Inside this issue

Supt. Art Tate ……………..……1 Great Minds update…..…..…....2 Brian Keppy Scholarship ……..3 How to be a DSF donor............4

Tate Tenure Begins

New Superintendent is Busy Man About Town

President’s Comments by Tony Williams, D.D.S.

Dr. Arthur Tate assumed the role of

Superintendent of Davenport Schools on July 1

with a series of welcoming receptions, visits

with community leaders, and a series of

stakeholder and committee meetings.

At the Sept. 13 DCSD staff meeting Dr. Tate

shared his list of priorities for the district:

• Meet or surpass state student

achievement levels

• Lessen the drop-out rate

• Increase minority recruitment and hiring

• Solidify the district’s facility planning

• Create financial stability and oversee

resource allocation

• Improve district marketing efforts.

Along with these strategic goals, Dr. Tate

prides himself on a schedule that sees him

visiting schools for four hours each day. He

has made multiple visits to all 35 buildings.

On Nov. 8, Dr. Tate attended his first DSF

board meeting, to share ideas and offer

feedback about Foundation activities. He

said the $3-4 million in budget-trimming for

next year will be guided by community input,

including the Resource Allocation Committee

that has already met several times.

He has a passion for preschool education

and said that was a focus for him in working

with other school foundations in the past.

Dr. Tate addresses the 50

guests at his welcoming

reception on July 13. The

Davenport Schools

Foundation hosted the event

in the Davenport School

Museum.

Tony Williams, DSF president

Soaring with the Birdies! The John Deere Classic golf tourney is a landmark event for sports enthusiasts. And its Birdies for Charity fundraising effort for the QC non-profits is a landmark in its own right, having broken the $5 million mark for gifts in 2011. The Davenport Schools Foundation received more than $3,000 from donors and JDC (with its generous matching gift program).

Thanks very much to everyone who donated to DSF through Birdies. The money goes straight to our Great Minds program for student enrichment. Each stroke of the golf club that resulted in a birdie last July equates with a special learning experience for Davenport students – at the Figge, at the recycling center, at VanderVeer Botanical Center and beyond. So next year, when you have a chance to fill out that Birdies donation form, please continue to mark Number 969 for DSF. You will be making a Hole-in-One for the children of Davenport!

November 2011 Vol. 11, No. 3

Davenport Schools Foundation NEWS

Great Minds expands student horizons …

and there is a way you can help, too!

DSF NEWS November 2011

Honors for DSF

Scholarship

Chairs Sherry Freese and

Manny Fritz, who chair

the DSF Scholarship

Committee, were

honored in September

by the Bi-State

Literacy Council with

a Community

Volunteer Award.

They lead dozens of

volunteers conducting

the DSF’s annual

$50,000 scholarship

program.

Getting ready

for college?

If you have a senior in

college, be sure he or

she checks out the 18

DSF scholarships

available for college

or career-tech ed.

School counselors

have info and apps.

Many of you people who get this newsletter raised

children and provided many opportunities for

enrichment along the way. You visited museums,

attended plays, and were regulars at the public

library. Not every family is able to do that nowadays.

In fact, half of the students in Davenport Schools are

on free or reduced lunch, so the family budget does

not include the cultural and educational venues that

offer life lessons and unique learning experiences.

That’s exactly why the Davenport Schools Foundation

underwrites $40,000 in field trips, special speakers

and performers each year, to ensure a well-rounded

education for ALL Davenport students. We operate

with two part-time employees, and rely on donations

to provide this unique and very successful

programming year after year.

One teacher wrote about her experience with Great

Minds: “We are so appreciative of the opportunities

you give our students. I love the quick responses I get

and how easy it is to set up an event.” Program

director Gene Conrad said, “Like a stone thrown in a

pool, Great Minds creates ripples in the imagination of

young people. Our enrichment programs encourage

them to grow as engaged citizens.”

This was important in your home, so please spread

the benefit to all our children by filling out the card on

page 4. Thanks very much.

The Foundation suggests a $25 donation for each

Like us on

FACEBOOK!

The Davenport Schools Foundation

has landed smack dab in the middle of

the social media whirlwind.

We post messages frequently during

the week, reporting on Great Minds

projects, scholarship opportunities,

donor recognition and school

activities.

We even post historical quizzes about

famous alumni and teams.

Try us; you’ll like us!

Adams Elementary welcomed professional

juggler Doug Sayers to learn more about

athletics, math and science in April 2011.

The program was partially paid for with

Great Minds funding from DSF.

DID YOU

KNOW?

