2021-04-21T15:10:15-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://www.foundationforocps.org

2021-04-16T15:10:15-04:00 2021-04-21T15:10:15-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/54 Orange County Public Schools has educated our community’s children for more than 150 years, so it is no surprise to see generations of local families graduate from our schools and go on to make a strong, positive impact on life in Central Florida.  We recently had the pleasure of visiting with Johnny Rivers, Sr., and two of his sons, Djuan and Dwain Rivers. It was fascinating to see how Orange County Public Schools helped shape the lives of these community leaders. Johnny Rivers, Sr. Johnny Rivers, Sr., owns a USDA- and FDA-certified food production plant and several restaurant partnerships, including a restaurant in the Orlando International Airport. Rivers, Sr., entered the food world as a young teenager and worked his way up to the role of Corporate Executive Chef of Disney Resorts, where he developed and opened Disney’s restaurants around the world before opening his own food company. He reflected, “I was excited to be an entrepreneur with a world of opportunities through the worldwide business relationships that I developed over the years. Darden offered me a position with them, but instead I made them a proposal to consult with them. Together we developed the Bahama Breeze concept.” The pandemic has laid several challenges at the feet of the hospitality industry. Rivers, an alumnus of Jones High School, currently serves on the Orange County Economic Recovery Task force, developing and reviewing policies to safely rebuild the local economy. Rivers, Sr., added, “Jones High was such an incredible school. They used to grow these fresh vegetables and had a program that taught people how to eat healthy.” Djuan Rivers Djuan Rivers, one of Johnny Rivers, Sr.’s sons, was about to make some big movements in his career when we met with him. Currently the Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Djuan plans to retire May 1 after a career at Disney spanning close to three decades. Djuan is an avid world traveler: he has visited close to 70 countries so far, and has even climbed the Seven Summits – the seven highest mountains on each of the continents.  His career at Disney allowed him to cross the globe for both work and pleasure, and he links his keen interest in touring the world to an assignment from Miss Myrick, his Middle School English teacher at Memorial Junior High (now Memorial Middle School). The class project sparked a desire to travel in Djuan, who then received a globe and spent hours looking at countries on the map. Little did he know that he would eventually visit many of these distant lands. Djuan added, “I attended West Orange High School. I was treasurer of the National Honors Society. I was in the debate club and the Spanish Club. It was foundational in developing who I am today. Working in the clubs gave me confidence by allowing me to take on leadership roles.” These activities allow students “to make decisions, and even at an early age, you can probably predict who will do what in life. This is where kids can explore and motivate themselves and build their confidence.” Dwain Rivers Dwain Rivers, Djuan’s twin brother, not only attended OCPS schools; he was also an OCPS employee and a parent of an OCPS student. For the last 17 years, Dwain has been in charge of Internal Affairs for the Orlando Police Department, leading the team that responds to police complaints from the public. Responsibilities include managing the drug testing program and reviewing complaints about profiling, excessive force and officer-involved shootings.  Dwain was the first of only four civilians in this role around the country; last year, he was appointed to head Internal Affairs for Orlando’s Fire Department, too.  The experience that he gained at OCPS led him down this path. Like his brother, Dwain graduated from West Orange High School in 1983.  However, he joined the United States Army where he served various roles, including military police at Ft. Bragg, NC.  Dwain was later recruited to serve by the Orlando Police Department, where he served both in uniform and undercover. After suffering a significant injury during S.W.A.T. team training, he was forced to retire from the Police Department. He then joined Orange County Public Schools, starting in Site Security protecting OCPS schools and worksites. Dwain rose through the ranks to eventually become a Senior Manager in Employee Relations, earning a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a Master’s degree in Public Administration along the way.  Dwain said, “In seven years in Employee Relations, I gained a lot of experience in employee discipline, wage and hour investigations, and EEOC complaints. Working for the school board, with so many employees interacting with so many students at so many different work sites, was my preparation for the role in OPD Internal Affairs.” Dwain’s connections with OCPS run deep through his family. His wife, LaTonjua Rivers, graduated from Oak Ridge High School, and Dwain’s other siblings are also alumni of OCPS.  Positioned prominently in Dwain’s office is a poster of a member of the third generation of Rivers who attended OCPS: Dakota Rivers is now a sophomore and basketball forward at Florida Gulf Coast University. Dakota’s younger brother, Stone, will graduate from his brother’s alma mater, Windermere High School, this summer and attend USF in the fall, adding to the Rivers family’s impressive list of OCPS alumni. Do you know of a graduate of OCPS who is a community builder and should be profiled?  Contact the Foundation for Orange County Public Schools at https://www.foundationforocps.org/p/700/ocps-alumni

