About Us
The District 106 Educational Foundation is a 100% volunteer organization made up of parents in the district. We plan fun events for the Highlands community and all of the money raised goes to enrich our kids’ education. Some of our events include: Spring Social, Golf Outing, Bob Barnes Basketball Tournament, Trivia Night, the Obstacle Course & the Boosterthon Fun Run. We also rely on private donations and corporate sponsorships.
We would love for you to be part of the D106 Educational Foundation Fundraising Team!
Whether you have experience in event planning, marketing, or fundraising, or simply want to be part of something awesome, we welcome your skills and enthusiasm. Let's make our schools even better! #itsforthekids
2024-2025 District 106 Foundation Board
Emily Goss
President
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Amanda Howard
Vice President
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Janeen Musillami
Treasurer
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Erin Fort
Secretary
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Jen Balash
Director
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Cathy Bross
Director
Brie Condron
Director
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Nicole Conteduca
Director​​​​
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Becca Fitzgerald
Director
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Diana Geraghty
Director​
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Megan Hepokoski
Director
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Natasha Hiotis
Director
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Allison Hochberg
Director
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Aimee Hojnicki
Director
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Mia Javanshad
Director
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Lauren Jackson
Director
​​Caycee Johnson
Director
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Kristen Klimas
Director
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Joanna Lyons
Director
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Kara Mauro
Director
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Jennifer Mitchell
Director
Becky Modrowski
Director
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Jaime Olsowka
Director
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Carly Oswald
Director
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Lauren Reynolds
Director​
Tara Reynolds
Director
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Sara Rioux
Director​
Jessica Scimone
Director
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Shannon Rusch
Director
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Deena Salemi
Director
Michelle Vicari
Director
​Brenna Venvertloh
Director
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Brenna Wagenbach
Director​
Colleen Whitehead
Director
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Gina Wong
Director
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Anne Wozniak
Director
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Emily Zimmerman
Director
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Frances Zotti
Director
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John Munch
D106 Superintendent
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Becca Fitzgerald
Elementary School Rep
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Stephanie Cesaroni
Middle School Rep
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Jennifer Mitchell
Board of Education Rep
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Chris Breakey
Ad Hoc Advisor
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Sara Jones
Marketing/Website
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Amy Docimo
Internal Communications
Our Origin Story
In 1995, a group of LaGrange Highlands’ parents, in conjunction with school administrators and educators, came together to create the District 106 Educational Foundation. The founding Officers and Board Members were Eileen L. D’Angelo, President; Christine Campbell Mulhern, Vice President; Marilyn Marchetti, Secretary; Gene Hochberg, Treasurer and the Board Members: Robert Cosentino, Kelly Daly, Marshall Hampton, Chuck Hilbrich, Debbie Hogg, Laura Karpiak, Michael Lynch, Pat McGunn, Robert Milne, Marianne Mohrhusen, James Sassen, Reta Strecker and Barbara Weyrick. These Founders had a vision of raising private funds to enhance the educational experience of the LaGrange Highlands students. What began as a simple idea has flourished and grown into a highly successful fundraising organization that has provided many wonderful programs and improvements to the Highlands School Community.
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The vision of these original Board Members and Officers was to create a charitable organization that would raise money and award the District 106 community grants to make improvements to the Highlands Elementary and Middle Schools and for any community development that benefitted the Highlands Schools. The mission of the District 106 Educational Foundation has been and remains to acquire and distribute financial and other resources to the LaGrange Highlands School District 106 and to fund activities which extend and enhance the quality of education and provide students with expanded learning opportunities.
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While all of these founding Officers and Directors eventually retired from the Board, their vision and legacy live on every day in the Highlands Schools and throughout the District. The Officers and Directors that eventually took the place of the founding Board Members [Board] continued to grow the vision of these Foundation Founders to the point where as of 2017; over $1,000,000.00 has been raised and granted to the District.
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In order to carry out its mission, The Foundation established several fundraising events. Many of these events have changed over the years, but the primary fundraiser for the Foundation is the annual Trivia Night and Auction. Trivia Night and Auction has provided the opportunity for the District Members to make charitable contributions for many wonderful donated items. Other events that have raised funds for the Foundation are the Boosterthon Fun Run, The District 106 Educational Foundation 5k Fun Run and Walk, Chili Cookoff, Bob Barnes Classic, the Split the Pot and Raffle, the Annual Corporate Sponsorship Program, the Foundation Sponsors, Movie Night, Poker Night, a Barn Dance, a Sock Hop, the Obstacle Course, Fall & Spring Socials and the Golf Outing. The goal of each of these events was to solicit charitable donations to fund grants that were submitted either by the teachers and the administrators or any person in the District 106 Community.
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The Foundation operates as a qualified 501 (c) (3) charitable organization. Through its all volunteer board, the Board Members organize the above events. These events are run by committees appointed by the President. The Foundation also has standing committees that oversee the following: Grants, Scholarships, Social Media, Marketing, Corporate Sponsors, Auction/Raffle, By Laws and 501(c) Compliance and the Nominating Committee.
The Grant Committee meets at the end of the year to review the grant proposals that have been submitted by teachers, administrators and community members. The Grant Committee decides which grants to recommend to the Board and then the Board, after discussion of the grants, votes on which grants will be awarded and for how much. The grants awarded have supported programs that provide educational support for the students through homework clubs and other social programs. The majority of the grants have been awarded for capital improvements to the school that principally enhance the education, the culture and the athletic activities of the students.
The Foundation has enjoyed great success due to the generosity of the Highlands Community and the tireless efforts of its Board and Officers. With this support, the Foundation will continue to provide grants to the District 106 community to enhance the educational experience of the District 106 students into the future.
Join the Foundation
We are a 100% volunteer, non-profit organization, that raises money for Highlands schools, through fun events for both parents and families.
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We meet once a month, typically the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm. Event Committees meet as needed. Members join one Event Committees and one Standing Committee. It is a 2 year commitment, although many of us stay on longer because we enjoy it.
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If you are interested in joining, please click the button and fill out our form.
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New members are voted in at the May meeting. If voted in, we will have you join us at our last meeting of the school year – end of May. Our bylaws allow us up to 35 members, so those that do not end up board members are welcome to join us a “community members” who come to our meetings and participate as actively as they like, but don’t have voting rights.