About the Fund

Excite | Enrich | Excel

Our Mission

The New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence supports our school system and its extraordinary, diverse student body through advancing equity, excellence and inspiring all public school students.

Our Vision

The New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence partners with the City School District of New Rochelle and engages the broader New Rochelle community to develop, fund and implement high-quality educational and enrichment programming that enhances the school experience and helps students thrive and succeed along their educational journey.

Our Values

Integrity

support honest and open relationships

Empathy

cultivate positive, caring interactions

Accessibility

open to all regardless of race, class, or ability

Respect

emphasize positive self-image and acceptance

Confidence

empower our next generation to succeed in college and career

Innovation

foster opportunities beyond the District budget

Creativity

provide space and time for reflection and expression

Community

forge bonds across the diverse population of New Rochelle

Volunteerism

encourage and facilitate civic engagement

    Our History

    In 1996, the Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools and members of the community collaborated to establish the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence to support and enhance the learning experiences of students in the City School District of New Rochelle (CSDNR). The NR Fund’s goal was to offer additional student learning opportunities in the New Rochelle public school system and preserve its long-standing tradition of educational excellence. The organization became a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit foundation in 1998.

    Over nearly three decades, the NR Fund has supplemented the CSDNR’s operating budget with remarkable programs such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center benefit concerts featuring hundreds of NRHS performers, Literary Festivals celebrating authors past and present, and the Science Speakers Bureau, bringing fascinating scholars and researchers to NRHS.

    The Fund's ongoing work, carried out almost entirely by volunteers with faculty support, continues to enrich the lives of countless New Rochelle public school students. The Board of Directors — parents, teachers, community leaders, the Superintendent of Schools and a Board of Education representative — oversees the Fund's operations with the dedicated assistance of one part-time staff member. Currently, the Fund supports Chess Instruction, the Civics Fair, the Museum of Art & Culture, Poetry Out Loud, reduced-cost SAT and ACT prep courses, and grants. Income from generous donations, bequests, and the Fund's annual Foundation Awards Gala sustains these impactful programs.