2021-03-04T13:13:32-05:00 2021-03-04T13:13:32-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/52 OCPS alumni who are making their communities a better place. This installment of COMMUNITY BUILDERS highlights Dan Murwin, Operations Director at A Gift For Teaching and member of the Winter Park High School Class of 1976. Dan Murwin serves as the Operations Director at A Gift For Teaching, a nonprofit organization serving Central Florida students and teachers since 1998 by providing them with much-needed school and classroom supplies. In this role, Dan drives the mission and strategy of the organization and provides operational leadership to ensure the success of this important resource for our community.  Dan shared his experiences as an OCPS student, the importance of “forks in the road,” and how mentors have played integral roles in his life. Tell us about your OCPS history and experiences. I started Kindergarten at Rock Lake Elementary in 1963 and then moved to Michigan for a few short years during elementary school. I returned to Orlando in 7th grade and attended what was then called Glenridge Junior High School. After that, I attended Winter Park High School, which is where I began to find my way as a young adult and make some decisions that would really impact the rest of my life.  In junior high and high school, I was never really part of a clique or a big group of friends. It was sometimes hard to know where I fit. I recall in junior high, my PE teacher and my track coach saw something in me and really pushed me to join the track team. The coach went so far as to call my parents and tell them that I really needed to try the sport. I did and I loved it!  It not only gave me the opportunity to learn about the sport, but to form a group of friends and, most of all, it gave me a sense of belonging. My teacher and coach took an interest in me when I did not even know anyone was paying attention to me, and that made a difference in my life. I also played the trumpet and my band instructor was also a very positive influence at that young age. I later moved on to Winter Park High School. I was feeling a bit lost again, being in such a big school where sometimes I could walk the halls and not even see one person I knew from earlier grades. It was easy to get lost in the shuffle. I was definitely at a fork in the road. Overall, my grades were OK but I really just did well enough to get by, except for math. I loved math!  I enjoyed looking at problems and figuring out how to solve them. It came pretty naturally to me although at the time, I did not really think about how that could serve me well in life. And again, one day someone took an interest in me. A guidance counselor pulled me aside and told me about this program called DECA. Basically, you went to school for only the core classes and then instead of taking electives, you went to work for hands-on experience. My first job was at Long John Silver’s.  I was a cook and I wore a pirate uniform. It was not the coolest attire, but that job turned out to be the beginning of a career built on hard work, dedication – and problem solving.  What stands out most about my time at OCPS is the impact that individuals had on my life by simply taking an interest in me at a critical point in my life. My PE teacher, my coach, my counselor, and other people along the way helped steer me in the right direction when I was at a fork in the road. They made all the difference. How have mentors continued to influence your life? The man who hired me at Long John Silver’s turned out to be the greatest mentor of my life. His name was Frank, and he empowered and inspired me to rise to the ranks of District Manager at that organization. I had a few jobs after that but we always stayed in touch and after a few years, he asked me to come to work with him at Second Harvest Food Bank. He was my mentor until the time of his passing; I’ll always be thankful for the times we had together. Another important mentor was my grandfather. My dad drove a truck so was away a lot and my mom also worked long hours. I spent summers with my grandparents, who would be up at sunrise picking citrus.  My grandfather instilled in me the importance of hard work and I’ve never forgotten that. Tell us about your current role and how your life experiences have brought you to where you are today. When I think about my role today, I’m reminded of my love of math and how I always knew that all problems could be solved if you put in the time and the hard work. Oftentimes, that means surrounding yourself with others who bring different skills and experiences to the equation. When I first started with A Gift For Teaching, we had a small store and teachers would come in and get what they needed. Then we realized many people could not get to the store. So then we started letting teachers order on-line and OCPS would ship the materials, but that only allowed for limited supplies. Then we realized there were many schools pretty far out that were still not getting supplies they needed, so we started using our mobile units. Now, over the past year, COVID-19 presented us with new challenges and issues to solve.  We had to work outside of our usual process and find the best way to reach the teachers and students. We started getting materials to the drive-through meal sites as we knew that was one way to reach the kids. We also worked with Orange County, which was going out to hotels and other locations like the Salvation Army where we were able to reach more kids and families.  As I look ahead, I know I will not always be the person sitting in my seat, holding this role that I truly love. At some point it will be someone else, so I need to look ahead to best position the organization for the future to ensure the next generation is poised to solve problems and help our teachers and kids when they need it most. 2021-03-04T11:25:37-05:00 2021-03-04T11:25:37-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/53 A sense of community has long been at the heart of Orange County Public Schools. Together we care for our teachers, our students and our neighbors. As our OCPS alumni build their careers and grow their families, many continue to proudly uphold that commitment to community. Each month, our COMMUNITY BUILDERS series will feature OCPS alumni who are making their communities a better place.

