ATTENTION: graduating DHS Seniors and parents/guardians of graduating DHS Seniors: Applications for DEF's 4-year renewable scholarships are now open. All application materials are due by April 15th. Please email info@decatureducationfoundation.org if you have any questions. Application can be found here
In support of DEF’s behavioral health initiative Joe’s Fund, we invite you to our next No Ordinary Joe event on Thursday, May 2nd at 7pm at Waller’s Coffee House. The evening of live music will feature students from Decatur High School’s Exploring Music Club. Waller’s is the perfect setting for an intimate evening of supporting our students’ self-expression AND Joe’s Fund — a huge thank you to Waller’s for donating their space for our event! Click here for more info…
Fifth grade teacher Ms. Wise of F.AVE Upper Elementary was awarded a DEF Teacher Innovation Grant recently to reinvigorate the school garden. Ms. Wise manages the school garden and has already begun fall garden planting with her students. Over the last few weeks, they have planted two types of collards, several types of lettuces, radishes, sorrel, kale, and rainbow chard. The students are also assembling trellises for sugar snap peas to climb. The garden serves as a living laboratory where students…
It’s that time of year again: we are launching the annual Teacher Innovation Grant application process! Decatur Education Foundation has been awarding teacher grants since 2002, and last year we awarded more than $35K in funds to City Schools of Decatur teachers in almost every school in the district. These grants provide funding for our teachers to enhance classroom learning by introducing new books, technology and equipment, addressing different learning styles, and bringing creative ideas to life. We hope to…
Decatur Education Foundation is seeking candidates for two full-time positions: Director of Programs and Partnerships and Director of Development. For a description of the Director of Programs and Partnerships position and desired qualifications, click HERE. For a description of the Director of Development position and desired qualifications, click HERE. How to Apply & Timeline: To apply, please send a résumé, cover letter responsive to DEF’s mission, and examples of your recent work to hiring@decatureducationfoundation.org. Applications will be accepted until the…
After a months-long search process, the Decatur Education Foundation board is pleased to announce the appointment of Ricky Hyde as its new Executive Director. The current executive director, Gail Rothman, announced in January that she will step down at the end of the nonprofit’s fiscal year. Mr. Hyde will begin his position in June 2023. Mr. Hyde’s background in program development and management combined with his experience in incorporating diversity and inclusion standards will help further the foundation’s mission of…
Decatur Education Foundation (DEF) is seeking a strategic, dynamic, and community-minded leader to build on the organization’s impactful 20-year history. Mission We solve the problems that keep our kids from finding success by connecting people, resources, and ideas. Central to this work is a commitment to eradicating barriers caused by systemic racism, income inequality, and the lack of behavioral health supports. Vision All Decatur youth realize their full potential, regardless of economic status, ethnicity, race, nation of origin, gender, gender…
Christopher Brune’s title is “English Language Arts teacher” at Decatur High School, but he recently expanded his repertoire when he became one of two teachers of the brand-new IB HL Film class in the 2022-2023 school year. A few months into teaching this class of junior and senior students, Brune realized the class needed new filmmaking equipment and access to more movies for the students to analyze. “The DEF grant [will] provide students with the necessary equipment and knowledge to…
Over twenty years ago, our community made a commitment to bring resources together to ensure that every Decatur child had what they needed to grow and learn. This simple yet profound idea gave rise to the Decatur Education Foundation, which has impacted generations of Decatur youth. In 2009, I was hired to lead the foundation as its first foundation-supported executive director. For 14 years now, I have experienced first-hand the power of a community to come together to create opportunities…
For six years now, DEF has helped fund the Blue & Gold Squad, a grassroots mentoring program at the high school that was the brainchild of Special Education teacher Beth Lewis to establish one-on-one relationships between faculty and the DHS football team. In the beginning, the Squad connected a teacher or CSD staff member with a member of the football team to support them in their transition from 3A to 5A. As many good ideas do, the Blue & Gold…