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Partnership Fund

Mission and Objectives
Governance
Accountability
Board of Directors
Advisory Boards
Board Committees
About Our Staff

Mission and Objectives

Northrup Grumman representatives with TJ students

Northrup Grumman representatives work with TJ students at the TJ Star Symposium in May 2009.

Mission:
The mission of TJSST Partnership Fund as stated in the bylaws, updated December 20, 2006, under “Purpose:” 

“Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Partnership Fund, Inc. is formed to establish and maintain a self-sustaining fund to fulfill the ongoing needs of the educational programs of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.”

Objectives:
Measurable goals, both annual and longer-term in nature, related to the following four qualitative objectives define success for the Partnership Fund.

  1. Filling the resource need gap (dollars generally or  specifically and/or defined in-kind resources)
  2. Increasing the number of Donors
  3. Increase awareness and impact of the Partnership Fund
  4. Build the Endowment

Our Approach:
The parent-driven Partnership Fund focuses its efforts on fundraising and generating gifts to TJ.  Decisions about how to spend the funds and utilize the gifts are at the discretion of the school's administration and faculty.  To that end, the Partnership Fund's efforts track TJ's priority needs as determined by the school.

These priorities tend to reside in the school's Research Laboratory Division – the curriculum that makes TJ unique among high schools in the area.  The labs utilize expensive equipment and technologies that are in many cases obsolete or in need of refurbishing.  However, all academic curricula and programs are eligible for support by the Partnership Fund.

Because TJ's needs are so great, the Partnership Fund has taken the essential step of recruiting a professional fundraiser.  This individual reports directly to the chairman of the Fund's Board of Directors, who is, like all the other members of the Board, a volunteer. 

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Governance

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Accountability

The TJ Partnership Fund is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization registered with the IRS and the Commonwealth of Virginia. 

We participate in the United Way and are subject to that organization’s rules and regulations.

The Fund is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, supported by the services of an independent accounting firm and a separate, also independent, auditing agency.  Members of the Board of Directors exercise their fiduciary responsibilities to the Fund is the following ways:

  1. Occasional in-person or conference call meetings of the Executive Committee, which is comprised of the Board’s officers;
  2. Monthly in-person or conference call meetings of the Board of Directors itself;
  3. Monthly financial reports prepared and presented to the Board by the Treasurer in consultation with the accounting firm;
  4. The Fund maintains a Finance Committee and an Audit Committee to oversee the Fund’s financial operations;
  5. Membership on the Board of Directors by individuals who are parents of TJ students and by individuals who have no direct connection to TJ other than a willingness to serve;
  6. Membership on the Board by at least two representatives of TJ itself, one of whom is the principal;
  7. Open meetings which all interested parties may attend;  
  8. Ready public access to our basic financial statements and to our annual tax return (“IRS Form 990”). 

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Board of Directors

Officers:
Mark Skolnik, Chairman
ExxonMobil
Parent '11

Leslie Dupree Culman, Treasurer
TJ Parent '13

Ellen S. Ranard, Esq., Secretary
Parent '07, '10

Advisory Board Chairs:
Julie Strategos, Chair, Corporate, Government, & Foundation Advisory Board
Lockheed Martin

Erik Petersen, Esq., Chair, Alumni Advisory Board
White & Case
TJ Alumni '89

Hilde Kahn, Chair, Parent Advisory Board
Parent '12

Committee Chairs:
Carrie Kilgore, CPA, Finance and Audit Committee Chair
Parent '10

Tom Goodwin, Nominating Committee Chair; Chair Emeritus, TJ Partnership Fund
Step One Communications
Alumni Parent '08

Pam Cooper, Esq., Events Chair
The Law Offices of Pamela C. Cooper, PLLC
Parent '13

Vacant, Communications Committee Chair

Vacant, Volunteer Chair

Representatives:
Dr. Evan Glazer
Ex Officio — TJHSST Principal

Mr. Bob Latham
TJHSST Faculty Representative

Dan Soschin, Chair Alumni Committee
TJHSST Alumni ‘95
Ex-Officio — TJHSST Alumni Association Representative

Louise Epstein
Ex- Officio — PTSA President
Parent '07, '11, '11

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Advisory Boards

The Partnership Fund has three Advisory Boards based on its constituency groups.  The Advisory Boards are chaired by members of the Board of Directors.  The Advisory Board members work with the Chair of the Advisory Board to develop a plan for outreach to the relevant constituency in order to meet the Board’s goals for fundraising from the constituency. 

Alumni Advisory Board — provides leadership for the cultivation, solicitation and recognition of TJ alumni donors.  (Members of the Alumni Advisory Board include TJHSST alumni and alumni and current TJHSST parents.)

Corporate, Government and Foundation Advisory Board — provides leadership for the planning and implementation of an effective overall corporate relations program that advances the portfolio of corporate investments in TJHSST.  Investment opportunities include: corporate mentorship partners, gifts-in-kind of equipment and products, and corporate philanthropic financial support for academics and research.  (Members of the Corporate, Government and Foundation Advisory Board include representatives of companies, governments, associations and foundations as well as alumni, current parents and alumni parents who work for these entities.)

Parent Advisory Board — recruits and organizes parent class leaders, parent and alumni parent volunteers to support the Partnership Fund's mission, including: the annual year end appeal and other parent appeals, parent to parent phonathon, education and outreach to TJ parents.  (Members of the Parent Advisory Board include current and alumni TJHSST parents.)

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Board Committees

Executive Committee — responsible for the day-to-day operational decisions of the Partnership Fund; may exercise all powers of the Board of Directors in the management and affairs of the Partnership Fund so long as its actions are within the fiscal year budget adopted by the Board of Directors.  Members of the Executive Committee are the current officers (the Chairman of the Board, the Vice-Chairman of the Board, the Treasurer, and the Secretary), and the Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee.

Communications Committee — guides the development of effective Media Relations, Print/Video/Web Site production, ongoing donor education, campus tours, and donor recognition and provides special event support.

Finance and Audit Committee — responsible for the development of the organization's annual budget, financial plan, and external audit process; including: implementation, ongoing review and annual fund allocations, and general oversight of corporate governance and compliance issues.

Nominating Committee — works throughout the year to identify potential candidates for the Board of Directors, and with the support and input of the officers, formulates the final slate for board approval.

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About Our Staff

The Partnership Fund employs one staff member, Ellen Smith, Development Associate.  In addition to running the office, Ellen interfaces with all constituencies and the school administration, oversees database management, and coordinates PF information and activities. If you have questions about the Partnership Fund, please contact Ellen Smith at 703-750-8317 or JeffersonPartnershipFund@tjhsst.edu.

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