August means it’s time to get ready to head back to school in southwest Minnesota. Teachers are prepping classrooms and curriculum. Families are gathering school supplies. And our school foundation partners are getting ready to make an impact with grants supported by generous local donors.
Take a look behind the scenes with our partner the Hutchinson Independent School District #423 Foundation, which grants money for innovative and creative classroom programs, projects and activities throughout Hutchinson Public Schools.
The Power of Grants
Since the 2014-2015 school year, the ISD 423 Foundation has awarded $59,897.74 in grants to 81 unique projects. All school staff are invited to apply for grants, from teachers to maintenance staff and administrators.
“I love innovation and education, any ways we can delineate from the traditional model of ‘read the textbook, do the homework’ and do something different to give kids real world experience, I think is awesome. That’s what I love about these projects people come up with,” said ISD 423 Foundation Board Chair Gary Koehring.
Last year’s grant-funded projects brought innovation and creativity to life across age groups. Hands-on learning took center stage with the addition of a mobile welding unit, LEGO SPIKE Prime kits, and a media center makerspace, empowering students to explore STEM and skilled trades. Flexible seating in both Language Arts and Math Movers classrooms supported dynamic, student-centered learning environments. The arts flourished through a ceramic tile wall art installation, a ukulele program, and the “Instruments in Action” project, which sparked musical exploration.
Literacy and storytelling were celebrated through author visits, storytelling workshops with local writers, and podcasting equipment for digital media communications. Students also got moving with an inline skating program. Together, these projects reflect a commitment to creativity, engagement, and real-world learning.
Outdoor Classroom Upgrade
Ms. Schumaci received a grant for an outdoor classroom upgrade at West Elementary last year. In a thank you note to the board she wrote:
“The kindergarteners have been learning about owls; their features, needs, as well as their life cycle. Today, they had a blast acting as owls finding ‘food’ and completing obstacles as they searched for their food. … Please know that your efforts are making a difference.”
She also highlighted the time given by volunteer board members: “Thank you for supporting district #423; the staff and students are so blessed to have such generous people.”
The Why Behind Board Service
The board is made up of educators, staff and community members who share a passion for education and community support.
In addition to serving as board chair for the foundation, Gary is very connected to the school as both a teacher and coach. He works in the technology education department and serves as head coach for boys track and field and assistant coach for varsity football.
“I’m a teacher, so I know that what we do can be challenging, especially with budget restrictions and other things like that. The foundation helps teachers to think outside the box and gives them an opportunity to be innovative, use some technology, and figure out ways that they can advance their instruction and curriculum. It’s just awesome, and I’m thankful to be a part of it,” Gary said.
Jason Weronwinski has been a member of the ISD 423 Foundation Board for eight years. A small business owner, Jason lives in Hutchinson with his wife, Leah, and their son. The couple were named “Hutchinson’s Volunteers of the Year” in 2024.
“For me, volunteering is about trying to find the right places to spend your energy. My wife and I are big proponents of local schools and whatever we can try and do to help them succeed,” Jason said. “The foundation is another way to provide support to teachers and students, since it’s solely funded by donations rather than, say, your local tax dollars that go to schools.”
Culture of Giving
School employees giving through payroll make up the majority of donations to the ISD 423 Foundation. More than 2,200 gifts came in last fiscal year, most ranging from $1 to $10. Small amounts multiplied many times makes a big difference.
“I just think it speaks to the culture that we have here in here at our school that because a lot of our teachers are community members, so you want to see that investment back in the community and back in our students,” Gary said.
Board members want to grow the reach of the foundation. They are working to spread the word so that more community members and staff know about it. Expanding the impact is important too. Beyond grants, for the past two years, board members have hosted a teacher and staff appreciation to recognize and uplift educators and staff at the schools.
“We invited everybody in the district, including, school board members, because it’s nice to break bread together, build that sense of community, and understand that we all have the same goal in mind, and that’s to support our kids and make our community a great place to live,” Gary said.
Partnership with Southwest Initiative Foundation
Southwest Initiative Foundation supports more than 100 designated funds, including 13 education foundations across southwest Minnesota.
- Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart Public School Foundation
- Clinton Graceville Beardsley #2888 Foundation
- Edgerton Public School Foundation
- Hutchinson Independent School District #423 Foundation
- Jackson County Central Education Foundation
- Lincoln Elementary School Foundation
- Litchfield Public School Foundation
- MACCRAY #2180 Foundation
- Murray County Central Rebel Foundation
- Ortonville Public School Foundation
- Renville County West Public School Foundation
- RTR Educational Foundation
- Tracy Area Education Foundation
We provide our partners with administrative support, investment management, and 501(c)(3) public charity infrastructure. A team of local advisory board members guides each education foundation by fundraising, recommending grants, and telling stories of good work happening locally.
“If we have any questions about operational things that are beyond our day-to-day expertise, we can reach out,” Jason said. “And through the fund portal we have online access to log in, take a look at our funds and see where they’re at, check our board members’ terms. That’s been an asset for us.”
How to Get Involved
Support your local school foundation or another fund that benefits a cause you care about close to home. See a full list of our partner funds in southwest Minnesota.