2020-11-11T18:13:02-05:00 2020-11-09T18:13:02-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/50 A sense of Community has long been at the heart of Orange County Public Schools. Together we care for our teachers, our students and our neighbors. As our OCPS Alumni build their careers and grow their families, many continue to proudly uphold that commitment to community.   Each month, our COMMUNITY BUILDERS series will feature an OCPS alumnus or alumna who is making their community a better place.

2020-11-11T13:21:05-05:00 2020-11-11T13:21:05-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/49 "That strong feeling of community, so apparent at Boone, made a very big impression on me and helped shape the person I am today. "   Leah Shepherd serves as Chief Operating Officer of onePULSE Foundation. In this role she oversees the foundation’s day-to-day operations, strategic business plan, major donor relationships, and a multi-million-dollar capital campaign to design and build a national memorial and museum commemorating the PULSE tragedy. Prior to this role, Shepherd served as Vice President of Philanthropy for the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and her early career includes extensive sports marketing experience with management roles at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Orlando Magic. Leah sat down with us to discuss her time as an OCPS student and how her experiences shaped the community-minded person she is today. Tell us about your OCPS history and experiences. I was an OCPS student from 1971 to 1984, attending Blankner Elementary, Memorial Junior High and Boone High schools. Yes, Memorial was a junior high school back then! I was the last of four siblings to go from first grade through senior year as an OCPS student. From the very start, I just really loved everything about school – both the learning and the social aspects. I served as a Safety Patrol and was active in Girl Scouts at Blankner Elementary, and was also the Spelling Bee Champion in 6th grade. However, it’s recalling high school that brings me my fondest memories. While at Boone, both our basketball and baseball teams won the State Championships, which was a tremendous source of pride. It was an incredibly fun and celebratory time to be a student at Boone. And although our football team certainly did not rise to the ranks of champions, attending those games was one of my favorite things to do. It felt like a community coming together every Friday night as many families had attended Boone for generations. It was wonderful to see teachers, students, parents and even grandparents come out to cheer on our teams - week after week, year after year. That strong feeling of community, so apparent at Boone, made a very big impression on me and helped shape the person I am today.  I’ve always known that every person has the ability to make a difference – to make things better. I saw that in the actions of my OCPS teachers, coaches, counselors and all of the people that supported me and so many students throughout the years. In high school, I was a member of Student Government Association and served as President of Civitan, which was a service club. My interest in society and community was nurtured at OCPS and remained with me through my college years at Florida State University, growing even stronger as I progressed in my career. How have you continued to contribute to our Orlando community? Currently I serve as board secretary of POLIS Institute, and Vice-Chair of the City of Orlando’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. I’ve also served on the board of the Foundation for OCPS. One of my proudest contributions, however, was my service on the Orange County Children and Family Services Board from 2010 – 2017, with two of those years as Chairman. One of the main programs the board oversees, is Great Oaks Village, the Orange County group home for abused, abandoned and neglected children in our community. I went to school with kids who lived in Great Oaks Village; as a student at Blankner, Memorial and Boone, and I knew how fortunate I was to have a loving home with amazing parents. I wanted to help kids who did not have the resources and support system I was blessed to have had with my family. And these kids were living right here in my neighborhood, attending the same schools that I had attended. I continue to serve on a number of other boards, but that one was really personal to me. It was my privilege to be a part of the important work of Great Oaks Village and to work to improve the lives of kids who have much to overcome. Tell us about your current role and why you chose to get involved with onePULSE Foundation. When the Pulse nightclub tragedy happened, it shocked our community and impacted the lives of so many of our Central Florida friends and families. Forty-nine beautiful lives were taken that night. Hundreds of family members, survivors, first responders, healthcare workers and others were affected. We all needed to unite, to come together as a family to grieve, to heal, and to forgive.   This terrible tragedy happened in my backyard. I still live one mile from where I was raised and went to school. I love my neighborhood and everyone who makes it the wonderful place I know it to be. I’ve been afforded much in my life and I wanted to step up to not only help our community heal but to find a way to honor the 49 souls taken on June 12, 2016.  The mission of onePULSE Foundation is to create and support a memorial that opens hearts, a museum that opens minds, educational programs that open eyes and legacy scholarships that open doors.  In the three short years since its inception, the foundation has opened an Interim Memorial at the site, receiving more than 114,000 visitors since May of 2018, from all 50 states and 60 different countries. We break ground on the National Pulse Memorial & Museum in 2021. Our institution has an unprecedented opportunity to reach millions with a message of unity, acceptance, equity and lasting change. Importantly, it will also be a shining example that we did not let hate win and by coming together in our darkest days, we’ve begun to heal and build a stronger, more tolerant community for all. ## Do you know an Alumna/Alumnus who is a "Community Builder"? Email us today, so we can recognize them!

