Foundation

The Purpose

The Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education is a  non-profit, tax-exempt organization governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees  whose members are parent volunteers, business leaders, and professional people  from the community with a commitment to education.  

The Foundation operates as an independent entity, established to enrich lifelong programs throughout Mt. Zion Schools.

Foundation's Mission

The mission of the Foundation is to enhance the quality of educational programs and services available to all Mt. Zion Students through the generation, attraction and distribution of financial and other resources to the Mt. Zion Schools. These resources shall be used to provide students with expanded and enriched learning opportunities. 
 

The Board of Trustees   

Betsy Tanner Chairman

Mary Swartz Vice Chairman

Jamie Foster Treasurer

Ross Munsterman, Secretary

Jessica Allen

Zack Anderson

Amy Brammer

Tricia Erickson

Lisa Flora

Amanda Jones

Eric Law

Billy Rockey

Kylee Roney

Cash or Checks

Personal Property

Memorial

Securities

Please consider helping our students and teachers this year by donating!!

During the past 33 years, the Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education has provided over 2 million dollars for projects.

Once again, the Mt. Zion Foundation for Quality Education has made a remarkable impact on our schools by providing generous grants that enrich classrooms and create exciting new opportunities for our students. This year’s funded projects reflect a diverse array of enhancements across all grade levels, deeply impacting literacy, STEM, the arts, and student well-being.

Literacy & Classroom Modernization

The Foundation placed a strong emphasis on reading and classroom updates this year. Early literacy received a major boost with new decodable book sets, matching digital resources, and specialized storage. The Intermediate School’s thriving Battle of the Books program was fully supported with new Bluestem Award book sets and student incentives for all 4th and 5th-grade classrooms. Classroom spaces were refreshed with new collaborative art tables, reading rugs, library graphic novels, and everyday organizational essentials. Furthermore, new iPad technology was integrated to allow teachers to model thinking and annotate lessons in real time.

Advanced STEM & Hands-On Labs

In the science department, learning became highly interactive through major equipment upgrades and specialized tools:

• Medical Training: High school Anatomy and Physiology students gained real-world clinical experience using new class sets of blood pressure cuffs and synthetic skin with simulated wounds for suturing practice.
• Lab Upgrades: Classrooms were outfitted with updated safety hot plates, precision electronic digital balances, and mini portable microscopes for outdoor field studies, alongside new logic games to teach deductive reasoning.

Arts, Music, & Vocational Skills

Creative expression and life-skills programs flourished thanks to the Foundation's generosity:

• The Arts: Funding for students participating in the high school musical production.
• Music: The 5th and 6th-grade music programs received updated marching percussion and a full set of high-quality classroom ukuleles.
• Vocational Training: The Blooming Braves Brew Crew was launched, allowing intermediate special education students to operate an in-school coffee shop to build invaluable real-world vocational, social, and financial skills.

Experiential Learning & Student Support

Beyond traditional textbooks, grants helped bring lessons to life through vibrant community experiences and peer mentorship. Second graders enjoyed hands-on art classes at the Decatur Area Arts Council and interactive wildlife lessons from the Scovill Mobile Zoo. Sixth graders engaged in an immersive, interdisciplinary Winter Olympics and Ancient Greece unit that culminated in an ice skating field trip, while other classes took part in virtual field trips and Macon County Nature Program visits. Finally, the Foundation continued to provide funding for pivotal high school programs as high schoolers hosted the annual Probability Fair for younger peers, and The Tribe freshman mentoring program received vital funding to support incoming students and foster a positive school climate.