Press Releases

GHSF Officers and Directors Elected

The Grand Haven Schools Foundation Board of Directors elected a new slate of officers at its September meeting. Susan Blauvelt was elected president, Lana Jacobson vice-president, Tom Creswell treasurer, and Donna Hartman recording secretary. Louann Werksma was elected corresponding secretary. Former President Roger Jonas and Vice-President Frank Nagy will continue to serve as directors.

Outgoing President Roger Jonas read a resolution commending and honoring John Lepard and Len Anderson, who have served 12 years each as directors of GHSF. Both will step down as a result of term limits specified in the by-laws, but will serve as members of the foundation’s emeritus advisory board.

Two new directors and a new student adviser began service on the board in September, also. Nancy Manglos, Director of Workforce Training for the Chamber of Grand Haven, Spring Lake, and Ferrysburg, was elected a director for a three-year term. Suzanne Richards, Executive Director of Curriculum Services for Grand Haven Area Public Schools, will serve as the GHAPS superintendent’s representative to the board. Director Connor Jennings joined the GHSF board as a student adviser from the freshman class.

The Grand Haven Schools Foundation is a permanent endowment of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation. Only the income from the endowment fund may be used to make grants and awards that meet the foundation’s mission to provide opportunities and programs to enhance education, for people of all ages, in the Grand Haven community. Twenty community members, including four high school students, serve on the GHSF Board of Directors.

New Grand Haven Schools Foundation officers, elected to serve October 1, 2007 - September 30, 2008, are (L-R) Louann Werksma, Corresponding Secretary; Lana Jacobson, Vice-President; Tom Creswell, Treasurer; Susan Blauvelt, President; and Donna Hartman, Recording Secretary.

May 21, 2007

GH Schools Foundation Awards $5,422 in Grants

Thanks to the generous community response to its capital campaign, the Grand Haven Schools Foundation was able this year to more than double its support of educational programs that cannot be supported by tax dollars. Income available from its permanent endowment, which is invested with the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, was $5,422, compared with $2,606 a year earlier.

At a meeting of the GHSF board of directors on May 9, the board voted to grant a request from the Grand Haven Area Public Schools Early Childhood Services Department in the amount of $3,780. The grant will provide scholarships for seven at-risk three-year-olds to attend a preschool program from September 2007 through May 2008.

State funding for education begins at kindergarten, so the GHAPS Early Childhood Services Department must be self-sustaining through fees charged for its programs. “Some families cannot afford the fee of $540 for a year of preschool,” said Lynn Hawley, Program Director. “By providing scholarships for students who have been identified as at-risk, we’re helping them be ready to read and achieve when they get to kindergarten, and that can make all the difference in the world for these children.”

A second grant, in the amount of $1,642, was made to the Community C.H.I.L.L. program at River Haven Community Clubhouse. C.H.I.L.L. (“completing homework in a learning lab”) provides homework help, mentoring, and positive role-modeling for middle school students. Both the program and its supervisor, Kim Boersma, were recently honored at the state level with awards for excellence and innovation. C.H.I.L.L. is supported solely by donations and grants.

“Both of these programs have shown excellent results, and they are the just the kind of initiatives that fit the GHSF mission to ‘stand in the gap’ for students and schools,” said Roger Jonas, GHSF President. He added, “Thanks to the success of our capital campaign so far, we hope to have an even greater impact in years to come.

Since it began last year the GHSF capital campaign has received $600,000 in gifts and pledges toward a goal of $1 million. GHSF is a permanent endowment of the Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, and only the income from the fund may be used to make grants and awards that meet its mission to provide opportunities and programs to enhance education, for people of all ages, in the Grand Haven community.

Twenty community members, including four high school students, serve on the GHSF Board of Directors. Meetings are held monthly, except July and August, at Grand Haven High School. Guests are welcome; and are asked to call President Jonas at 846-7423 at least one week prior to a meeting to be included on the agenda. The next meeting will be held Wednesday, June 6, 2007, in the large conference room of GHHS. For more information about GHSF, visit www.ghsf.org.

Contact Information
Grand Haven Schools Foundation
1415 Beechtree St.
Grand Haven, MI 49417
Phone: 616.850.5066
Fax: 616.850.2010

Webmaster: John Siemion