Charles W. and Phyllis B. Brodhead Memorial Fund

I can’t state strongly enough how important IPEI is to the students of the Ithaca schools. IPEI is behind so much that enriches and excites the daily experiences of so many students throughout the district.

— ICSD Teacher
  • Chuck Brodhead collaborated with Stuart Basefsky and other friends and family members to create the Phyllis B. Brodhead Library Media Technology Grants after her death.  Chuck (aka Charles W. Brodhead), a founding board member of IPEI who continued active participation until his death in 2011, made a generous bequest to IPEI that has resulted in a new fund in both of their names.

    Beginning in fall 2012, several IPEI Red and Gold Grants each year will be designated by the review committee and announced that they are in memory of Chuck Brodhead for his many instrumental contributions to IPEI’s growth and success.

    This planned gift from his estate also supported The IPEI Campaign: Our Children * Our Schools * Our Future.  Chuck participated in the strategic planning process that lead IPEI to start a capital campaign.

    Grants in Phyllis’ memory honor her 33 year career as teacher and librarian at Boynton Middle School during which she realized the educational value of technology in school settings. For example in 2012-13, ICSD Teacher Librarians requested funds to purchase Playaways that will be housed at Boynton and available for loan to other ICSD libraries.  Playaways are digital audio books in a self-contained, portable unit. They offer challenged readers an opportunity to hear a book professionally read aloud while following the text. Listening to text while seeing the book is technically known as shared reading and it’s a powerful tool for developing fluency, vocabulary, story sense, and comprehension.

    Chuck’s bequest is the first estate gift to be actualized to benefit IPEI.  IPEI created the Brodhead Society to recognize all who have named IPEI as a beneficiary in their wills.  For more information, contact the IPEI Executive Director or Development Committee Chair.