Only because of you, this past year, the Foundation:
- Gave $75,000 to Saline Area Schools for the Hornet Hub, an innovative learning space at the High School
- Awarded 26 teaching grants for over $33,000
- Began a year-long campaign to celebrate the 30th year of FSAS
- Began a new initiative of student and building grants to be awarded in January 2018
- Introduced a Donor Recognition Wall to be unveiled in September 2018
- Awarded 28 teaching grants for over $25,000 for the 2017/18 year
Check out this years highlights
Students are finding new passion in 20th century engineering and science. This is due to a grant awarded to teacher Ed Gall at Saline Middle School.
To honor the 30th year of the Foundation, the annual Fall Kickoff was a Celebration Tailgate and Fair that took place on October 13th at Saline High School.
We honored our 4th Hall of Fame class with a tailgate party at Hornet Stadium. The class of 2017 inductees consisted of Mary Gordon Converse, Ellen Ewing, Hamilton Morningstar, Carol Pirkola, Dr. Katherine Ramsland (Johnston), Cristela Scanlon, Michael Smith, and Becca Sweitzer.
Fall Kickoff 2017
To honor the 30th year of the Foundation, the annual Fall Kickoff was a Celebration Tailgate and Fair that took place on October 13th at Saline High School. At the tailgate, attendees heard from Ellen Ewing, former SAS Superintendent and recent Hall of Fame inductee; Superintendent Scot Graden; Reid Paxton, current trustee and son of FSAS founder, Bruce Paxton; and FSAS President Katie Murphy. The Foundation’s past, present and future was highlighted to show how the Foundation has positively impacted the school and community for over 30 years.
Presenting Sponsor Briarwood Ford and Food Sponsor Knight’s Restaurant were generous partners for the celebration. For the second year in a row, Steve Whitener, owner of Briarwood Ford, awarded a check of matching funds up to $5,000 for the FSAS 2017/18 campaign.
Following the Tailgate, the auxiliary football field was the site of a fair with dunk tank, inflatables, games and more for children of all ages. The event attracted more than 500 people!
Hall of Fame Weekend 2017
We honored our 4th Hall of Fame class with a tailgate party, on the patio, at Hornet Stadium on Friday night, and a banquet on Saturday night.
The class of 2017 inductees consisted of Mary Gordon Converse, Ellen Ewing, Hamilton Morningstar, Carol Pirkola, Dr. Katherine Ramsland (Johnston), Cristela Scanlon, Michael Smith, and Becca Sweitzer. Hall of Fame Weekend was sponsored by R&B Plastics Machinery. For more information to nominate for the 5th Hall of Fame class click here.
Special thanks to Angel Food Catering for catering the banquet!
2016 Year in Review
- Gave $50,000 to Heritage School for the 2015/2016 Strategic grant PROJECT LAUNCH which incorporates the 4Cs – collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking – into the entire curriculum.
- Pledged $75,000 for the 2016/2017 Strategic Grant, The Hornet Hub, an innovative learning space located in the High School.
- Awarded almost $17,000 to fund 21 teaching grants for the 2015/2016 year, including:
- Beekeeping club (Heritage)
- EKG sensors for data collection, analysis and experimentation (High School)
- Collaborative and innovative furniture
- Advanced educational technology for many classrooms
- Music Together, a special education music curriculum for our youngest students
- Provided over $30,000 in teaching grants for the 2016/2017 year.
Fall Kickoff
The annual Fall Kickoff took place on September 27th, at Saline High School. Attendees heard from our guest speaker, Rich Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations and author of Joy, Inc. Other speakers included Lucas Foster (Teacher/Mapdemoneum Grant), Chris Myers (Hornet Parent/Corporate Sponsor), and Jen Denzin (Teacher/Capstone Class) expressing their gratitude for teaching grants, funded by the Foundation for Saline Area Schools, that have impacted their lives in a very positive way.
Briarwood Ford, presenting sponsor for Kickoff, awarded the Foundation a check of matching funds up to $5,000 for the 2016-2017 Strategic Grant, the Hornet Hub. Students and administrators took the attendees on tours through the Hornet Hub and demonstrated how they used this new, innovative learning space that incorporates the four C’s – collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking!
Hall of Fame Weekend
We honored our 3rd Hall of Fame class beginning with a party on the patio at Hornet Stadium, on Friday, during the football game, and a banquet on Saturday night.
The class of 2016 included Audrey Barkel, Lynne Coughlin, Russ Ernest, Howard Hill, James L. Hoeft, Elizabeth Moore and Bradley Phillips.Patio sponsor was Keller Williams – Lisa Dempsey & Nancy Chenevey, Banquet sponsor was Great Lakes Educational Group and Wall of Fame sponsor was Old National Bank.To nominate for the 4th Hall of Fame class, click below
Hornet Hub Strategic Grant
We honored our 3rd Hall of Fame class beginning with a party on the patio at Hornet Stadium, on Friday, during the football game, and a banquet on Saturday night.
The class of 2016 included Audrey Barkel, Lynne Coughlin, Russ Ernest, Howard Hill, James L. Hoeft, Elizabeth Moore and Bradley Phillips.Patio sponsor was Keller Williams – Lisa Dempsey & Nancy Chenevey, Banquet sponsor was Great Lakes Educational Group and Wall of Fame sponsor was Old National Bank.To nominate for the 4th Hall of Fame class, click below
New Executive Director, Annherst Kreitz
Annherst Kreitz of Saline has been named the first Executive Director of the Foundation for Saline Area Schools (FSAS). The Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides private funding to support academic projects, enrichment programs, and other activities aimed at enhancing the quality of education in the Saline school district. Kreitz will be the first ever Executive Director for the Foundation.
The increase in fundraising and administrative activities over the last few years led the organization to consider a more formal leadership position. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Executive Director (ED) will have overall strategic and operational responsibility for FSAS’s staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission. The responsibilities include working closely with the Trustees, Saline Area Schools’ administration, teachers, parents, students, sponsors, donors, and the community at large.
Cheryl Hoeft, President of the Board of Trustees is ready for the next level of growth for the Foundation. “After starting the process to create the executive director position over 5 years ago, I am delighted to have Annherst on board to provide consistency and sustainability to this organization. Our growth necessitates having someone effectively manage all our initiatives and coordinate the numerous volunteer efforts” said Mrs. Hoeft.
Mrs. Kreitz was selected after a search was launched in October to fill the position. She is currently a consultant and part time faculty member at Concordia University in Ann Arbor. As a Trustee for FSAS, she formed the Alumni Committee and has organized the Hall of Fame awards event. Anne Balazs, a current Trustee indicated that “Annherst brings a strong background in marketing and relationship building skills plus a passion for the school system that is infectious. She will be a great “face” of the organization.”
Kreitz will start in the part-time position immediately and just in time for the annual Snowblast fundraiser event to be held at Travis Pointe on February 6. Other annual activities include the Fall Kickoff, Hall of Fame awards, and the competitive grants awarded to teachers.
Scot Graden, superintendent of Saline Area Schools is optimistic about the appointment. “As a district, the support of the Foundation for Saline Area Schools has been critical to our ability move forward on exciting innovations. The addition of an Executive Director and specifically Annherst Kreitz, is an excellent step in the continued evolution of the Foundation. I look forward to building on an already strong partnership.”