The following questions and answers will give you some insight into the Foundation. Q. Who started the Foundation? A. The Foundation is the brainchild of a group of current and future Etowah parents, with the blessing of Mr. George Alexander, an Etowah principal. This idea has been in the works for over a year now. The Board includes Kris McKeeth, President, Lisa Waters, Vice-President, Leigh Birdsong, Treasurer, and Cindy Umberger, Secretary. These individuals are parents of Etowah and/or E.T. Booth Students. Q. What kind of projects/programs will the Foundation implement? A. The Foundation will be involved in a variety of projects, large and small. The Foundation will sponsor educational programs and other critical items not taken care of with county or state funds. The scope of the projects will depend largely on the dedication of Foundation supporters. Q. How will the Foundation decide where to allocate donated funds? A. The Foundation will request input from the faculty, from the Student Advisory Committee, and from the Foundation membership. Using that input, a priority list will be developed, and funds disbursed accordingly. A portion of the funds initially raised will be used to cover the costs incurred in establishing the Foundation. Q. To whom will the Foundation Board be ultimately accountable? A. The Foundation Board will be accountable to the faculty, students, Foundation members, and ultimately, the community at large. An annual meeting will be held at which an annual report will be presented. The Foundation’s financial books will be available for review upon request. Q. What is the Foundation’s relationship with the PTSA? A. The Foundation and PTSA will serve as complimenting entities. While the PTSA works closely with the faculty and parents in many capacities, the Foundation will take a broader approach to enhancing the educational environment. Each organization will serve an important role in the success of Etowah High School. Q. What type of relationship will the Foundation have with Etowah Booster Clubs? A. The Foundation can serve as a means by which booster clubs can raise program improvement funds under the non-profit umbrella. Booster clubs can establish segregated accounts with the Foundation, over which the booster clubs will have complete control. Individuals may then make tax-deductible donations directly to the booster clubs. Q. Where will the money come from to implement the projects? A. The funds for the Foundation projects will come from Foundation supporters including parents, alumni, businesses, and the community at-large. The Foundation wants to become involved in applying for various government grants. The Etowah Foundation will make a difference for your hometown, for you, and for your kids. Q. How will the Foundation stay in contact with its members? A. The Foundation will hold meetings and distribute newsletters. A Foundation web site will also be established. Q. Will the students be involved in the decision-making process? A. A Student Advisory Committee, comprised of a cross-section of Etowah High Schools students, will be formed. Some of the criteria to be used in selecting students to serve on the Advisory Committee, include but are not limited to, a willingness to effect change at their high school, good academic standing and a good attendance record. Q. How do I get involved? A. Now, that’s the kind of question we like! Fill out the enclosed form, and mail it to the address indicated or bring it to the April 26 meeting. Our parents and community members are a vast untapped resource. Through networking, our ability to accomplish great things for Etowah will be unlimited. We look forward to hearing from you. More questions? Please e-mail us. We will be forming committees and brainstorming ideas. We welcome your input and will be glad to answer any questions or concerns you may have.