Encouragement. Involvement. Achievement. About Alumni Events Programs Scholarship Program EKC Scoreboard Partnership Meet Our Board A group of dedicated volunteers helps guide the Foundation and its activities. If you are interested in becoming a board member, please contact any member of the current board or call the Foundation office at (402) 289.1727. Board members serve a four-year term, with a maximum of two terms. Building Representatives (new in 2020) serve a one-year term. Executive Board Chad Rutar, President Laurie Willburn, Secretary Forrest Newburg, Treasurer Members at Large Dr. Bary Habrock, Superintendent Jason Bartling, Past-President Renee Vokt, School Board Liason Katy Bode Laura Burford Torri Criger Dennis Curtis Jill Ehlers Alison Johnson Eric Little Barry McArdle Scott Moore Desiree O’Shea Kendra Ringenberg Building Representatives Ryan Broshar, Elementary School Representative Mark Kalvoda, High School Representative Mike Tomjack, Middle School Representative Chad Rutar, President Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? I have two daughters, Joe & Savvy. Our school system mentors, teaches, and molds the two most important aspects of my life, my daughters. The school system also molds the community around us. When your children are involved in school activities, you naturally interact with other parents, and it’s these interactions that make up the fabric of the surrounding community. Without a strong school system, the community does not thrive. Where do you hope to see the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation in 5 years? In five years I would like to see the EPSF be the gold standard when it comes to foundations. EPSF would not only continue its way in scholarships, but be more interwoven with its alumni. It would be amazing to see effort and funding going into two-year vocational education programs. There is a rising need for workers in the trades, and the community would be a direct benefactor of these efforts. Laurie Willburn, Secretary Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Like many families, we choose to live in Elkhorn due to the great school district. I feel like the education that my children have received at EPS has helped prepare my kids for success in college and in life. In addition to learning the standard curriculum, EPS also offers smaller classroom sizes, teachers that really care about our students, both academically and personally, and a wide variety of extracurricular activities outside of the classroom. What is your favorite thing about Elkhorn? Elkhorn provides the best of both worlds. I love the small-town feel and our tight-knit community, but we also have all amenities that living next to Omaha provides. I honestly feel like it is the best place to live in the whole state! Forrest Newburg, Treasurer Why is the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation’s mission important to you? The EPS Foundation’s mission is important to me because it helps sustain a virtuous circle that exists between a high-quality public education system and a strong community. What extracurricular or outside interests do you have? We purchased a traveling camper this year. So we have been enjoying some quality family time in the great outdoors with our three bulldogs. Dr. Bary Habrock, Superintendent Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Ronda and I are forever grateful to have raised our three children in the Elkhorn Public Schools. They thrived in an enriching and challenging environment that prepared them academically for the next step. What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? My favorite thing about Elkhorn is the quality of our teachers, administrators, and support staff that are surrounded by a supportive community and generous Foundation. Jason Bartling, Past-President Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? I have two kids attending EPS. I value the educational programs they get to choose from and the athletic programs they can participate in. EPS is a growing School District, but I’ve always appreciated the teacher/student ratio, along with the overall quality of the entire EPS staff. The education provided and the quality of teachers has always been tops in the state in my mind. Where do you hope to see the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation in 5 years? The School District itself, continues to grow at a rapid pace. The Foundation has to take advantage of that growth and grow equally. In 2018/2019, the Foundation invested over $900,000 in programs to support students, teachers, and schools. A large portion of those dollars are ACHIEVE and Community Funded Scholarships (approximately one-third). I would like to see the Foundation double those dollars over the next five years. We must continue to educate our students on the ACHIEVE Program, as well as strengthen our relationship with the local business community and alumni to grow our Community Funded Scholarships. Ryan Broshar, Elementary School Representative Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? EPS is important to me because strong schools provide our children with opportunities to pursue their passions and live meaningful and successful lives. What is your favorite thing about Elkhorn? My favorite thing about Elkhorn is the strong community support around the importance of high-quality education. This community believes in the importance of providing our children with the best education possible and works in conjunction with our school system to ensure that our children receive the best. Mark Kalvoda, High School Representative What do you hope to contribute to the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation? As a high school principal in the district, my aim is to further connect the Foundation to our schools and present the ground reality of the great things we have going on in our high schools. I also think my membership will assist in the alignment of EPS goals with