ABOUT US

SEF History
In 1986, a group of Summit, New Jersey public school parents identified a need in the school system: the inability to experiment with programming. Unlike their private counterparts, the public system lacked the necessary funding to explore creative programs that might further enhance the curriculum. Thus, SEF was formed to bridge this gap. Today, the organization has far outreached its’ original expectations to enhance the quality of education in Summit by providing innovative teacher and district grants to the public schools. These educational grants have served to enhance the learning experience of Summit children at every grade level and at every school in the community, thereby benefiting the more than 3,000 families with children attending Summit's public schools. During our 24 year history, we have contributed over $2.5 million in grant money supporting hundreds of programs for teachers and the district. Our grant process is very disciplined; the Grants Committee screens every grant request diligently, works closely with the Superintendent’s office to ensure that grants are consistent with district objectives, and requires the approval of the full SEF Board of Trustees. Please note: SEF is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and is a United Way designee. All of our funds are granted exclusively for use by the Summit public schools.  

FROM OUR PRESIDENT

Dear Summit Parents and Guardians,

Summit prides itself on providing our children with one of the state’s leading educational experiences. And for more than 25 years, the Summit Educational Foundation (SEF) has been partnering with the community and the school district to fund programs that enrich the academic experience for our children.

Who Is SEF?
SEF is parents and community members just like you and me – people who are committed to providing the best public school education possible for our children. Last year over 150 volunteers gave their time and talent to help further SEF’s mission, and more than 800 families made contributions to both our Annual and Endowment Funds.

What does SEF do for our children and our community?
SEF has invested over $3 million in innovative and essential programs that enhance and extend the learning curriculum across the district. Last year alone, SEF funded 74 grants totaling $436,000 to support all areas of curriculum at all 9 schools in our district.

Why is SEF important?
As the public education funding crisis in New Jersey and across the nation continues to escalate, it becomes more difficult to maintain and expand programs that distinguish and enrich the Summit schools. With your help, SEF supports grants in our schools that provide innovative and unique learning opportunities for our children. They enable faculty and administrators to create new programs, to bring new technology to the classroom and to target strategies to a broad range of students. SEF grants have touched all areas of the Summit schools, including core academic subjects, fine, practical and performing arts, athletics, and special programs for at risk as well as gifted students.

The back of this letter lists some of the programs that SEF has funded in your school. We hope you’ll agree that these grants add another dimension to the district’s already robust curriculum and deliver a clear benefit for students.

Why should YOU donate?
Our teachers and administrators are being asked to do more with less – we need your help to ensure our children receive the education we have come to expect for them.

With just one-third of public school families donating, we have been able to accomplish so much – think what we could achieve for our children if everyone gave? Help us in our goal of “Creating Possible” for all Summit public school children. No matter the dollar amount, your contribution is critical. Please know that a donation of your time and talent is also greatly appreciated as SEF looks to continually improve and reach all Summit residents. If you have an interest, we welcome your participation. Please contact us at sefnj.org.

Finally, thank you for all you do to advance the Summit schools. I wish you all the best for a successful and enriching school year.

With appreciation,

Nicole Blomfield