DCEF

Downingtown Community
Education Foundation

Report to the Community

2014 - 2015

A Message From the Downingtown Community Education Foundation

The Downingtown Community Education Foundation (DCEF) was created to enhance and enrich the
education of DASD students by providing innovative educational programs that instill 21st century skills required
for future success. Over the years we have raised over $800,000 through generous donations from staff, business
and community sponsors. We are grateful for this support as we strive to accomplish our mission.
The DCEF Board of Directors adopted goals and objectives which focus our efforts on Teacher Venture Grants,
After School and Summer programs and our new initiative, raising funds for the Marsh Creek Nature Center
Amphitheater and nature trail.
This past year we continued our After School Enrichment programs in all elementary schools and the Marsh
Creek 6th grade center. These programs were offered in the fall, winter and summer. The DCEF provided
financial assistance for twenty eight students to attend the After School and Summer programs. In addition the
DCEF awarded seven Teacher Venture Grants for projects reflecting our mission of innovation.
Our initiatives are funded through fund raising efforts and donations from the community, School District staff
members and local businesses.
Thank you for your support and encouragement. We are proud to be a part of the greater Downingtown
community.

Board Officers
Dr. Alice Johnson, President
Brian Stocker, Vice President
Jackie McCalla, Secretary
Eric Light, Treasurer
Pat McGlone*, Executive Director

Board Members
Sara Armstrong
Gina DiGiacomo
Sherie Gazzerro
William Heib
Paul Kappel, Jr.
Chuck Schmidheiser
The Honorable Josh Maxwell

Jackie Fenn*, DASD Board of Directors Liaison

Dr. Lawrence Mussoline*, DASD Superintendent
James McErlane, Honorary Member

* Non-voting member

Downingtown Community Education Foundation

540 Trestle Place
Downingtown, PA
Attn. Pat McGlone

Phone: 610-269-8460 ext.6113

Fax: 610-269-2656
E-mail: pcmcglone@dasd.org

Enhancing and Enriching the Education of Downingtown Area School District Students
Vision
The Downingtown Community Education Foundation will be a premier educational foundation that creates a
pathway to the preferred postsecondary destination for every Downingtown student.

Mission
The Downingtown Community Education Foundation is dedicated to enhancing and enriching the education
of Downingtown Area School District students through innovative, educational programs that instill the 21st
century skills required to excel in postsecondary learning, on the job, and in modern society.

Our Goals

Strengthening DCEF financial stability

Increasing awareness and participation in DCEF programs

Providing funds for the Marsh Creek environmental center amphitheater and trail

The Role of the Foundation

The Downingtown Community Education Foundation was formed to provide new sources of non tax-related
funding required to be certain the Downingtown Area School Districts long history of excellence in education
will always remain, regardless of future changes in funding that may be beyond local control.
By partnering with the school district to impart 21st century skills we ensure DASD students acquire the skills
required to become innovators who can use a wide range of techniques to elaborate, refine, and analyze ideas in
order to solve problems, create and think for a lifetime; thus laying the foundation for thriving, vibrant communities and future economic prosperity.

Environmental Education at Marsh Creek

The Downingtown Community Education Foundation is leading an effort to create the Narwhal
Nature Trail and Envionmental Center behind the Marsh Creek Sixth Grade Center. Plans for
the trail include an outdoor environmental classroom, an open air amphitheater overlooking
wetlands, meadows and woods. The trail will also include stations focusing on biomimickry,
conservation, water preservation, threatened species, native flora, fauna and mammals,
regeneration, vernal pools and more.
The project includes a proposed green laboratory which would have a solar roof, rain barrels
and a planter box wall. This lab will allow students the opporunity to experiment with
water-testing, wind measurement, soil sampling and more. The trail, laboratory and
amphitheater will focus on both the National and Pennsylvania State Standards for life science,
ecology and the environment.
The goal of this project is to increase awareness and build knowledge of the environment for
our students and teachers. Stations along the trail will feature projects and activities for students
of all ages. Students will learn and understand the importance of preserving natural resources
through hands-on experiences at this new site.