2020-10-01T11:27:02-04:00 2020-09-16T11:27:02-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/48 Email us today, so we can recognize them!

2014-07-31T11:05:23-04:00 2014-07-31T11:05:23-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/43 Amscot Financial Targets $1 Million in K-12 Support with 9th Annual ‘Just a Dollar’ Campaign Over the past eight years, Amscot customers and the company have combined to raise more than $879,000 for local education foundations in the counties that Amscot serves.  Tampa, FL – (July 29, 2014) – Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, announces the launch of its ninth annual “Just a Dollar” campaign, designed to raise funds for school district-wide local education foundations in the 19 Florida counties where Amscot has branches. The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools has received $134,000 from this campaign since its inception. Beginning Friday, August 1, and continuing throughout the month of August, Amscot Financial associates will ask each customer if they would like to voluntarily contribute a dollar to their local education foundation. Amscot will track each donation by county so contributions will directly impact classrooms, students and teachers in the communities where they are made.   Amscot will match the first $10,000 in overall contributions. Including customer contributions and Amscot matches over the past eight years, more than $879,000 has been distributed to local education foundations via the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF), a Gainesville-based umbrella organization. Funds raised on behalf of Florida’s county-based education foundations are used to support reading, classroom grant and scholarship programs, said Mary Chance, CFEF president. “Amscot has proven to be a significant partner for many of our local education foundations around the state of Florida,” Chance said. “These non-profit organizations serve as conduits for private-sector investment in education. Our foundations focus their funding on areas not provided for by tax dollars and when school budgets fall short.” Chance credits Amscot for making a continuing commitment to local education foundations.  “Year after year, Amscot encourages everyone to support education in their community. It’s an outstanding way to generate more investment in our local schools.” “If our track record of customer generosity continues, we hope to be able to hit the $1 Million mark in total support this year,” said Ian MacKechnie, founder and CEO of Amscot Financial.  “The ‘Just a Dollar’ campaign truly demonstrates the power of one. One individual giving one dollar – repeated over and over again with the thousands of customers we see every day – adds up to tremendous positive impact in local classrooms where our customers and associates live and work.  It’s a powerful example of the ‘crowd sourcing’ phenomenon of community investment.” Founded in 1989, Amscot Financial employs more than 2,000 associates who work at retail branches throughout the state and at the corporate headquarters in Tampa. Amscot Financial’s service centers are open seven days a week, typically Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Select Amscot locations are open 24 hours a day. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia, Brevard, Marion, Flagler, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. About Amscot Financial Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, including check cashing, bill payment, money transfers, cash advances and money orders through its wholly owned division, Amscot International Money Order Company.  Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that enables owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates more than 200 retail financial service centers throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 employees. Amscot Financial has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of Tampa Bay’s Best Places to Work for five years. For additional information, please visit the company’s website at www.amscot.com.      

2014-06-10T11:03:53-04:00 2014-06-10T11:03:53-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/40   The Foundation has nearly $170,000 to award thanks to our generous funders … Duke Energy Foundation, The Bond Foundation, Orange County Council of Mayors; Orange County’s Top Talent Competition, Baptiste Orthodontics, License4Learning specialty license plate owners, and the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations.   Funding is available for arts education support; primary non-fiction classroom libraries; innovative math, science, and energy education projects; STEM partnerships, civics lessons; and science supplies.   Grant application deadline is August 4, 2014.   Click here for more information.   Grant 2014-03-31T15:50:46-04:00 2014-03-31T15:50:46-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/38 2013-2014 Teacher Grant Evaluations are now online.  Please select the correction evaluation, complete and submit by the Friday, May 23, 2013 deadline.

