Rebuilding and Rebranding an Educational Foundation for Our Schools, Our Teachers, and the Little Elm ISD Community

Written by: Dr. Lowell H. Strike

As Superintendent of Little Elm ISD, I believed one of our greatest responsibilities was to ensure every student could experience individual success at the highest level possible. When students walked across the graduation stage to receive their LEISD diplomas, we, as a district, needed to ensure we never lacked what our students needed to have every opportunity for future success. One key to student success for every child was ensuring our teachers had the resources, support, and encouragement they needed to make it possible. In previous districts where I served, I witnessed the power of a strong educational foundation and the impact it could have on the overall district environment. That is why I believed it was time to reestablish and rebrand the previously abandoned educational foundation in Little Elm ISD.

The LEISD Educational Foundation needed a design that wasn't cookie-cutter but directly addressed the foundation's goals, the needs of our teachers and schools, and the uniqueness of Little Elm ISD.  Our founding members accomplished that goal with great planning, time, and energy. In my experience, an educational foundation needed to be much more than an organization that raised money. At its heart, it serves as an important bridge connecting our schools with the greater community. It needed to bring together local businesses, LEISD alumni, community leaders, and parents. We invited everyone who believed in the power of public education and wanted to invest further in the future of Little Elm ISD to the table. To serve our students at the highest levels possible, we realized our teachers must be at the center of everything we did.

While every position is important in Little Elm ISD in delivering a quality education, no one is more important than our teachers. Every day, our teachers find creative ways to engage students, meet individual needs, introduce new ideas, and create learning experiences extending well beyond the classroom. Yet many of their innovative ideas were sometimes limited by the resources available to them. Our powerful Foundation helped close the resource and support gaps. For example, teachers might have had ideas for a project that could transform the way students learn—but when materials or technology aren't included in the classroom budget, the Foundation helped turn those ideas into reality. Supporting our teachers wasn't simply about giving them additional resources; it was about valuing their creativity and desire to deliver the best to their students.

Another equally important reason I felt it was important to reestablish the Foundation was to create a conduit for further developing community and district relationships. Our campuses are an important part of the fabric of the communities that make up Little Elm ISD, and our students' success is connected to the success of our entire community. Our Foundation provided an intentional way to build those authentic relationships. It provided local businesses and community members an opportunity to show their belief in our innovative and dedicated teachers. These relationships created opportunities for students while also helping community partners better understand the incredible work, such as our STEM programs, happening inside our schools.

Reestablishing an educational foundation was not about asking the community to write checks or raise money for the school district; it was about creating opportunities for people to become real-time partners in the educational experience. As Superintendent, I wanted our teachers to know we valued their work and looked for every responsible opportunity to support their ideas. I wanted our community partners to know that there is a place for them to serve. And, most importantly, I wanted our students to benefit from a community that believes deeply in their potential and is willing to step in and make an impact.

The community leaders within the LEISD, our Board of Trustees, campus and district leaders, came together and established a foundation to be proud of and made an investment in the fabulous teachers in Little Elm ISD and our students’ futures. The Foundation continues to thrive and invest in our students under the great leadership of Superintendent Mike Lamb, the LEISD Board of Trustees, and the Foundation’s selfless leaders.

Thank you to the LEISD Educational Foundation for a job well done! 

Dr. Lowell H. Strike served in public education for more than 35 years, including as Superintendent of Little Elm ISD from 2015 to 2017. A former high school teacher, principal, and district leader, he holds a Ph.D. in Educational Administration from Texas A&M University.