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What we doFriends of Coonley School is a not-for-profit organization of parents, community members, teachers, and school administrators dedicated to supporting the John C. Coonley Elementary School through fundraising and community-building efforts. Friends of Coonley is rooted in the belief that great teachers and administrators build the best schools when they have the resources and funds they need—and that building the best school helps our children flourish in a nurturing and stimulating environment.
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Build supportThe Coonley Core sponsorship program provides opportunities for local businesses—both community and parent-owned—to get involved with and give to our school in a cooperative way.
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Build communitySince merging with the Coonley PTO in 2016, FOC regularly hosts events to bring together students, parents and staff for celebrations, spirit building and enrichment opportunities.
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Raise fundsSince FOC was formed in 2005, our generous community and tireless volunteers have raised more than $1 million from parents, family members and employers to directly support Coonley School.
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Mission
The Friends of Coonley School is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to raise, receive and administer funds for the benefit of John C. Coonley School. The organization is operated exclusively for charitable, educational, literary, art and scientific purposes to assist with, supplement, develop, maintain and expand educational programs for students at John C. Coonley School, and to enrich the educational experiences of such students.
Vision
Education is key to a child’s development to adulthood. In order for a student to excel, state of the art facilities, teachers and programs must be provided. The Friends of Coonley School will endeavor to provide funding, ideas and public relations to supplement the financial support provided by the Chicago Board of Education and provide the needed impetus and support to make the John C. Coonley School an exceptional educational facility and the school of choice in its community.
How FOC supports Coonley
The spending priorities of FOC are set through a cooperative relationship with the school administration, which determine the needs of the school, request the necessary supplemental funds and direct how those funds will be spent. FOC’s main fundraising events include the annual Spring Fling Auction and Fundraiser as well as the Coonley Cougar Pride Stride, our annual student walk-a-thon. In addition, FOC has implemented the Coonley Core sponsorship program as a way for local businesses—both community and parent-owned—to get involved with and give to our school in a cooperative way. Finally, FOC takes in funds regularly from generous parents and their employers through corporate donations and employee-gift matching programs.
Thus far, funds raised by FOC have been used to purchase and/or implement:
Thus far, funds raised by FOC have been used to purchase and/or implement:
- Literacy and Math assistants for grades K-8
- Full-time Spanish teachers for grades K-8
- After-school programming
- Technology for use in individual classrooms including SmartBoards, iPads, carts and cases
- Air-conditioning units for every classroom and many general areas
- Art classes
- Library furniture, book and media-tracking software. State-of-the-art multimedia equipment and resources for the Library Media Resource Center
- Band instruments and a free-standing piano, drums and other musical instruments for student use and education
- Supplies, equipment, microscopes, machines, books and other materials to outfit the Interactive Science Center
- Enhanced Social Studies curriculum for grades K-8
- An all-school leveled-reading library
- Professional window and stage curtains, stage lighting and full sound system
- Safety equipment for the gymnasium, volleyball equipment and soccer nets
- Outdoor classroom equipment
- Office equipment and shelving