• West High

cheerleaders

are Iowa State

champions (in

the co-ed

division) for the

second year in a

row. The Nov. 5

competition took

place in Des

Moines.

Congrats, ladies

and gentlemen!

• The Kimberly

Center East

Alternative

School was

awarded a five-

year $2.5 million

federal Dept. of

Education grant

this year to

reduce the

dropout rate.

• Eisenhower

Stepping

Stones (after-

school) students

are working on a

tile mural

depicting the

four seasons to

be mounted at

the DCSD

admin offices

next April.

Teacher Stacey

Houk is over-

seeing the work.

Keppy Family establishes Memorial Scholarship

DSF News November 2011

Judge Glenda Hatchett of Atlanta visited Jefferson-Edison Elementary on Tuesday night, Oct. 4, for a special presentation for parents. Almost 300 people attended the 90-minute program, funded by Title I monies from the federal government.

The judge, who had a TV courtroom series from 2000-2008, passionately stressed the three C’s for parents – concern, consistency and cheering for your children.

She presented autographed copies of her book, “Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say!” to all those present. She praised Jefferson Principal Charlie Driscoll for his strong vision of parental involvement and student achievement.

3 HUG Awards to DSF friends Last spring, Davenport Schools presented its annual HUG (Helping Us Grow) Awards to several community partners and volunteers. Three friends of the Davenport Schools Foundation were cited among the 140 honorees. Iowa-American Water Company was cited for their long-term support of DSF special events. The Riverboat Development Authority was recognized for its support of Great Minds programming and other projects. And Great Minds program director Gene Conrad was honored for his many yeas of service to Davenport students.

CAN YOU HELP?

Robert Wilson of Coralville, Iowa, graduated from Davenport Central in 1969. He has started a memorial fund in honor of his late son, Mike.

Proceeds will go to the Class of 1969 for improvements (a bench) at Central High. Call Norm Bower

at DSF for details -- 563-336-5004. Or e-mail at

bowern@davenportschools.org.

Jefferson-Edison hosts TV’s Judge Glenda Hatchett

Carl and Vicki Keppy of Walcott have established a memorial scholarship to honor their late son, Brian, a 2008 West High School graduate, who passed away May 19, 2011.

The Keppys’ family and friends have donated over $11,000 to date, in an effort to create a self-sustaining $20,000 scholarship through the Davenport Schools Foundation. “We would like to sincerely thank all the individuals, families and businesses for donating to the fund which honors our beloved son. Thanks for your kindness and generosity. Your donation makes such a difference,” said Vicki Keppy.

A native of Walcott, Brian was a football and baseball player in high school. He won the George Weis Career Technical Scholarship at West in 2008. He played football for Iowa Central Community College, from which he graduated with honors in 2009. He was a student at the University of Iowa at the time of his passing. A trivia night to support the scholarship will be held Feb. 25. Call 563-336-5004 for details.

PRST STD

US Postage Paid

Davenport IA

Permit No. 12

DSF NEWS November 2011

Davenport Schools Foundation

1606 Brady Street Davenport, IA 52803

563-336-5004

bowern@davenportschools.org

www.davenportschools.org/foundation

The Davenport Schools Foundation was created in 1987 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization in order to enhance the educational opportunities and experiences available to students in the Davenport Community Schools.

I want to support the Great Minds program because every child needs to learn about his or her community throughout the educational process.

This poster was a gift to the DSF office from the third grade students at Jackson Elementary after their Great Minds trip to the John Deere Planetarium at Augustana College in October 2011. The students wanted to show their appreciation to our staff, and especially our donors, like you!

Enclosed is my DSF donation of _______ $25 _________$50 ________$75 _______$100 ________Other Name ___________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________ Phone _________________________ E-mail __________________________ Please send this form and your tax-deductible donation by Dec. 31 to: Davenport Schools Foundation, 1606 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803.

My holiday gift to Davenport children … DSF Board: ’11-’12

Tony Williams Tracy Schwind

John Korn Jim Groenenboom

Manny Fritz Michael Bousselot

Sherry Freese Kay Hall

Nancy Hayes Chris Hester Steve Hunter Greg Gowey Larry Minard

Cynthia Weeks

Directors Emeritus Steve Ahrens

Lisa Arbisser, M.D. Beth Dietz

Penne Duncan Lola Fike

Don Fisher Thom Hart

John Holladay Linda Miller Linda Orr

Dale Paustian

Development Director Norm Bower

Program Director Gene Conrad

DCSD Liaison Rachael Mullins