From the BCCT
Group seeks financial help for district
Donations to the education foundation are tax-deductible.
By MANASEE WAGH
It costs more to educate one child in the Morrisville School District than it does in any other district in Lower Bucks County — including Bristol, Council Rock and Neshaminy.
For that reason, Morrisville’s new Opportunity Educational Foundation is finally taking wing to narrow the gap.
The nonprofit group wants businesses and individuals to help the district financially. While potential donors have already expressed serious interest, the organization’s committee needs more interested participants, said Mark Coassolo at the school board’s Wednesday meeting.
“We’re looking for more people to be on the board of trustees. We’re looking for doers and people who are going to bring money,” he said.
In particular, the group is seeking corporate representation, he said.
At least nine people are necessary to form the board of trustees, which will include a board member, likely Marlys Mihok, a member of the teachers union, the business manager and district Superintendent Elizabeth Yonson.
Funding from the foundation would allow students to participate in more educational opportunities by fostering business partnerships with companies. Mini-grants and other donations would pay for field trips, classroom tools, scholastic projects, or other learning experiences without dipping into tax money.
Pennsbury, Centennial, Neshaminy, Bristol, Bristol Township, Council Rock and Bensalem all benefit from fundraising foundations that bring in many thousands of dollars for educational projects that might otherwise be too expensive.
The average cost of educating a high school student in Morrisville is $14,214, as compared to $10,866 in Bristol, another small district, and $11,711 in the larger district of Bristol Township. Elementary costs are higher, too.
The numbers reflect the fact that Morrisville has about 1,000 students and a little more than 70 teachers, as well as support staff including gifted/instructional support aides and guidance counselors. The average teacher salary last year was $69,000. Teacher contracts are locked in until 2012.
In general, the smaller the district, the higher the cost per pupil because class sizes tend to be smaller, said William Ferrara, the high school principal.
“We’re a small district and we’re not the wealthiest district, so it can only help. Everybody wins, because donations are tax-deductible,” said Coassolo.
If you are interested in joining the future board of trustees, helping financially or would like more information, please contact Mark Coassolo at 215-428-9657 or at markdc32@verizon.net.
Alternatively, call the district business office at 215-736-5933.
Showing posts with label 501C-3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 501C-3. Show all posts
Monday, November 24, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Morrisville Opportunity Educational Foundation
From the BCCT.
The Morrisville Opportunity Educational Foundation needs YOU
Posted in News on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pm by Courier Times reporter Manasee Wagh
After much work among its founding steering committee members, Morrisville new non-profit education foundation is finally taking wing.
The goal of the newly-named Morrisville Opportunity Educational Foundation is to form relationships with businesses and individuals who can financially help the district improve its education programs and infrastructure.
However, the committee still needs more interested participants to keep the promise of the organization alive, said Mark Coassolo at the school board’s recent Wednesday meeting.
“We’re looking for more people to be on the board of trustees,” he said. The young group is looking for corporate sponsorship, people in education, and any other interested parties to join the venture, Coassolo said.
If you are interested in joining the committee, being on the future board of trustees, or helping financially, or if you would like more information, contact Coassolo at 215-428-9657 or at markdc32@verizon.net.
Alternatively, call the district business office at 215-736-5933.
The Morrisville Opportunity Educational Foundation needs YOU
Posted in News on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 at 2:36 pm by Courier Times reporter Manasee Wagh
After much work among its founding steering committee members, Morrisville new non-profit education foundation is finally taking wing.
The goal of the newly-named Morrisville Opportunity Educational Foundation is to form relationships with businesses and individuals who can financially help the district improve its education programs and infrastructure.
However, the committee still needs more interested participants to keep the promise of the organization alive, said Mark Coassolo at the school board’s recent Wednesday meeting.
“We’re looking for more people to be on the board of trustees,” he said. The young group is looking for corporate sponsorship, people in education, and any other interested parties to join the venture, Coassolo said.
If you are interested in joining the committee, being on the future board of trustees, or helping financially, or if you would like more information, contact Coassolo at 215-428-9657 or at markdc32@verizon.net.
Alternatively, call the district business office at 215-736-5933.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Thumbs Up
From the BCCT
To Morrisville resident Mark Coassolo, who suggested a way that the perpetually cash-strapped Morrisville School District could produce some much-needed additional funding. Coassolo is now heading a steering committee charged by the school board with implementing his proposal.
Coassolo’s idea of establishing a nonprofit education foundation isn’t new; other districts have similar foundations and business partnerships. But it’s among the few positive developments from the school board in recent years.
The goal of the fledgling foundation is to solicit donations from businesses and individuals to help improve the district. And much help is needed what with buildings that are in varying stages of disrepair. Encouragingly, interested donors already have surfaced.
Kudos to Coassolo on his enterprising idea and his willingness to lead the effort.
To Morrisville resident Mark Coassolo, who suggested a way that the perpetually cash-strapped Morrisville School District could produce some much-needed additional funding. Coassolo is now heading a steering committee charged by the school board with implementing his proposal.
Coassolo’s idea of establishing a nonprofit education foundation isn’t new; other districts have similar foundations and business partnerships. But it’s among the few positive developments from the school board in recent years.
The goal of the fledgling foundation is to solicit donations from businesses and individuals to help improve the district. And much help is needed what with buildings that are in varying stages of disrepair. Encouragingly, interested donors already have surfaced.
Kudos to Coassolo on his enterprising idea and his willingness to lead the effort.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
But Where's R2D2 and C3PO?
From the BCCT. Here's a quick definition of 501(c)3 courtesy of Wikipedia and the IRS.
This is a great idea. Morrisville certainly does need to seek out alternative streams of funding.
