Press release:
October 17, 2018 – E4DS (Excellence 4 Dexter Students), a community-led group founded to ensure educational excellence by financially supporting Dexter Community Schools, has just completed its second annual fundraising campaign. On Monday, October 22nd, E4DS will present a check for $40,000 to the Dexter Community School District during a regular Board of Education meeting. The school district will use this donation to positively impact student educational experiences both within and outside of the classroom: the Eagles Explorer Camp at Eastern Michigan University for Creekside students and Science and Math Enrichment for elementary students.
E4DS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, formed in 2015 when a group of parents came together to address district needs in light of the instability and uncertainty of school funding statewide. School funding is an inherently complicated process due to the multiple sources of funding as well as the differing and limited ways these monies can be spent. While the Dexter community in 2017 passed a $71M bond to renovate and expand school facilities, state laws dictate that bond revenue may only be used for capital expenses (e.g., erecting or remodeling buildings, furnishings, technology, school buses) rather than operational expenses (e.g., staff salaries, utilities, textbooks and supplies). Because of this, actual dollars to provide programming at the classroom level in Dexter is currently equal to that of funding levels from over a decade ago, without correcting for inflation.
E4DS believes that only through donations is the Dexter community able to support the exceptional educational programs that residents expect. E4DS donors believe that educational excellence is crucial in a child’s development and that people should be able to influence the quality of public education that their children receive. Dexter Schools is a source of pride within the community. The support that E4DS has received in its first two years is testament to that.
Superintendent Chris Timmis added: “Dexter students are fortunate to live in a community committed to education. Dexter Community Schools are grateful to have the dedicated support of E4DS to provide incredible educational programming for our kids.”
More information about E4DS and school funding, including online donation instructions, can be found at www.e4ds.org.