2014-03-31T11:09:31-04:00 2014-06-10T11:09:31-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/39 The 2013-2014 Teacher Grant Evaluation forms are now online.  Please be sure to select the correct grant evaluation before you begin.  Grant evaluations are due by Friday, May 23, 2014.

2014-02-25T14:03:12-05:00 2014-04-10T14:03:12-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/37 OCPS Grant Services is offering a Grant Proposal Workshop for teachers and administrators. The next one‐day workshop is April 3, 2014, 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center. Registration is required at Sign Me Up. 2013-10-31T11:55:57-04:00 2013-10-31T11:55:57-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/34 http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/blogs/school-zone/os-snax-centers-hunger-evans-20131029,0,4032151.post?track=rss

2013-02-21T16:02:24-05:00 2013-02-21T16:02:24-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/27 BJ’s Charitable Foundation invested $4,500 to fund a reading assistant as part of the Foundation's Read2Succeed program. Reading assistants work with at-risk second graders to build reading fluency and comprehension. Currently, the Read2Succeed program has 11 reading assistants (five from Valencia College). Reading assistants have enabled the program to double the number of children served to almost 500 students. Other funders for the Read2Succeed program include; Orlando Magic Youth Fund, Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, Wells Fargo, and TD Bank Foundation. Reading Assistants work at schools that, for many reasons, do not attract enough volunteers. They devote 15 hours per week working with pairs of students to improve their reading skills.  Trained Read2Succeed Reading Assistants facilitate a step-by-step research based program, “The Six-Minute Solution” which works on building reading fluency. This program includes effective instructional procedures that guide students to improved literacy with support from their reading assistant. To learn more about the Read2Succeed program, email Jeanne Smith or Hiba George or call 407-317-3261.

2013-02-21T15:49:22-05:00 2013-02-21T15:49:22-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/26 As the 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization recognized by the Orange County School Board as the philanthropic arm of the district, the Foundation serves as the fiscal agent for individual schools and district-wide programs. Last year, the Foundation managed approximately $1.3 million for 35 school and district funds. The Falcon Fund at Audubon Park Elementary School is very active year-round. “There are many benefits to having a school fund. One is that donors have an additional “avenue” of giving as opposed to only the fundraisers offered by PTAs. All donations made through the Foundation for OCPS are 100% tax deductible and go straight back into the school,” says Leigh Norber, Falcon Fund president. Leigh states that the purpose of their school fund “…is to provide funding for capital improvements not otherwise available in an individual school’s budget. Money raised through the school fund is used to purchase curriculum, technology and equipment not otherwise affordable within a school’s budget.” Leigh invests in her school via the school fund because she believes that she is taking an active role in shaping and improving the environment in which her children go to school. Leigh commented, “I know that by investing in the school fund, 100% of my donations will be used for the benefit of every child at my school. I am making an investment in my children’s future as well as my community.” Leigh expressed how important the relationship with the Foundation is in contributing to the overall success of the school fund. “The Foundation acts like a silent partner backing us in all that we do,” commented Leigh. “The Foundation for OCPS has established by-laws that helped guide our board in adopting our own by-laws and policies and procedures. The Foundation facilitates the day-to-day management of our fund as well as our yearly audit and staff members provide crucial accounting support of our efforts and activities.”

2013-01-03T10:40:49-05:00 2013-01-03T10:40:49-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/22 Teachers and Volunteers, tell us your success stories and we'll enter you in a drawing for a $50 Darden Restaurant gift card. Deadline February 22, 2013.

2012-12-11T09:38:49-05:00 2013-01-03T09:38:49-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/18 On Wednesday, November 14, 2012, more than 3,759 local business and community volunteers went back into the classroom – not to be taught, but to teach in Orange County classrooms. CFE Federal Credit Union has enthusiastically supported Teach-In for many years to further their commitment to financial education for students.This year, ten employees from CFE participated in Teach-In at 13 schools throughout Orange County, teaching students the basics of banking, the value of saving, and the importance of managing money.       "CFE is proud to support this student enrichment program,” said Nancy Whitecavage, CFE public relations manager, and Teach-In volunteer at Lockhart Middle School. "In fact, we are very excited to be co-sponsors of Teach-In because we believe that students need support from the entire community to achieve a high level of success.” Teach-In is a day dedicated to engaging the community in student enrichment in celebration of American Education Week.The Foundation brings business and civic leaders into the classrooms – in a fun and engaging way – to talk with students about academics, careers and the future. Volunteers read to Kindergarten classes, gave medical first-aid demonstrations, and discussed their careers in law enforcement, firefighting, sports, media, finance and many other fields. Participants gave 7,195 presentations and spent anywhere from one hour to five hours giving of themselves to make a difference in children's lives. Teach-In is made possible bythe generous support of CFE Federal Credit Union and Orlando Sentinel.    

