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The Foundation for Saline Area Schools is preparing for new leadership as it heads into its 40th anniversary year.

The foundation, which has supported Saline students and educators since 1987, will see changes in both staff and board leadership this summer. Stacey Rumpsa will retire as executive director effective June 30, after four years in the role and more than 14 years of service to the Saline Area Schools community as both a district employee and volunteer.

Angela Bruski will step into the role of executive director July 1.

The foundation’s Board of Trustees will also see a leadership change. Carolyn McFarlane will conclude her three-year tenure as board president this summer, with Lindsay Schultz set to take over the role in August.

The independent nonprofit supports classroom grants, enrichment opportunities and districtwide programs that go beyond traditional school funding. The foundation awards an average of $100,000 annually for student-centered projects across Saline Area Schools.

Saline Area Schools Superintendent Rachel Kowalski said the foundation remains an important partner for the district.

“The foundation provides critical support for innovative classroom and district programs,” Kowalski said. “Funds from the foundation help educators bring classroom learning to life. The 2026-27 school year serves as an important milestone for the foundation, marking their 40th year of meaningful grant-making for Saline Area Schools.”

Rumpsa said she is grateful for the community support behind the foundation’s work.

“It has been an honor to serve the foundation and the Saline community,” Rumpsa said. “I am grateful for the many partnerships and supporters who make this work possible, and I am excited to see the foundation continue to grow under Angela’s leadership.”

Bruski said she looks forward to building on the foundation’s history.

“I am honored to step into this role and build upon the work of those who came before me,” Bruski said. “FSAS has a remarkable history of investing in students and educators, and I look forward to working alongside our community to support opportunities that help them thrive.”

Schultz said the anniversary year is also a chance to recognize the work that has sustained the foundation for nearly four decades.

“It is an honor to serve as board president and build upon the strong leadership of those who came before me,” Schultz said. “As we celebrate 40 years of impact, we look forward to continuing to invest in opportunities that help Saline students learn, grow, and thrive.”

The foundation plans to begin its anniversary celebration with its annual Fall Luncheon, a free event tentatively scheduled for Oct. 29.

The “Building Their Future” luncheon was a huge success, raising an incredible $45,000 to support innovative teaching, district, and student-led grants across Saline Area Schools. Three grants were highlighted, and hearing students share how these opportunities have impacted their learning was truly inspiring. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped celebrate the mission of the Foundation for Saline Area Schools. Your support continues to make a lasting difference in our community!

The Beads & Beats event was a huge success, selling out and raising an incredible $90,000 in total revenue! Both the live and silent auctions exceeded expectations, bringing in generous contributions from our amazing supporters. Guests danced the night away to the rocking beats of the Cleveland Keys dueling pianos, making it a night to remember. Thank you to everyone who attended, sponsored, donated, and supported this event—your generosity will make a huge impact on the students in our district!

Thanks to you and your generous support at the “Passport to Possibilities” luncheon, the Foundation raised $40,000! We accomplished our mission, and it was a pleasure to connect with familiar faces and new ones too. Highlighting the grants awarded was an honor, showcasing the impact made possible by your contributions. 

The Saline Alumni Fair Gathering on Saline Schools Night was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect and share cherished memories. The event allowed alumni to reminisce about their time at Saline Schools and catch up with old friends. Laughter and storytelling filled the air as we celebrated the bonds that connect us as a community. The fair itself, a staple of Saline culture, provided the perfect setting for this gathering. It was a night of fun, nostalgia, and school spirit, reminding us all of the strong ties we share as members of the Saline family.

Together, we raised over $43,000 to fund grants!

Thank you to those who were able to attend the Foundation for Saline Area Schools luncheon in October. It was wonderful seeing everyone and knowing we are all interested in supporting our students and the Saline Area School District. It was an honor to be able to highlight a sampling of grants which The Foundation has been able to fund and made possible because of YOU.

A huge THANK YOU

Stacey Rumpsa

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Thank you to our community, school district, volunteers, donors, sponsors and our FSAS trustees who support this amazing Foundation.

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A big congratulations to our 2022 Hall of Fame group!  The “Party on the Patio” pre-game football gathering for our alumni and new inductees was a huge success.  It was a beautiful evening and a fantastic win by our Saline Hornets football team.

The induction ceremony was a fun night with great stories and an amazing dessert bar.  A special thanks to Anne White, Sue Corcoran, Lisa Chenevey, Kaitlyn Gasparovich, Joyce Bailey, Betsy Marl and the entire alumni committee on their hard work at making both events a huge success and fun for all.

You can view our Hall of Fame Class of 2022 here as well as learn about how you can nominate someone for the class of 2023.

We are excited to officially announce that Stacey Rumpsa of Saline has been named our new Executive Director (ED). Rumpsa will succeed Annherst Kreitz, who stepped down earlier this summer after a very successful six and a half years as ED.

Rumpsa has been an active volunteer for the Foundation for many years and has also worked in the school district for almost 10 years. She comes to FSAS from Harvest Elementary where she was a Literacy Interventionist for the past 7 years, and prior to that was an office administrator. Stacey also worked as Regional Sales Manager for Scripps Networks, promoting networks such as HGTV and the Food Network, and doing event marketing. Stacey is married with two kids who attend Saline High School.  

Amy Sankaran, President of the Board of Trustees, said “While we are sorry to say goodbye to Annherst and are so grateful for her outstanding efforts on behalf of FSAS, we are extremely excited about this next chapter with Stacey. She brings all of the experience we were seeking to continue fulfilling our mission on behalf of Saline Area Schools (SAS). Stacey’s been a Saline Schools parent, a FSAS volunteer, a school employee, as well as having a background in marketing and fundraising. We’re delighted to have Stacey on board to lead us into the future.”

Rumpsa was selected after a search was launched in June to fill the position. Rumpsa started on August 1^st, has an office at Liberty School, and she can be reached at stacey@supportfsas.org.

Steve Laatsch, superintendent of Saline Area Schools, stated that “Stacey is going to do an incredible job picking up where Annherst left off! Stacey has been an extremely valuable volunteer and literacy interventionist for the Saline Area Schools. She is ready to take on this role and make an even greater impact on the District as the new Executive Director of FSAS. The future will be very bright for FSAS and the Saline Area Schools under her leadership.”

Congratulations, Hall of Fame Class of 2022!

Come help us celebrating our inductees for the Hall of Fame class of 2022 the weekend of September 9-10!

Friday, September 9 – Introduction

Join us at the football game on Friday. The Hall of Fame class will be introduced at halftime.

Saturday, September 10 – Induction Ceremony and Dessert

Join us at the Saline High School Ellen Ewing Center for the Performing Arts for the official Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Learn more here.

Class of 2022 Inductees

These distinguished individuals will be inducted into the Hall of Fame:

• Malcolm Danforth
• David Helmer
• Leo Jensen
• Ruby Kuhl
• Terry Walters
• Dave Wolter
• Amy (Moore) Yakola

Thanks to the overwhelming support of the community, we raised over $55,000 to support Saline Area Schools!

Thanks to the amazing creative work of Saline Video, we have a grant highlight video to share with you.

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