About the Foundation

The St. Joseph School District Foundation (“the Foundation”) enhances the educational journey within the St. Joseph School District (“District”) by funding learning experiences and opportunities that cultivate hopes and dreams, broaden the learning potential of the overall district, and help individual students, teachers, and staff achieve their goals in and out of the classroom. To fulfill this purpose, the St. Joseph School District Foundation seeks private and corporate contributions for scholarships, grants and other financial awards for District students and staff. These funds supplement the dollars available from community taxpayers to provide programs and resources not otherwise available. As just one example, the Foundation annually awards Apple Seed grants to teachers who use the funds to expand their curriculum with tools and other means that enrich the learning experience beyond what the District can provide itself. In turn, the Apple Seed grants generate excitement within the schools, boost the spirits of teachers and students, and, as a reliable source of funding, inspire innovative and conscientious teachers to continually go the extra mile for their students. Additionally, the Foundation partners with businesses and organizations in the private sector, along with local government, to identify and establish relationships and programming that further enrich the learning experience for District students, in some cases outside the traditional classroom setting. These partnerships help forge lasting bonds between the community and the District, generate “real world” learning opportunities for students, and foster workforce development opportunities for the business community. Along the way, the community and region are constantly reminded of the importance of education. The St. Joseph School District Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt not for profit organization formed in 1984. It is governed by a Board of Directors, all residents of the St. Joseph, Missouri community. These board members are committed to raising money and managing it responsibly so it can be maximized and used most efficiently for the District.

Board members

Ben Byrd, Chair

Kristie Arthur

Ron Auxier

Todd Meierhoffer

Lisa Rost

Dave Richmond

Natalie Hawn

Chad Carlson

Denise Peters

Gabe Edgar

Bobbie Cronk

Douglas Snider

Rod Sampson

Aimee Hausman

Chris Barnes