HOW WE BEGAN

In 2001, community leaders in Comal County founded the Comal Public School Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit organization, to provide community support and resources for the students of the Comal Independent School District.  With financial support from businesses and individuals, CEF began awarding grants to various CISD campuses to enhance the learning process. The first large fundraiser, a Founders’ Drive, was held and more than $130,000 was pledged to support the mission.  
 
OUR FIRST RECOGNITION EVENT

The Foundation developed its first event to recognize the top graduating seniors from each of the district’s high schools.  Each year, the Jan Heckendorn Academic Recognition Banquet  provides an opportunity for CEF not only to recognize student excellence, but also teacher excellence.  Each student selects their most influential teacher and both are honored at this event.  The event's namesake, Jan Heckendorn, was a founding member of the CEF Board of Directors and played an integral role in the early success of the foundation. 

INVESTING IN OUR SCHOOLS

In 2004-2005, CEF initiated two special events that were not only very successful, but fun!  The first Comal Cajun Celebration featured great Cajun food, live entertainment, and live and silent auctions.  The event raised more than $37,000.  The other event, the GVTC Charitable Partnership Golf Classic, was coordinated and hosted by the Guadalupe Valley Telecommunications Cooperative and held at River Crossing Golf Club. The event netted more than $68,000 in its first year.  By the end of the 2004-2005 school year, CEF awarded almost $175,000 in classroom grants.  
 
As the year 2006-2007 wound down, the Board realized that the Foundation was growing and meeting the goals and ideas it initiated in 2001.  It became imperative that to continue this path, it was necessary to hire a full-time executive director.   CEF began a marketing campaign to highlight the accomplishments of the Foundation (CEF), including the use of a new name “Comal Education Foundation” and tag line “Enrich. Expand. Excel.”

WHERE WE ARE TODAY

Today, the Foundation is proud to announce that all CISD school campuses have received funding from the Foundation. Grant awards have totaled over $588,000 which includes the funding of district-wide initiatives:  

- 2006-2007 Quizdom Learning System 

- 2008-2009 Elementary Science 

- 2010-2011 Bus Education Saftey Television (B.E.S.T)

In 2011, the CEF broadened its Teacher Excellence Grant Program to include funding for all campuses beginning in the 2011-2012 school year. The campus funding program expansion was in response to the critical statewide budget crisis effecting all Texas public schools.

Help us empower all students to work to their highest potential; to provide resources for staff to motivate the students; and, to recognize students and staff for exemplary contributions.

Investing today for our children’s tomorrow…….Together we can Enrich, Expand, Excel.