The Educational Foundation of Dexter (EFD) was formed in 1984 to support educational enrichment for students enrolled in the Dexter Community School District.  EFD provides financial support for innovative and creative educational projects through teacher-written grants.  EFD has awarded over $1,000,000 since 1985 and funding has reached every campus in our district.  Some examples of the grants EFD has made possible in the schools are: Adapted Music for Students with Special Needs, the Charles H. Wright museum field trip for the entire 5th grade, FLEX Robotics Kits for Creekside and equipment to support the Iron Dread program at Dexter High School.

 

Excellence 4 Dexter Students (E4DS) was formed in 2015 in response to a pattern of annual budget cuts due to multiple years of state funding level decreases.  Notable changes within Dexter due to those funding decreases included a move to single-tier bus runs, larger class sizes and reduced staffing, and an evaluation of the benefits of annexing the Whitmore Lake school district.  E4DS’s mission was to generate revenue that would fund teachers and programs that would have been funded by the district if it were able. Since 2016, E4DS has donated $182,000 to DCS for additional programming. E4DS donations have been designated to support the district’s focus on mental wellness for students and staff in all grades, additional math and science programming in grades 3-6, as well as an Eastern Michigan experience for several classes of sixth graders.

 

In 2020, these organizations came together, bringing multiple funding pathways and donors together to better support and respond to the needs of the Dexter Community School district.  This unified group will allow E4DS and EFD to continue to enhance the vision, values, and goals that they have always brought to the community.