Below is a letter from ELF to the District 64 community:
We are sad to share that the District 64 Elementary Learning Foundation, more widely known in the community as ELF, has dissolved our organization effective February 21st, 2023. Due to several challenges, including current trustees’ limited availability and recruitment difficulties, we chose to make the difficult decision to dissolve. It is our hope that along with support from the D64 Administration and D64 Board of Education, ELF may be revamped and reorganized in the future.
We, our Board of Trustees, will be leading the dissolution alongside our accountant to ensure the remaining funds are dispersed according to our By-Laws, which states “Upon the dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation, and after payment of provision for just debt and liabilities, all remaining assets shall be distributed to the Board of Education of the Park Ridge-Niles Community Consolidated School District 64”. It is the intent of D64 to disperse any funds equally among the 7 D64 schools.
We are so proud to have served the D64 community for over 25 years, awarding more than $835,ooo in direct grants funding innovative and imaginative educational learning projects throughout all of the schools in our district including funding for mini-labs, flexible furniture, coding kits, mud kitchens, portable PA systems, mentoring programs, media labs, and so much more.
We will forever remember the fun and excitement of the Annual ELF Casino night, the friendly competition and community spirit that the Halloween Hustle brought to Park Ridge and all of the support from our Park Ridge Community.
We want to extend our thanks to all of the past ELF trustees whose time, dedication and efforts kept the mission of their work as their priority and focus, allowing ELF to support and enhance D64 students’ learning experiences. We want to thank everyone who made our local events such a success, including the City of Park Ridge and Cafe La Cave who hosted several events and all of the numerous area businesses and organizations who generously sponsored our events or assisted in fundraising.
We want to thank all of the D64 staff and administration and all of the schools’ PTO/As, who staunchly supported ELF by spreading the word about our mission and promoting our fundraising events - including, submitting fun videos for the Halloween Hustle or being guest Casino dealers at our Casino nights. And finally, we want to thank the entire D64 ELF community for all of the love and support throughout the years. We are truly so appreciative of everything you have done for ELF.
Sincerely with the greatest thanks,
Mike Schaab, ELF Chair
Jennifer Adams, ELF Secretary
Laura Dini and Chandra Kearney, ELF Board Trustees