This is not a replacement for the funding required by the state and borough. There are defined limits on the purposes this money can be spent on. The taxpayers of Morrisville need to continue to fund the schools.
This is not a replacement for funding from the business-unfriendly borough council either. They need to get back to the hard work of attracting new business to Morrisville and expanding the commercial tax base, rather than chasing it away.
Residents building nonprofit education foundation
The steering committee is looking for members and donors who want to help improve the district.
By MANASEE WAGH
Several months ago, Morrisville resident Mark Coassolo implored his school district to start a nonprofit organization to take some of the burden off taxpayers.
He said former board members should have explored other funding sources when they pushed last year to replace the district’s three existing buildings — a secondary school and two elementary schools — with a new, combined $30-million structure.
The town was divided on the issue, and the new board canceled the plan.
“When they were trying to build a school, they didn’t try to do it by finding funding outside the tax base, through partnerships with corporations or something like that,” said Coassolo. “This is not a wealthy borough. It would have been a hardship for a lot of people.”
Now, Coassolo’s part of a steering committee whose members have begun constructing an education foundation that already has interested donors. The goal of the fledgling foundation is to get businesses and individuals to financially help the district improve its infrastructure and education programs.
Coassolo hopes that corporate sponsorship will assist the Morrisville School District and its nearly 1,000 students. “We’re looking for people who are doers, people who can find funding and put together funding opportunities,” he said.
Six or seven people are on the steering committee, including Coassolo and school board secretary Marlys Mihok. They said they want to find more members so the project can move forward quickly.
“We’re looking for corporate members to be part of the steering committee. We’re also going to be looking for people in education to join,” said Coassolo.
The group wants an education consortium to put the process on the right track. Someone is guiding the committee on the legal and practical aspects of forming the foundation, which the administration supports.
The rising cost of education in Morrisville has long been a thorny issue. Some taxpayers complain that teachers’ salaries and special education costs, coupled with the cost of renovating the old school buildings, form an overwhelming challenge, especially for the district’s large population of retired homeowners.
The average cost of educating a high school student in Morrisville is $14,214, as compared to $10,866 in Bristol, another small district, and $11,711 in the larger district of Bristol Township.
Area school districts already have similar foundations and business partnerships, including Pennsbury, Centennial, Neshaminy, Bristol, Bristol Township, Council Rock and Bensalem.
Coassolo said the group hopes to see the fruits of its first donations in about a year.
“We already have several people that have shown interest in donating. Hopefully it will lead to more help for the district,” Coassolo said.
This is a great idea. Morrisville certainly does need to seek out alternative streams of funding.
This is not a replacement for the funding required by the state and borough. There are defined limits on the purposes this money can be spent on. The taxpayers of Morrisville need to continue to fund the schools.
This is not a replacement for funding from the business-unfriendly borough council either. They need to get back to the hard work of attracting new business to Morrisville and expanding the commercial tax base, rather than chasing it away.
Residents building nonprofit education foundation
The steering committee is looking for members and donors who want to help improve the district.
By MANASEE WAGH
Several months ago, Morrisville resident Mark Coassolo implored his school district to start a nonprofit organization to take some of the burden off taxpayers.
He said former board members should have explored other funding sources when they pushed last year to replace the district’s three existing buildings — a secondary school and two elementary schools — with a new, combined $30-million structure.
The town was divided on the issue, and the new board canceled the plan.
“When they were trying to build a school, they didn’t try to do it by finding funding outside the tax base, through partnerships with corporations or something like that,” said Coassolo. “This is not a wealthy borough. It would have been a hardship for a lot of people.”
Now, Coassolo’s part of a steering committee whose members have begun constructing an education foundation that already has interested donors. The goal of the fledgling foundation is to get businesses and individuals to financially help the district improve its infrastructure and education programs.
Coassolo hopes that corporate sponsorship will assist the Morrisville School District and its nearly 1,000 students. “We’re looking for people who are doers, people who can find funding and put together funding opportunities,” he said.
Six or seven people are on the steering committee, including Coassolo and school board secretary Marlys Mihok. They said they want to find more members so the project can move forward quickly.
“We’re looking for corporate members to be part of the steering committee. We’re also going to be looking for people in education to join,” said Coassolo.
The group wants an education consortium to put the process on the right track. Someone is guiding the committee on the legal and practical aspects of forming the foundation, which the administration supports.
The rising cost of education in Morrisville has long been a thorny issue. Some taxpayers complain that teachers’ salaries and special education costs, coupled with the cost of renovating the old school buildings, form an overwhelming challenge, especially for the district’s large population of retired homeowners.
The average cost of educating a high school student in Morrisville is $14,214, as compared to $10,866 in Bristol, another small district, and $11,711 in the larger district of Bristol Township.
Area school districts already have similar foundations and business partnerships, including Pennsbury, Centennial, Neshaminy, Bristol, Bristol Township, Council Rock and Bensalem.
Coassolo said the group hopes to see the fruits of its first donations in about a year.
“We already have several people that have shown interest in donating. Hopefully it will lead to more help for the district,” Coassolo said.
Monday, June 9, 2008
501C-3 Educational Foundation Forming
501C-3 Educational Foundation Forming
The Morrisville School District is seeking individuals to participate in a committee to establish a non-profit educational foundation to enable educators to provide additional educational experiences to enrich students' education. Send letter of interest to Dr. Elizabeth Yonson, Superintendent, 550 W. Palmer St., Morrisville, PA 19067 or fax 215-736-2413.
The Morrisville School District is seeking individuals to participate in a committee to establish a non-profit educational foundation to enable educators to provide additional educational experiences to enrich students' education. Send letter of interest to Dr. Elizabeth Yonson, Superintendent, 550 W. Palmer St., Morrisville, PA 19067 or fax 215-736-2413.
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