History & Mission

Temple Education Foundation History

The idea to establish an education foundation to help students achieve post-secondary goals originated in a 1988 community-wide strategic planning meeting. Then Superintendent Jack Reeves and his staff brought the idea to life and created the Temple Education Foundation.

The Temple Education Foundation (TEF) was founded during the 1990-1991 school year with the help of the first chairperson Shirley Strasburger (1990-1992). In the first year, TEF raised enough money to award $200 scholarships to several Temple HS seniors and began sponsoring a Top Student Recognition Dinner.

The chairpeople following Ms. Strasburger included: Eva Marie Tranum (1992-1994), Sally Myers (1994-1996), Bob Cox (1996-1998), Bill Jones (1998-2004), Ken Higdon (2004-2007), Danny Dunn (2007-2009), Laura Cloud (2009-2011), Cheryl Jones (2011-2013), Dan Posey (2013-2014), Kristi Burke (2014-2016), Dan Posey (2016-17), Velencia Allen (2017-18), Shannon Myers (2018-19), Becky Montgomery (2019-20), Scott Seela (2020-21) and Dow Fogleman (2021-22). The current Board Chairperson is Brittany Norman. From 1990 – 2008, Mary Lou Jeter served as the foundation’s secretary. Dr. Robin Battershell, former Superintendent of TISD, filled the role of TEF’s Secretary from 2009 to 2018. Brittany Norman began serving as the secretary in 2018.

In 2000, under the direction of Bill Jones, the Temple Education Foundation contracted with Foundation Innovation to develop a long-range plan. This long range plan increased the number of board members, established the Century Club, created Innovative Teaching Grants, end-of-year teacher recognition dinner and created a post-high school success coordinator position for Temple High School. The coordinator position was paid through TEF, community donations, and Temple I.S.D. TEF continued to provide student scholarships during this period. The long-range plan was revisited once again using Foundation Innovation in 2007 under the direction of Danny Dunn and in 2014 under the direction of Cheryl Jones.

In 2010, TEF took over the Grow Your Own program, now known as the I Teach Temple Scholarship program. Temple High School students wishing to pursue a degree in education can apply for this $10,000 grant. $7,500 of this grant is awarded while the student is enrolled in a university and the remaining $2,500 is given as a signing bonus for students returning to Temple to teach.

The Temple Education Foundation is led by a 33 member board that continues to support student scholarships ($70,000 in 2017), Innovative Teaching Grants ($55,000 in 2017), and the recognition of outstanding students and teachers. In 2015, Jean Coley volunteered to be the first executive director. In June 2016, TEF hired its first paid executive position to Chris McGilvery, the Executive Director. In Feb. 2017, the Executive Director position was changed to Executive Assistant and Bobbi Kral was hired.

In 2019, the TEF Board determined an Executive Director was needed to move the Temple Education Foundation forward. Kristy Brischke was hired in the fall of 2019 to take on this role.

Funding for TEF scholarships and teaching grants relies on community donations through a variety of programs and events, such as:

• TISD Staff Giving Campaigns
• Century Club Parking
• All Star Recognition Pins
• Annual Distinguished Alumni Event
• One time and Recurring Individual Donations