A new foundation with a goal to enhance the educational offerings at Cooperstown Central School will soon begin a fundraising campaign aimed at creating an endowment for the school.

The Cooperstown Foundation for Excellence in Education is a not-for-profit private foundation by that was formed in the mid 1990s, but "lost its wind" and languished for a number of years, said Tony Scalici, the foundation's treasurer.

Scalici, who has been a member of the school board for nearly a decade, said that last year he talked to other school board members about it and made it a goal to revitalize the foundation.

He found area residents interested in the foundation's purpose and re-formed the board of directors and filed for tax-exempt status.

With that in place, Scalici said the group is nearly ready to send out a fundraising letter to school alumni and other interested individuals.

He said group also plans to promote the idea of giving to the foundation through living trusts and wills.

The original idea was to set up an endowment fund and only spend the money generated by the principal. The problem, Scalici said, is that there are limitations.

"It could be several years before we have enough money to do anything significant," he said. "We realize that until there are tangible results it's hard to get people to give."

The foundation is focused away from scholarships because they are directly at fewer students and there is already a good scholarship program in place at the school.

"Scholarships are fine, but we're looking for things that benefit the widest number of students.

School superintendent Mary Jo McPhail, who serves as an ex offico member of the foundation's board, agrees. The school, she said, is fortunate to be able to provide so many scholarships to students so the foundation is seeking to support activities that benefit students who are still in the district.

"The dollars from the foundation would stay here to benefit students," she said.

Scalici said the foundation is aimed at providing things the school is not able to.

The foundation is currently working on a needs assessment and is talking to faculty and staff at the school to solicit ideas.

"We want to enhance what the teachers do," he said. "The school has obligations and limitations and this is a step outside that."

Stephanie Bauer, the foundation board's president, said that they have a good, cohesive, committed and hard working board and have been reaching out to teachers and asking what they would like to be able to do if they had the money.

Suggestions have included making musical instruments available to students who want to play them, bringing in speakers and experts for brief residency programs, and expanded field trip opportunities.

"Currently there are supporters for sports and art and music and we want to be broader based," said Bauer, who has four children in the system.

Bauer said that while large donations are important, smaller gifts over time add up and she hopes people will give what they can knowing that ultimately it will benefit the students and community.