History

The Goldin Foundation was started by Harriet Goldin in 1989 with the support of her family, Marshall, Shari, and Jay Goldin.  Ms. Goldin, an educator, recognized the need to attract new teachers as well as retain quality teachers. Establishing a vehicle for recognizing achievement versus awarding grants provides a way for colleagues to recognize and praise the “unsung heroes” in classrooms as well as those persons in the community who evidence commitment to the growth of young people. The validation of educators provides much needed morale as well as excitement to the profession. These educators  have further opportunities to “give back” to their profession by mentoring and  providing professional development, all of which  have impact on the lives of students.  Targeting charitable contributions with a mission and hands-on project execution also serves as a model for other citizens who want to “make a difference.”

The Goldin Foundation was first established in coordination with The Education Cooperative, a consortium of sixteen public school systems in metro-west Boston. The process includes dissemination of nomination packets to participating school systems, peer nomination, selection of recipients representing different levels, and an annual Educators Forum at which recipients share their projects and insights.  Educators' projects are publicized by the Goldin Foundation, and there is also a continuing Goldin Foundation Educators Network.  The latter includes forums with guest speakers and a multi-disciplinary listing describing award recipients' projects for purposes of providing professional development and/or consultation to other school systems and connecting with undergraduate and graduate students interested in becoming teachers in local colleges.  An Advisory Board, which is composed of representatives from different school systems and from elementary, middle school, high school, and administration levels, serves with the Goldin Family. Members have been former award recipients of Excellence for Education in their communities.

In 2000, the Goldin Foundation replicated its successful model, with successive groups operating as their own entities, including process and recognition. The EDCO Collaborative, serving twenty-one urban and suburban school districts in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, initiated the program in 2001.  In 2002, the program model was expanded to school systems in the Silicon Valley, CA region, now serving sixteen school districts.  In 2004, the program broadened its outreach to thirteen school systems served by the Region 4 Education Service Center in Houston, Texas.

Other sites will also be chosen in which to replicate the model. The Goldin Foundation will fund each successive group of school systems for a minimum of five years.  It will seek additional contributions to add to its perpetual endowment from sponsors in local communities and others interested in supporting education.  Also, the Foundation is willing to mentor other community and family groups who are interested in furthering the concept.