Residents of the Jericho School District recently formed an organization called the Jericho Educational Foundation, which is an independent non-profit organization whose goal is to support and enrich the school and community by identifying, facilitating and funding projects that will enhance the standard of educational excellence in the Jericho School District.

Although their main goal is to enhance Jericho schools without increasing the budget, the group is a separate entity from the school district and the board. The primary aim of the foundation is to engage private resources, parents and alumni, sponsorships and the business community to fund key school programs, community outreach efforts, and facility improvements all designed to have a positive impact on learning in the district.

The foundation, which is a tax-exempt organization, is comprised of 11 board members and two advisory members including parents and other community leaders. The executive board members are executive director Jess Rudolph, assistant executive director Steven Kang, treasurer and counsel David Distler and secretary Deborah Brody. The board of trustees are Laura Gladstone, Andrew Greene, Larry Hirschheimer, Doreen Leibowitz, Diane Saunders, Jack Schnitt and Cherie Serota. Advisory members are Mary Marks and Jeffrey Ratner.

"We are very proud of the fact that we are under way and already have substantial donations," said Jess Rudolph, executive director of the foundation. "To build this organization from a dormant state to an active state and getting support from the people is very exciting."

Rudolph got involved at the foundation's inception last year. He saw the need for community help while he was at a poorly attended budget workshop. He knew that the school's budget had to stay "as lean as possible" but still knew that the district needed certain improvements. The idea for the foundation was thus born. "The idea is to really just raise funds to do projects that the school board would have a hard time putting into their budget," said Rudolph.

Some other ideas that the foundation is working on include putting together an alumni association which will include a database of names dating back to at least 1960.

Some items on the foundation's agenda include re-doing tennis courts and putting an air conditioning system in the auditorium, but the first project will be the renovation of the high school's little theater, which was built over 50 years ago and has not had a major renovation since.

According to the group's website, "We have met with architects and decorators who have helped guide us through the initial direction with some preliminary drawings and concepts. The enthusiasm these professionals and the school staff have shown has been overwhelming. They have helped us in formulating a comprehensive design and overall plan. One main reason for choosing the Little Theater as our initial project is that it will affect nearly every member of our community. Most students have or will have the opportunity to utilize the Little Theater. In addition to being an intimate theater for dramatic and musical stage events, the theater is also used for student assemblies, large group instruction, meet the candidate night, PTSA meetings, career day events, guest speakers, college visits, SAT Prep and fifth Grade Orientation."

Estimated renovation costs are $100,000. "Upon completion, the entire Jericho community; including every child in the school district, K-12, as well as all other residents of the District, will have endless opportunities to experience the joys of this elegant, updated, multi-purpose theater space," according to the foundation's website.

For more information, email JEF@JerichoEducationalFoundation.org or visit www.JerichoEducationalFoundation.org.