Bennington Public Schools Foundation reports growth, $2 million endowment gift and preschool feasibility work

Blake Thompson, executive director of the Bennington Public Schools Foundation, gave the board an update on the foundation's first year of strategic-plan implementation and recent activity.

Thompson said the foundation has focused on growth: growing donor impact, staff capacity and programming to match district growth. "We're built to enrich teaching and inspire learning for the district of Bennington Public Schools, and how we do that is by bridging financial resource gaps," Thompson said.

The foundation reported serving eight schools (soon to be nine), supporting more than 4,200 students and 518 staff through 14 programs, and projecting a $4 million impact this year. Thompson highlighted a $2 million endowment gift from donors Daryl and Kalita (presented to the foundation this year) and said the foundation netted roughly $57,000 from a gala and about $4,000 from a secondary event described as a "trifecta." He noted plans for alumni engagement at Bennington Days and a restructured senior academic awards ceremony.

One specific initiative the foundation is pursuing is a tuition-based preschool operated by the foundation in coordination with the district. Thompson said the foundation applied for a $30,000 grant to fund surveying and feasibility work and that award notice was expected the following Thursday. The grant would pay for feasibility analysis and surveying to determine whether a foundation-run preschool could operate sustainably and in partnership with the district.

The board received the report and Board members thanked the foundation for the endowment gift and ongoing coordination with district staff.