About the Foundation
The Dickinson Public Schools Foundation was established in 1989. A Board of Directors was created, bylaws were written and the Foundation applied for their 501(c)3 status as a tax exempt organization. We fund projects that go above and beyond the school district’s budget – projects that are not the school district’s responsibility.
Special Projects Include:
Annual Grant Program – Our main purpose is to provide teachers and staff with funding through our annual grant program. The DPS Foundation has awarded over $476,955 in grant projects since the Foundation was formed. This year we budgeted $40,000 towards the grant program.
The Foundation recently adopted nine focus areas to guide the allocation of grant funding:
- Academic Success
- College and Career Readiness
- Community
- Cultural
- Early Childhood
- Professional Development
- STEM & Student Wellness
The Foundation has funded projects ranging from technology to STEM to special equipment to professional development and more. These projects enrich education in the school district and impact nearly 100% of the students enrolled in the Dickinson Public Schools.
iPads for Learning
Sponsorships – The Foundation budgets $2,000 annually to help students that qualified for national competitions with their expenses. We want to help them achieve success at the National level. Sponsorship requests are due by May 1 and the superintendent determines which requests to fund and the amount. We have helped students attend national Technology conventions, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Conferences, Skills USA competitions (welding fabrication), National Speech competitions, People to People World Leadership forums, Hugh O’Brien Youth (HOBY) Leadership seminars, National History Day competition and more. It’s a way to help our students excel at the highest levels.
Scholarship Program – The Foundation currently manages the Jack Carlson Memorial Scholarship, Michael Callahan Hockey Scholarship and Ruth Lenz Memorial Music Scholarship.
Alumni Relations – The Foundation sponsors a lunch for the Dickinson High school class celebrating their 50 year reunion. Many of the alumni that attend the luncheon haven’t been back to their old school since their graduation. We love hearing their stories and memories. We also sponsor the Dickinson High School’s Hall of Fame.
Special Events – We are proud to have held our annual Mystery Dinner Theater for the 15th consecutive year. This signature event guarantees a night of fun with friends all for a good cause. The money raised supports the annual grant program for DPS staff. Watch for our ticket sales announcements and our next exciting theme! Mark your calendar for next year’s play scheduled on February 6, 7 and 8, 2020.
► 2018 play “Funeral for a Gangster”