History of the North Polk School Foundation

The North Polk Community School Foundation was established in 1998 by Robert Miller, Jim Matre, Wayne Reinhart, Richard Johnson, and Donald Owen. By 2005, the Foundation had expanded to 15 directors, launched educational enrichment grants, held its first banquet—later named Celebrate North Polk—organized a golf outing, and began awarding scholarships and recognition awards. Recognizing the growing need for external funding, the Foundation began partnering with the Polk County Board of Supervisor’s Betterment Grants program in hopes of annually supporting special projects; the first project was the installation of AEDs in the school buildings.

More than two decades later, the North Polk Community School Foundation continues to build upon those early successes by sustaining those established programs and fostering innovative new initiatives. Our objective is to positively impact as many students as possible by enhancing the educational experience of both students and staff across the district. The Foundation Board now comprises 20 dedicated volunteers—including parents, alumni, and community members—who share a deep commitment to educational excellence.

To date, the Foundation has raised more than three-quarters of a million dollars in support of classroom initiatives, fine arts, and athletic programs. Each year, the majority of funds raised are invested directly into the North Polk Community School District, while a portion is allocated to an endowment fund to ensure long-term sustainability and meet future needs.

Foundation support has made possible a wide range of impactful initiatives, including technology advancements (such as iPads, Chromebooks, and digital cameras), greatly expanded literacy resources, STEM projects featuring robotics and coding, flexible seating and social-emotional learning tools, and wellness initiatives including PE equipment, roller skates, and climbing walls. The Foundation has also sponsored guest speakers, professional development opportunities, and teacher mini-grants. In addition, we collaborate with the Fine Arts and Athletic Boosters to co-fund or support items such as show choir staging, musical instruments, and athletic performance technology.
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The success of the North Polk Community School Foundation depends entirely on the generosity of our community, alumni, and supporters within the North Polk Community School District. We are deeply grateful for your ongoing partnership in enriching the educational experience for every North Polk student.

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Goals of the North Polk School Foundation

• Provide opportunities for individuals and organizations to make tax-deductible contributions, memorial gifts, and other charitable donations in recognition of and in support of the North Polk Community School District.
• Promote academic excellence throughout the North Polk Community School District by funding educational initiatives and programs that extend beyond the resources available through traditional local, state, or federal means.
• Support sustainable projects and experiences that positively impact the greatest number of students across all five school buildings, while demonstrating thoughtful stewardship of the financial contributions and volunteer efforts entrusted to us.
• Foster innovation among teachers and staff by offering grant opportunities that encourage the development of creative and impactful education.

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Board of Directors

Rachel Ackerman, Nicole Cullen, Kristin Davis, Jennifer Doering, Amanda Green, Holly Hunter, Karen Mathes, Allison Meiners, Ryan Mohr, Sami Sanger, Tiffany Selmecki, Jamie Spittler, Staci Spittler, Brian Tate, Lauren Tigges, Josie Wetzler

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Officers

President	Kristin Davis	​[email protected]
Vice President	open	​
Co-Treasurers	Ryan Mohr & Nicole Cullen	[email protected]​
Secretary	Tiffany Selmecki	[email protected]

Committee Chairs

​​Website/Public Relations	​Josie Wetzler & Jamie Spittler	[email protected]
Enrichment Grants	Josie Wetzler	[email protected]​
​Scholarship	Nicole Cullen	[email protected]
​Grant Writing	Allison Meiners	[email protected]​​
​Alumni Connection/ Recognition	open​	​​
​ Golf Outing	Ryan Mohr	[email protected]​​​
Tailgate Fundraiser	​Jen Doering	[email protected]​
​Celebrate North Polk Fundraiser	Holly Hunter	​​[email protected]
​Senior Night	​Tiffany Selmecki	​[email protected]​

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Contact us

Thank you for taking the time to visit the North Polk School Foundation website. We are here to help you with all aspects of your giving experience. If you have questions, please contact us today!

Mailing Address: PO Box 104  |  Polk City, IA 50226
Email: [email protected]