Parma City Schools Foundation, Inc.

Trustees

• Cyndee Bratz
• Nancy Fedak
• Barbara J. Filipow
• Sharon Arko Jones
• Tom Regas
• Craig Phillips, Ed.D.

Secretary

• Pat Hilfer

Treasurer

• Melissa Wolfe

Honorary Trustees

• Charles Smialek, Ph.D., Superintendent
• Sean Nuccio, Treasurer

Advisory Board

• Tony Biasiotta
• Kim Childs
• Kelly Cooper
• Allan Divis
• Tim Dobeck
• Renee Dzurnak
• Michael Jaszczak
• Amanda Karpus
• Chris Keating
• Phil Kish
• Oksana Lutyj
• Jacque Marconi
• Bill Mason
• Amanda McCullough
• Dave Nedrich
• Amy Popik
• Dan Rajkovich
• Kristin Saban
• Marcia Sendrey
• Janet Smith
• Tim Tomc
• Sheila Wolf

The Foundation is proud to have developed strong partnerships with the following organizations and businesses in support of the education of our students:

• Mueller Printing, Axelrod Buick/GMC, and WB Mason provided t-shirts for kindergarteners since 2013.
• Partners in Education (PIE) annually assists sponsorship of the Basket Raffle for the Pierogi Dinner.  Through the proceeds of this raffle, the Foundation was able to raise $3000 to the fine arts programs at each of the three high schools.
• Serpentini Chevrolet has generously donated a new vehicle each year since 2015 to be raffled at out annual Taste of the Towns event.  
• Axelrod Buick/GMC has generously sponsored a “Drive for your Students” program where individual activity groups, athletic teams, music boosters and school organizations are given the opportunity to take free test drives of GMC or Buick vehicles as a fundraiser for the respective organizations.  
• Naf Naf Grille leaders invited the Foundation members to attend and participate with their grand opening in December 2018, and customers were asked to make donations to the Foundation. This is an on-going project.
• The Foundation is a proud member of the Parma Chamber of Commerce, which connects us with area businesses and individuals who support the schools.
• District administrators and the Board of Education members, the Parma Council of PTAs, the Parma Education Association, Partners in Education, Music Boosters from each high school and other school organizations all offer a solid, collaborative relationship with the Foundation.

The Foundation is dedicated to using its funds per its mission statement.  Over the years, several initiatives have been supported:

• A donation of $25,000 was provided for district technology needs, specifically 21st-century state-of-the-art classroom technology that included iPads, one-to-one initiatives, and other technology tools.  
• Every school was provided with $2000 to be used at the discretion of the principal and staff to support student activities, recognition programs, assemblies, and field trips and to provide innovative materials for daily instruction and academic use.
• Since 2012, a sum of $15,000 has been provided for the Backpacks for Kids Program.
• Since 2012, the Foundation has awarded three $1,000 scholarships to graduating seniors at each of our high schools.
• An amount of $350 has been given to the Anti-Bullying Project at Hillside Middle School.
• Foundation Trustees and Advisory Board members support the work of the Parma City School District staff members and provide them with a welcome back treat on Opening Day.
• Additionally, The Foundation is proud to provide funds as needed for other instructional needs not addressed in the school budget.
• The Foundation serves as the custodian for the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) grant at Pleasant Valley Elementary School.
• The Foundation holds funds in escrow for several scholarships given annually to graduating seniors in the Parma City Schools:  The James J. Higginbotham Scholarship, the Joseph J. Kortan Memorial Scholarship ($1,000), the Anthony Zielinski Memorial Scholarship ($1,200) and the State Road Elementary School Alumni Scholarship ($800).

Our goals include:

• Starting a competitive Educator Grants program to fund innovative classroom and school-wide projects not included in the school budget.
• Seeking legacy contribution, bequests, trusts, or other planned gifts that will help sustain the Foundation for the long term and ensure its on-going service to the Parma City School District students. 
• Encouraging more school groups and organizations to become involved in selling Serpentini car raffle tickets and participating in the Axelrod Drive for your Students fundraiser.
• Accepting new Advisory Board members and representatives from all three communities serving the Parma City School District.