News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters Schools Foundation has distributed $49,750 to programs in Sisters' three schools.
The foundation funded requests for elementary school programs and equipment including computer software; the fourth grade Oregon Trail field trip; a kindergarten/special education play center and art history slides and supplies.
Sisters Elementary School programs received a total of $17,300.
The foundation funded music and science supplies at the middle school, as well as books for the middle school library and other programs. The middle school received $14,250.
Sisters High School received $18,200, including $2,000 for choral risers; $1,500 for an electric kiln; and funds for graphing calculators, health education supplies and band instrument maintenance and repair.
There was a total of $69,018.75 in funding requests. The foundation left several requests unfunded.
School board member Glen Lasken, who serves on the foundation board as well, noted last week that funding requests have become more realistic in recent years, narrowing the gap between requests and fulfillment of funding.
Both foundation President Rod Morris and Treasurer Darren Layne are retiring from their posts.
Morris praised the efforts of the organizers of the Sisters Starry Nights concert Series, which has provided most of the funding distributed by the foundation.
The concert series has raised more than $330,000 since its inception in 1997.
"Starry Nights is the majority of it (foundation funding) and all the people that put so much into it are the backbone of the foundation," Morris said.
Morris was pleased that the board has taken action to protect the foundation's endowment. The board commits 25 percent of each year's revenues to the endowment fund.
"I have a real passion for the endowment and protecting it," Morris said. He believes it is important "to look at this as a long-term endeavor, not just a Band-Aid."
The foundation amended its bylaws to require that it have $1 million before interest can be used to fund programs. The principal may not be accessed without a unanimous vote of all members of the board of directors.
For more information call 549-8521.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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