Denison Iowa Community School Alumni Association
The Denison Alumni Association began in 1996. The vision of the of Alumni Association is to keep the Monarch spirit alive! The mission is to renew friendships and traditions for all who were and are associated with the Denison Community Schools. The most recent project of this fine organization is the "Wall of Pride" located at Denison High School. This project honors individuals who have had a positive and outstanding impact on the school system over the years. We encourage and invite people to join the Alumni Association. The current Board of Directors are as follows: Sharon Bandow, President; Phyllis Lewis, Vice President; Coleen Barngrover, Secretary; Mary Bell, Treasurer; Steve Westerberg, School Liason. A newsletter is out to the membership on occasions. Please log on to the link below to learn more about the Association.
Denison School Foundation
October 28, 1996, marked an exciting new venture in the history of the community of Denison, Iowa. On that date the first official meeting of the Denison Educational Foundation was held. The Foundation is a separate entity from the Denison Community School District. It has its own Articles of Incorporation, By Laws, and officers. Elected as the first officers of the Foundation were Diane Norelius, President; Rodger Larson, Vice President; Larry Boeck, Secretary; and Dee Langenfeld, Treasurer. Jim Lohman, local Denison attorney, generously volunteered his time and talents to help in the establishment of the Foundation. Dr. Bill Wright was the superintendent of schools at the time of the Foundation’s beginning.
The Foundation’s purpose is to function as a nonprofit entity within the meaning of Section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue code and, as such, to provide support for educational projects or accomplishments and enhance educational opportunities and activities for students of all ages in the community.
The Foundation neither uses nor replaces the tax revenue allotted for education by state and federal governments. Instead, the Foundation raises private funds to supplement these tax dollars to enrich the quality of education in the community.
The Foundation is overseen and guided in all of its endeavors by an independent Board of Trustees. This Board is comprised of farm, business, education, and civic leaders who represent a broad cross section of the community.
All contributions to the Foundation are tax deductible, whether derived from individuals, social and civic groups, or businesses and industries. This tax-saving advantage is automatically given to Foundation donors under the Internal Revenue Code.
The goals of the Foundation are to maintain , develop, increase, and extend the facilities and services of the educational community and to provide broader educational opportunities to its students, staff, and residents of the area which it services.
Support for the Denison Community Education Foundation may be arranged through a variety of programs. Most gifts fall into one of these major categories:
Annual Gifts
The mainstay of private support is the annual support of alumni and friends. Existing tax laws encourage annual gifts of cash, securities, or real property; and the contributions may be for designated or undesignated purposes. Undesignated gifts are encouraged so that the foundation can respond to the highest priority needs of the community.
Planned Gifts
Through long-range estate and financial planning, you may make a substantial contribution to the Foundation with bequests, gifts of life insurance, testamentary trusts and life-income trusts.
Honorary and Memorial Gifts
An honorary or memorial gift is a thoughtful and meaningful way to recognize the life and work of a colleague, friend, or relative. A special program or project can be initiated in the name of a specific individual, and existing memorial or honorary funds can grow with additional support.
The Denison Community School District has played an important role in the lives of the thousands of students who have graduated. By establishing this Foundation these people have an opportunity to help continue that commitment to educational excellence.
Denison Foundation Board of Trustees
- Dee Langenfeld, President
- Mike Pardun, Vice President
- Scott Larson , Treasurer/Secretary
- Travis Wessel , Member
- Sarah Carlson , Member
Anyone interested in donating to The Denison School Foundation may do so by contacting the Denison Community School Superintendent’s Office at 819 North 16th Street, Denison, Iowa 51442 Phone 712-263-2176 Fax 712-263-5233
Denison University
Communities in rural Iowa have seen the number of people who have a direct relationship with their community schools decreasing. Denison is no exception. As our population ages, there are more people living in our community who do not have school age children. In an effort to have the community school reach more people throughout our community, the concept of “Denison University” was born.
At the heart of a community school district is the idea that school belongs to the community, and when children exit the school building as the last bell rings, the door remains open for community members to enjoy educational and recreational activities.
The mission of the “University” is to ensure that all members of the community have access to appropriate learning opportunities.
“We are lifelong learners” is one of this community’s belief statements, and the Denison Community School District, acting solely as the registrar, keeper of the records, and grantor of the Lifelong Learning Degree.
By recognizing and responding to the community’s needs, this “University” provides and acknowledges learning opportunities for people of all ages and tastes. Whether needing to polish up on professional skills or desiring balance in life, continuing education provides classes to address almost any request.
The concept of Denison University is a local effort to broaden the definition of formal educational training, emphasizing the pursuit of lifelong learning throughout the community. In addition, this initiative will help return the admiration/respect for extended training in all vocations. Denison University is not a place, but a new way of thinking about the various educational opportunities that are available to our citizens. It is a mindset whereby we functionalize the lifelong learning process in the Denison Community School District. For more information, please contact the superintendent’s office at 819 North 16th Street, Denison, Iowa 51442 712-263-2176.