2012-12-11T09:38:00-05:00 2013-01-03T09:38:00-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/17 BB&T generously invested $150,000 to provide transporation and food to  homeless and low-income students and families in Orange County. In addition to providing Lynx passes for students to get to school as families move from one location to another, funds also sponsor 21 of the 53 Love Pantries in Orange County Public Schools. The Love Pantry is an initiative of the Christian Service Center for Central Florida, in cooperation with Orange County Public Schools with initial funding through the Love Orlando Fund established by First Baptist Church of Orlando. The purpose is to provide struggling families with emergency food.          Each school is provided with a lockable cabinet stocked with basic food items. When a student/family is in need, any school staff member can go to the cabinet to get enough food for several family meals. Families also are referred to community agencies to help get them back on the path to self-sufficiency.        The BB&T sponsored Love Pantry locations include:      Apopka Middle Audubon Park Elementary Dr. Phillips High East River High Freedom High Glenridge Middle Howard Middle Killarney Elementary Lockhart Middle School Memorial Middle Oak Ridge High Oakshire Elementary Palmetto Elementary Pine Hills Elementary Robinswood Middle Shingle Creek Elementary University High Ventura Elementary West Orange High School Zellwood Elementary Kids' Closet (centralized location)   This school year, 5420 students have been identified as homeless in the Orange County Public Schools system. The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools holds the Homeless Services Fund for the district which, in addition to providing food and transportation, pays for things such as school field trips, year books, prom tickets and clothes all in an effort to provide some normalcy during a time that is anything but normal for these families.      2012-12-10T17:32:58-05:00 2013-05-24T17:32:58-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/19 ORLANDO, Fla. (December 10, 2012) – The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools, Inc. chair appointed three new members to its board of directors.   Michael Ison, the Senior Vice President, Central Florida Private Banking Manager at BMO Financial Group, has over 30 years of experience in the areas of wealth management and commercial lending. As the Central Florida Market Manager, Mike works with high-net-worth individuals and families, serving as their primary resource for all of their financial needs. Prior to joining BMO, Mike served as chief executive officer for First National Bank of Florida, and most recently served as a partner in the Private Client Group for Alabama National. Mike holds an Associate of Arts Degree from Seminole State College. Mike is a licensed investment and insurance representative in the state of Florida and a graduate of Emory University National Trust School and the University of Florida, Florida School of Banking.   Orlando Magic's Community Relations and Cause Marketing Manager Latria Leak has a degree in Telecommunication News and a Sports Management minor from the University of Florida. She holds a Masters of Arts in Communication Management and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta public service sorority. Latria also serves on several community boards and committees including the BETA Center board of directors, Orange County Art Education Center committee and UCF's Multicultural Academic and Support Services Advisory Board. She was recently selected as one of Orlando Woman Newspaper's Women to Watch 2012.   Dr. Joyce C. Romano is Vice President for Student Affairs at Valencia College. She has 30 years' experience in residence life, student activities and student services at community college and four year colleges and universities. She has experience with diverse student populations and has designed and implemented programs for students from middle school through college graduation. Dr. Romano has a B.A. in Psychology from State University of New York-College at Cortland, an M.S. in Counseling Psychology from Central Washington University, and an Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Kansas. Michael Ison BMO Financial Group Latria Leak Orlando Magic Dr. Joyce Romano Valencia College   2012-10-01T13:50:22-04:00 2013-01-03T13:50:22-05:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/2 The 2012-2013 teacher grant winners have been selected and notified.   To view a directory of all the winners, judges and sponsors ... click here.   To view photos of some of the award presentations ... click here.   Thank you to all the Teacher Grant Funders and good luck to all the winning teachers! 2012-05-17T00:00:00-04:00 2012-05-17T21:39:02-04:00 https://www.foundationforocps.org/news/detail/id/11 Grant Winners Resources