The Beal City Educational Foundation Fund
A press release from the Mount Pleasant Area Community Foundation
The purpose of the Beal City Public Schools Education Foundation
Fund is to provide support for all educational endeavors within the
Beal City Public School District.
The Beal City Public School District is known for being a close
knit community. There is a total of only 650 students, K-12, all in
one building. Superintendent William Chilman reflects on the
students’ school spirit, “Our school spirit and community support
is second to none. Our community, staff, students and parents
literally bleed blue and white.” This sense of community and pride
is what inspired Chilman and the rest of the Beal City Public
School’s Board of education to establish this foundation fund.
Earnings from the Fund can be invested in anything from educational
resources for teachers and students, equipment for athletics or new
instruments for the band. Mr. Chilman explained that the impact of
the Fund is, “something I or the present Board of Education may
never see, but in the future the impact should be a positive stream
of revenue for the Beal City community, staff, students, and
parents to use to support the high quality education given by Beal
City Public Schools.”
The operation of the Foundation Fund and its growth will be
monitored by an Advisory Board comprised of about 15-20 community
members that will report to the Superintendent and Board of
Education. The fundraising began with the efforts of the district’s
superintendent. When it was time for Chilman to sign a new
contract, he accepted a smaller personal raise giving the other
half to the school district’s endowment fund for a four year
extension to his contract. With the Board of Education and Chilman
showing commitment to each other it was a great way to kick off the
Beal City Public Schools Educational Foundation Fund. Since that
donation, other donations and fundraising ideas have flourished. In
less than six short months over $10,000 has been raised for the
Fund through a variety of efforts from individual community
members. Isabella Bank and the 2009 Beal City Senior Class are two
examples of groups that have since donated money to the Fund.
Future fundraising efforts on behalf of the Fund will also revolve
around the district’s sense of community, incorporating sporting
events, band concerts as well as the school’s theater
department.
As Chilman says, the Beal City community is full of: “love, and
support, and provides a high quality education..” This Fund will
help to maintain the BIG education we provide in a SMALL school
environment.”
