Brianna's Bulletin: May 2025

Hi friends,

I’m Brianna Kennedy, the Interim Executive Director of DPS Foundation as of May 12. I came to DPSF in 2020 after leaving the classroom, where I taught middle school social studies and math throughout my career (Go Neal Eagles!). I also graduated from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) before later earning my Master’s of Education Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. My passion for public education started as an afterschool volunteer at C.C. Spaulding Elementary School while a student at NCCU.

Some of you may have shuddered or giggled at your middle school experience, and trust me, our kids will eventually have the same thoughts. I still have them myself, even though I’ve experienced middle school now from a different perspective as an educator.

What I carry with me from my teaching days is the drive to support our DPS educators. We at DPSF feel it is crucial to uplift these professionals as leaders within their school buildings and the broader community. We feel, in order for teachers to succeed, they must have opportunities to grow in their practice, share commonalities with students, and build true partnerships with parents. These factors can make or break a new and even a veteran teacher's experience. 

Our work at the Foundation is meant to support a thriving ecosystem where our students and educators can find opportunities to nurture their passions and dream boldly of what’s possible, even amid uncertainty. That’s why I’m so proud of the work we do to invest in school-level grants. 

This body of work has been part of the fabric at the Foundation. This is where we get a front row seat to someone’s dream coming true, and it is a truly rewarding sight to behold. 

Our application portal for our Innovation Grants and WHOLE Schools Fund opened on the 15th. And this year, applying is easier than ever. So if you’re a DPS student, teacher, staff, administrator, or family member, we invite you to visit our site to learn more and dream with us. 

If you’re not part of a school community, you still have an important role to play! We ask that you help spread the word about our yearly grants cycle. You can even water the seed for the next innovator within DPS by donating to support our work. Since we started awarding grants,  we’ve supported at least one project at each DPS school.  Your support can go a long way in sparking innovation within our schools.

We are so excited to see what our DPS community dreams up this year, and we can’t wait to share more information with you later this fall.

Thank you for continuing to champion our public schools.