What happens when teachers speak up—and a community listens? Something powerful begins.

The Adopt-A-School program was born from the CU Schools Foundation’s 2024 Strategic Planning process, deeply shaped by the voices of Unit 4 and District 116 educators who shared their needs, hopes, and challenges through surveys and listening sessions. What we heard loud and clear: our teachers need support—not more programs to manage, but real people and partnerships who can come alongside them and make their lives easier.

That call inspired the formation of an Adopt-A-School planning committee in Summer 2024. And that’s when the first hands were raised: Webber & Thies and UA Local 149 Plumbers and Pipefitters Union stepped up, eager to be a part of the pilot.

When Erin Tarr joined CUSF in late November 2024 as the Foundation’s first-ever Assistant Director she was handed the reins of the fledgling initiative. Through countless conversations with board members, educators, administrators, and community leaders, the program began to take shape in a meaningful and sustainable way.

Meet the First Partnerships

Our pilot partnerships officially launched with a few courageous early adopters on both the school and community side:

  • Webber & Thies Law Firm partnered with the Central High School Social Studies Department, showing how a local law firm can support high school educators through guest speaking and so much more.

  • UA Local 149 joined forces with Nathan Westerman, Industrial Arts teacher at Urbana High School, making it official with support from Business Manager Matt Kelly.

  • Kenwood Elementary School found a generous partner in Meadowbrook Church, stepping in to provide thoughtful support and encouragement to their staff and students.

  • Michael Vitoux, a long-time supporter of CUSF, also initiated a unique partnership focused on equity efforts at Franklin STEAM Academy under the Adopt-A-School umbrella.

We are incredibly grateful to these initial partners—both the educators and the community groups—for being willing to try something new. These partnerships have already sparked important conversations and creative ideas across the district about what authentic, sustainable school support can look like.

What We’ve Learned So Far

Through the pilot, a few clear models are emerging:

  • Elementary schools thrive when adopted by larger organizations like churches, neighborhood groups, or service clubs who can provide treats, notes of encouragement, volunteers for events, and small tokens of appreciation.

  • Middle schools benefit from small-to-medium businesses who can “adopt a team” (like 6th grade at Edison or 8th grade at Urbana M.S.), offering similar support plus curriculum-connected opportunities like guest speakers or field trips.

  • High schools are ideal for industry-aligned partnerships—law firms with social studies or English departments, engineers with math or science teachers—providing relevance, mentorship, and enrichment.

The Goal: Make Life Easier for Teachers

Each partnership is unique, based on what the organization can provide and what the school team truly needs. Our number one goal is simple: come alongside our teachers in a way that lifts them up—not adds to their plates.

Over time, we envision these relationships growing stronger, leading to a teaching community that feels seen, loved, and supported—and students and families who benefit from that uplift in countless ways.

Join Us: Let’s Build 10 Thriving Partnerships by the End of 2025

We’re just getting started. If your business, organization, church, or club wants to explore what it might look like to be part of the Adopt-A-School program, reach out to Erin Tarr at etarr@cuschoolsfoundation.org. There’s no one-size-fits-all model—we’ll build the right fit together.

We Are The Schools.

When our community shows up for teachers, everyone wins.

Let’s keep the momentum going!