An Enriching Experience
The Experience is a seven week after-school program offered in the fall, spring and summer
for Downingtown Area School District students in grades 3-8. The Experience provides safe,
supportive and fun lessons in Robotics, Engineering, Forensics, Rocketry, Theatre and World
Languages.
All programs are taught by highly qualified education professionals who currently teach in the
Downingtown Area School District. High school students who excel in the selected areas will
work alongside each teacher and guide our children in small group settings as they experience
these important 21st century skills.
From Spring 2014 to Summer 2015 the Experience served over 1,273 students and was hosted by each of the districts 10 elementary schools.

This was a fabulous program... my son loved it! Thanks so much

for the opportunity! - Tamara Widdowson

Initiatives to Inspire and Support in the Classroom

The Downingtown Community Education Foundation funded seven teacher grant
requests this year. These grants are given to innovative or imaginative programs,
projects, services and/or activities that emphasize new approaches to teaching,
stimulate thought and enrich and expand existing curriculum. The funding of these
teacher-sponsored projects helps the DCEF to fulfill its mission of promoting innovative educational initiatives in Downingtown Area School District classrooms.
This year these initiatives ranged from introducing 1st and 2nd grade students to
keyboard skills and reading music at West Bradford Elementary to a Lionville
Elementary study of the applications and potential problems of drones.
FY15 Venture Grants
School
West Bradford
Lionville Middle School
Downingtown Middle School
Beaver Creek
Marsh Creek
Marsh Creek
Lionville Elementary
Lionville Elementary

Grant Project
Keyboard Skills and Music Literacy
Summer Reading Books
Summer Reading Books
Stability Balls in Kindergarten Classrooms
Butterfly Garden (Student Submission)
E-Books for Project Based Learning
Drone for Practical Applications Study
3D Printer for 5th Grade Students

A Financial Snapshot of 2014 - 2015

Where the Dollars Went:

Teacher Venture Grants $13,736

After School Program $66,500
Scholarships $13,220
STEM Academy $23,448
Administration $17,139

Where the Dollars Came From:

Business Community $81,428

Friends of DCEF $27,851
Program Income $117,703

Special Projects:

Sponsor for STEM Code-A-Thon

Sponsor for DASD Student Designed Bike Rack Competition

$2,000
$5,000

Primary Revenue Goals for 2015 - 2016:

Teacher Venture Grants $16,000

After School Program $100,000
Art Gala $37,000
Marsh Creek Nature Trail $15,000
EITC $36,000

Supporting the Future Success of Our Students

Scholarships Managed by DCEF:

Charles Way Memorial Scholarship

Emily Singleton Memorial Scholarship
Cameron Evans Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships with Funds Managed by DCEF:

The Tommy Slater Fund

The Mike Getz MCSGC Paradise Farms Scholarship Program
The Karen Baker Scholarship Fund

Thank You to the Following Contributors for

Your Donations of $250 or More

3 M Foundation
Abbott Fund
Americas Charities
AT&T
Brady Orthodontics, P.C.
Bryn Mawr Trust Company
Colleen and William Cranney
Jodi Cunniffe
DNB First
Joel Donovan
DSM Biomedical
Evolve IP, LLC
Richard Fazio
First Resource Bank
Fulton Bank
Will Houghteling
Barbara Hurt-Simmons
J.W. Pepper
Alice Johnson
Paul and Lori Kappel
Krapf Bus Company

Lincoln Investment
Daniel Lobb
Christina McBride
Jackie McCalla
Thomas J. Mulvey
Larry Mussoline
Margaret and John OGrady
Hiten and Rita Padhiar
Pediatric Therapeutic Services, Inc.
Penn Liberty Bank
Leslie Place
PPL Services Corporation
Jeff L. Rhoads
Jeffery C. Singleton
Sharon Standish
Brian Stocker
Theresa and Gregory Stockdale
United Way
Waste Management
West Foundation
Susan West

The Downingtown Community

Education Foundation would like to offer a
special thank you to Bentley Systems, Inc. for their continued financial support of DCEF and the students in the Downingtown
Area School District. This year donations from
Bentley Systems, Inc. topped $100,000.
Thank you!
Report designed by Kathryn Kappel
Downingtown East High School, Class of 2012
The Pennsylvania State University, Class of 2016