: President: Jim Russell, Vice President: Susan Marty, Secretary: Sue Goodmundson, Treasurer: John Anderson. Three new trustees have agreed to be on the Board. They are: Doug Wells, Nick Nauman and Mike Romkey. It was suggested that our bylaws concerning the Executive Director position should indicate that this person shall be the Superintendent or his designated volunteer that will attend our Board meetings every month. GRANTS: • Cramlington HS Exch. Program at BHS - $3,849 (There was the question whether the Foundation funds field trips. We will check into this for next month.) • Reading Enhancements at Grant Wood - $500. Approved • 2-D & 3D ART at BMS - $3,500 (Will be considered next month) NEW BUSINESS: Sue Goodmundson reported that there will be a fundraiser sponsored by Hoover School on December 9th from 5-7 p.m. in the High School cafeteria. The money raised will go to Nicole Wooldridge, a 3rd grader at Hoover diagnosed with terminal cancer. She wondered if there was anything the Foundation could do as a group. It was decided that anyone from the Foundation who would like to contribute can give a check to Sue or send it to Hoover School. Lynne Lindstrom will send out a reminder letter to all board members regarding this. Meeting adjourned at 12:45 p.m. Next meeting will be Friday, January 7, 2000. Respectively Submitted, Susan Goodmundson Secretary
	Foundation makes a difference Fills needs, funds scholarships, brings in visiting scholars
		Bettendorf Community School Foundation grants funded dozens of classroom projects and school improvemets in 1999, five additional scholarships and a new visiting scholar program to enhance student understanding of science studies and career possibilities. More than $20,000 in grants were distributed to all elementary, middle and the high schools in the district during the year helping enhance the education of students. From books to equipment, the foundation grants help provide the needed extras not funded in the district or building budgets. And, thanks to funding from a BHS alum, the foundation began the first of an annual “Visiting Science Scholar” program at Bettendorf High. In February, the Bettendorf High School Science Department welcomed NASA scientist John Albright as the first Visiting Science Scholar. Albright, a 1985 BHS graduate, has worked eight years as a propulsion engineer for the NASA Space Center in Houston. The aim of the Visiting Science Scholar program is to give BHS students a better understanding of the link between science studies and career possibilities. The program is a part of the Donald A. Schaefer Physical Sciences and Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship program was founded to honor the life work of Donald Schaefer, who taught at BHS for 33 years, retiring in 1990. Albright shared his enthusiasm for engineering and his career progression from the physic lab at Bettendorf High through both undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering to the challenges of designing systems of the space station for NASA. The students heard how Albright valued his experiences at BHS, especially the development of writing and problem-solving skills. His visit coincided with National Engineering Week. The community also had a chance to glimpse the inside working of NASA during an evening presentation. The visiting science scholars will come from a variety of fields – medicine, agriculture, manufacturing, chemicals and computer science – which uses science concepts. The scholar program seeks individuals with a strong desire to connect with high school students and help them enlarge their perspective on science as a career. The program provides transportation expenses and an honorarium. If you would like to suggest a future “scholar,” contact Dr. Tom Castle at Bettendorf High, 319.332.7001 or Pat Bereskin of the scholarship committee, 319.359.4073.