Nordonia Schools Foundation marks 30th anniversary of supporting students, funding opportunities
by Nancy Vondrak
Scholarships, staff grants and funding for a myriad of programs are just a few of the items that the Nordonia Schools Foundation has gifted the Nordonia Hills school district over the past 30 years.
The foundation was created in 1995 at the suggestion of the Nordonia Hills Board of Education and continues to operate today with one goal: to launch lifelong learning in the Nordonia Hills community.
NSF is a nonprofit independent from the school district and is comprised of a board of eight volunteer trustees that include Nordonia alumni, parents and small business owners in the community. The organization also employs an executive director who is in charge of increasing the foundation’s resources. In addition, each school building has a staff member who serves as a liaison to the foundation.
The late Nancy Fike, a long-time local resident and Nordonia parent, started the foundation. In its early years, NSF offered three scholarships to graduating seniors, a number that has grown to a total of $23,000 given to graduating seniors just last year.
Jolynn McFerren, a Nordonia parent of three and owner of Namaste Yoga Studio in Northfield, is the executive director of the foundation. She said NSF expanded its funding resources to include staff grants, enrichment programs and opportunities for both students and staff.
“We assist with funding programs in each school building through recurring programs and mini grants each year,” she explained.
One of those programs is “One School, One Book,” a family literacy project at both Rushwood and Northfield elementary schools in which faculty members, students and parents all read the same book. At Ledgeview Elementary, the foundation helps to fund a “Cultural Celebration” each spring.
NSF has also funded elementary student speech intervention software, a guest clinician to work with Nordonia Middle School’s jazz ensemble and equipment for the Knightly News broadcasting program at the middle school. Mini-grants are awarded to staff in the fall and spring to fill gaps in funding special programs and other school needs.
NSF funds support the annual DNA Day at Nordonia High School that is presented through the science department and features guest speakers that help celebrate the past, present and future of genetics.
Another facet of the organization is the Knights Caring for Knights school backpack program for families with food insufficiencies. According to its website, NSF became a member agency of the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank in 2015 to obtain food for the program and offer additional food for purchase.
To fund all of these offerings, the foundation has an annual golf outing. Last year, the event raised nearly $20,000, and McFerren hopes this year’s profits will surpass that amount.
“Because of school budget cuts, the funds raised from this year’s golf outing are more important than ever,” she said, emphasizing that money raised must cover the cost of items previously covered through local, state and federal funding that may no longer be available.
The golf outing will be on Saturday, June 7, at Ellsworth Meadows Gold Club in Hudson and includes 18 holes of golf, a cart, range balls, breakfast, lunch and a dinner reception. Those interested should register at nordoniaschoolsfoundation.org by May 10.
McFerren said she is looking forward to future programming, and noted a recent addition of local and global travel grants for students that need financial assistance with field trips, artistic opportunities, overnight trips and international trips.
The foundation’s website stated “global travel is an opportunity to experience other cultures, create well-rounded global citizens and reinforce the values inherent in the Nordonia Hills’ Portrait of a Knight ideal.”
“Coming from a family of educators, watching my three children grow, thrive, and graduate from this school district, and having the ability to continue to support the staff and current students through foundation programming means so much to our family,” said McFerren. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this long-standing tradition.”Foundation meetings take place on the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the board of education office at 9370 Olde Eight Rd. in Northfield and are open to the public.
Photo caption: Trustees for the Nordonia Schools Foundation pose at the organization’s annual golf outing fundraiser. The foundation has evolved from offering scholarships to also providing mini-grants for each Nordonia school building, supporting student engagement and offering a weekend food assistance program for struggling families. Photo submitted.