Foundation levels playing field for students
POTTSTOWN >> The fact that Pottstown Schools are underfunded by $13 million every year makes it difficult to offer programs wealthier districts take for granted.
That’s where the Foundation for Pottstown Education comes in.
It attempts to fill what gaps it can in the funding picture hobbled by the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s failure to apply it’s own funding formula.
Recently, Executive Director Joe Rusiweicz outlined the many ways the foundation is working to make a difference in the lives of Pottstown students.
Early College
This program pays for high school students to take classes at Montgomery County Community College’s Pottstown campus and graduate from high school with their first year of college already completed.
Now with its seventh group entering the program, the Early College program is now helping 23 students by fully covering their tuition, while another six are reimbursed 50 percent, said Rusiewicz.
The foundation provided funds in excess of $66,800 during the 2017/2018 academic year.
So far, the program helped 71 students, 100 percent of whom have either graduated or are still in college.
The program has saved each of those students between $26,000 to $68,000 for a year’s tuition.
AP Test Fees
Another way the foundation is making college more affordable for Pottstown students is by paying the fees for Advanced Placement exams, which can earn credits for collegebound students.
That works out to 346 AP tests since 2017, saving students $14,817. Those tests represent 162 credit hours which, if paid credits at college, would have cost $96,270.
Environmental Education
Thanks to $19,000 provided by the foundation, 125 Pottstown Middle School students attended the Pocono Environmental Education Center and all four elementary schools have an environmental education club.
Another $4,000 paid for more than 150 Pottstown fourth graders to participate in team building exercises on the ropes course at the Althouse Arboretum in Upper Pottsgrove.
Foundation funding also paid for 168 Pottstown Middle School sixth-graders to visit the the NorthBay Adventure Camp on the Chesapeake Bay for a week last year, a cooperative effort to expand environmental education in partnership with Natural Lands and PECO.
Leadership for Girls
Thirty six girls have participated in a leadership program for the past two years thanks to $36,000 in funding from the Foundation for Pottstown Education, said Rusiewicz.
The program is called Girls Today, Leaders Tomorrow and is operated by the YWCA Tri-County Area.
Scholarships
The Foundation for Pottstown Education also provides straight-up scholarships and more than $31,400 was awarded in 2018.
That totals 86 scholarships to children in grades kindergarten through 12.
More Teachers in Town
And now six different Pottstown Schools teachers have purchased homes in the borough thanks to the forgivable loan program offered through the foundation.
The loans totaled more than $57,000 and the total of the six homes was $692,000 generating $23,674 in school property taxes in 2018.
For five years, 20 percent of the $10,000 loan will be forgiven so long as the teacher continues to live in the home. Afterward, it is completely forgiven. If the teachers sells the home before the five years it up, the remainder of the loan must be repaid.
Foundation Fundraising
On March 7, the foundation’s board kicked off the fundraising season with a goal of raising more than $75,000, said Rusiewicz.
The strategic plan called for the foundation to solidify its financial health by raising $300,000 by the end of this fiscal year and it is currently on track to raise $310,000.
On Wednesday, the foundation held a kick-off event for the Amazing Raise, a 24-hour giving campaign scheduled for Tuesday Oct. 15 to keep the momentum going.
Saturday, June 1 is wine and cheese social to kick off community part of the fundraising campaign.
Rusiewicz also said a donor has issued a $10,000 offer if 100 percent of school board and foundation board donate.
The foundation board “is diverse and representative of the make-up of Pottstown,” Rusiewicz said.