Outgoing West Vancouver school board chair Cindy Dekker is leaving behind a $10,000 donation to support current and future students.
The money will kickstart the school district's newly established endowment fund. Approved last spring, the fund was officially announced on Nov. 18 at Dekker's last board meeting. Previous to its creation, there was no formal structure by which individuals wanting to donate money to the district could do so.
"That was the thinking of the board, to create a place where those in the community, or those that had benefited from public education, could make a donation," says district superintendent Chris Kennedy.
As an endowment fund, the principal will be protected and distributions will come from interest earned.
"Off that interest each year we have a pot of money that lets us do some things that we might not even have been able to contemplate doing if (the endowment fund) didn't exist," Kennedy says.
For example, the fund might help cover travel expenses for a student who has qualified for a national championship, or it might help accommodate classroom equipment requests "above and beyond" core supplies.
The West Vancouver Community Foundation will manage the fund.
"And then the disbursement of funds are managed between myself, our secretary treasurer and whoever the board chair is of the day," Kennedy says.
Those interested in donating to the fund may contact the foundation at 604-925-8153.