the Foundation’s goals. Through transparent conversations over the past two years, tremendous strides have been made to calibrate the missions. What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? Without question, my favorite thing about Elkhorn is the people. The support of and value placed on education in our community, the pride that our students take in our school, the tremendous efforts of our teachers to support high levels of learning for ALL students– it all adds up to a tremendous school district. Mike Tomjack, Middle School Representative Why is the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation’s mission important to you? Elkhorn has such a strong history of community support, and the Foundation plays a key role in allowing the community to support our great school system. The more we can connect with our patrons, the stronger our schools and community will be. We are all in this together! Where do you hope to see the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation in 5 years? I want the Foundation to continue to build great relationships within our community. I want us to be open-minded and creative as we solve problems and search for new and innovative ways to connect our community with our schools. I want our community members to be proud of the work of the schools and be inspired to get involved in supporting our schools and students. Renee Vokt, School Board Liason Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Elkhorn Public Schools are important to me for multiple reasons. The obvious one, my three boys all attend EPS and I’ve always been involved in their classrooms and schools. I love engaging with students and watching them as they grow. I also love the sense of community that is witnessed throughout the Elkhorn community even as we continually grow each year. It’s imperative we keep our focus on each and every student, as well as teachers and administration as we continue to grow. Where do you hope to see the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation in 5 years? I hope the Foundation can grow in the help they provide to the Elkhorn Public Schools community. The opportunities they provide in Classroom Grants, Scholarships, and EKC is fantastic, and I’d love to see us grow in those areas as the District continues to expand. Katy Bode Why is the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation’s mission important to you? The Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation is one of the most important and far-reaching organizations in Elkhorn, which benefits all students in the district. As soon as my daughter started Kindergarten at West Bay Elementary, it was evident to me that the programs supported by the Foundation are critical to enhancing the educational experience of students. I immediately bought into the mission of the Foundation after receiving my first Foundation Newsletter which talked about Classroom Grants, Math & Reading Intervention programs, scholarships, and more. With growing school enrollment, the Foundation requests for support, and overall footprint continues to expand. I am proud to serve on the board to continue the great work done by, and the mission of, the Foundation. What extracurricular or outside interests do you have? I have served two years as Vice President and two years as President of the West Bay Elementary Parent Teacher Organization. The first two years were challenging since the school was new to the district. I worked hard to help establish and document various committee and classroom party guidelines and standards. I created the volunteer committee listing, started the Corporate Sponsorship Program, and the School Supply Packs Program. Other boards I currently serve on are Platte Valley Bank, the North Bend Chamber of Commerce, the Nebraska Bankers Association Voluntary Employee Benefit Association, and the Nebraska Bankers Association Education Advisory Committee. Laura Burford Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? I’m a lifelong Elkhorn resident and EHS graduate. My parents, aunts, uncles, brother, nephews, and two of my kids have all graduated from Elkhorn. I have a 7th grader at EMS now. Elkhorn is HOME and Elkhorn schools are key to the development of outstanding young people and the citizens that make Elkhorn the awesome community that it is. We have always had an excellent school system in Elkhorn, and I’m happy to be part of a foundation that provides resources and support to make it even better. What extracurricular or outside interests do you have? I love to read non-fiction books. Continuous learning is a passion. Torri Criger Why is the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation’s mission important to you? The EPSF serves an important role in engaging the community to provide support to the Elkhorn Public Schools. As school budgets become tighter, the EPSF can help provide students and staff with opportunities they might otherwise have to go without. EPSF also serves as an advocate for the Elkhorn school district and public schools within the community. EPSF is truly a great asset to the district. Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Elkhorn is an excellent school district. It has fantastic and talented teachers and staff. It provides for great neighborhood schools. It really serves as a center for the community. Dennis Curtis Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? I wanted to be on the EPSF Board to be able to give back to the school I graduated from. Being an Elkhorn High School Graduate, I felt I needed to give back to the school that helped me achieve my career goals. What do you hope to contribute to the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation? I’m very interested in working with the Elkhorn Kids Campus program. Being a retired school counselor, I see the value of an after school program that has a strong focus on academic assistance. Jill Ehlers Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? My children will go to EPS and having them attend a district that is one of the best is something I think every parent would be happy about. The EPSF’s partnership with Elkhorn Public Schools, ensures the support for various programs, grants, and needs are aligned with the district’s goals to continue to provide opportunities for all students. What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? I love the community support and involvement. Alison Johnson Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Elkhorn Public Schools are important to me because all three of my girls are in the school system! I also attended Elkhorn Public Schools. I feel so blessed to be a part of such an amazing public school system and hope to help maintain and increase its excellence. What is your favorite thing about Elkhorn? My favorite thing about Elkhorn is the strong community foundation, and the “family feeling” it brings, even though it is a large public school district. Eric Little What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? We love being able to have access to all of the conveniences of a major metro area like Omaha, while still being able to experience the small-town feeling of Elkhorn. Whether we’re having a special treat at Dairy Chef, attending a community event at Ta-Ha-Zouka, or just picking up some groceries at Family Fare, we can always count on seeing familiar, friendly faces! What extracurricular or outside interests do you have? I have always had a passion for kids, so volunteering as a little league baseball coach and as a facilitator for Junior Achievement are two of my favorite activities. Every teacher, every coach, every person in a role that involves a child has an opportunity to make a positive impact on that kid. They have a chance to be that kid’s best teacher or best coach. I love having the opportunity to work with kids, and my limited time in the classroom through JA has only enhanced the respect that I have for the teachers and administrators in our EPS schools. Barry McArdle What do you hope to contribute to the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation? My hope is to contribute a well-rounded perspective to the board to help the Foundation be as successful as possible. I am an Elkhorn native and a 3rd generation Elkhorn business owner. My Grandfather was one of the founders of the Foundation which makes being part of it all the more special. I also have two children in the district which I believe helps put board decisions in perspective. Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? Elkhorn schools are important to me because I feel they are a reflection of the community and its commitment to the success of future generations. Scott Moore What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? I have lived here since 1972 and I have witnessed the growth of this community. Shopping centers that once were cornfields, farm homesteads that are now thriving residential developments– The one thing that has stayed constant is the involvement that the community has with its public school system. Our success as a school district is directly related to the involvement of the parents, grandparents, and the community in general. What extracurricular or outside interests do you have? I love to work outside with my hands. I love clearing trees, working in my flower garden, splitting wood for fires, and mowing. We live in such a pristine area with the ability to go outside and smell the fresh air and look up in the night sky and still see the stars. On a side note, I still love hearing the noon siren of the volunteer fire department from Waterloo. It was not long ago that Elkhorn had this daily occurrence. When I was at school as a child, hearing that siren meant that you were 5 minutes away from lunch. Desiree O’Shea Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? I want to give back to my school district with the goal that all of our kids will have the best educational and extracurricular opportunities. I want our EPS families to feel the support of the community and be lifted up by those around them. Our teachers are amazing and deserve all the support we can give them. What do you hope to contribute to the Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation? I will contribute my time and effort to keep programs running and support the best interest of our children when decisions are being made. Kendra Ringenberg Why are Elkhorn Public Schools important to you? As a parent of a high school student, a middle school student, and an elementary school student, the continued success of the Elkhorn Public Schools is of the utmost importance to me. I want the best education and the most opportunities for my kids, my nieces and nephews, and all of their friends. I think that Elkhorn Public Schools is the place to make that happen. I am surrounded by Elkhorn alumni that have gone on to do wonderful things for their communities and professions and it all stems from a great foundation provided through the school system, the community, and families. I have been so impressed by the goal to constantly improve the system and bring more to the students! What’s your favorite thing about Elkhorn? Having grown up in a small town in western Nebraska, it was important to me to have the feel of a small town with the opportunities that a larger community can provide. I believe Elkhorn is the perfect balance of these with small-town values and a close-knit community alongside significant opportunities in education and otherwise. "We make a LIVING by what we get. We make a LIFE by what we give." - Winston Churchill Join Us! Sign up for our e-mail list to get Foundation news, event details, invitations, and more! EPSF News #GivingTuesday 2021 Math & Reading Assistance TEAM Campaign 2021 Elkhorn Public Schools Foundation | © 2018 EPSF 20272 Veterans Dr. Elkhorn, NE 68022 | 402.289.1727 | Fax:402.289.3716 Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn YouTube