Novi Educational Foundation

About Us

Our Mission

The Novi Educational Foundation (NEF) enriches the educational experience of all students by supporting opportunities that require financial resources beyond what is possible with public funding.

● The NEF is passionate about developing students’ social, emotional and mental health skills. These skills include leadership, interpersonal communication, relationship building, conflict management, critical thinking, and self-confidence.

● We execute this mission by providing funds for district-wide programs, grants, and
scholarships. These funds are obtained through fundraising, individual contributions,
sponsorships, and endowments supporting our teachers, students, and their families

Our History

The Novi Educational Foundation (NEF) was formed in 1986 to help fund opportunities that will develop each student's potential combined with a world class education. The NEF is a student-focused organization dedicated to supporting your child's enrichment activities and educational programs through the use of funds beyond the districts capabilities.

The NEF thanks our founding members:

Ernie Aruffo
Terry Jolly
Tom Marcus
Carol Mason
Robert Schram
Fil Superfisky
Robert Piwko

Our Team

Executive Team

Dr. Katheryn Maguire President

Katheryn and her family are 14-year residents of Novi, moving to the city in 2008 for the excellent educational opportunities afforded by NCSD. Katheryn and her husband, Ron Kumon, have enjoyed volunteering to support their child, Katelyn (class of 2026) and students throughout the district in activities such as Girl Scouts, First Lego League, Invention Convention, Village Oaks Continuous Improvement Team, Novi Band, dance and swim. They also loved watching Katelyn thrive first in the Early Childhood Education programs and then as a student at Village Oaks Elementary, Novi Meadows, and Novi Middle School. Katheryn is Professor and Chair in the Dept. of Communication at Wayne State University, where she teaches in the areas of family and interpersonal communication and conducts research on the role of communication as people cope with stress in their relational lives. She looks forward to serving as a trustee on the NEF to support the students, teachers, and families of this diverse and dynamic community.

Sue Collins-Schroeder Executive Director

In 2020 I moved to Novi with my husband Ryan and our son Isaiah. Being new to the community I wanted to get involved and was introduced to NEF. Helping kids and giving back has always been a passion of mine and NEF seems like a great place to do that so I officially joined the Board of Trustees in July 2021.

As a trustee, I am hoping to help the NEF mission with my background in fundraising having worked with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association and South Lyon Youth Assistance.
In my spare time I enjoy watching Isaiah play soccer and run cross country, cheering on the Spartans and cuddling with our cats.

Trustees

Christine Long

Michael Crawford

Michael Crawford, Ph.D. is a leader at the intersection of education, workforce, and innovation. As Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at America Succeeds, Michael guides national research and partnerships to equip learners and earners with essential durable skills. With experience spanning roles in education innovation, nonprofit leadership, and competency-based learning, he has built impactful collaborations across sectors, designed transformative learning programs, and contributed to pioneering research.

A graduate of Novi High School ('02), Michael and his wife, Maureen (Novi High School '04), have two sons in the district.

Shayla Alexander

Shayla Alexander joined NEF during the 2024-2025 school year as a trustee, and joined both the Marketing & Finance committees. She has helped the organization to improve its marketing & engagement efforts, helping the community & those in the surrounding areas, become more familiar with the Novi Education Foundation and its mission to enrich the education experience of all students. Shayla has 22 years business experience in sales, marketing, operations, and creative design. She is also the mother of (1) teenage son, Darrell S. Williams who is a current student in the Novi Community School District. Her passion is to create a brighter future, by engaging those who have a desire to think & live outside of the box, on how they use their talents to do just that. We welcome Shayla to the board.

Melanie Scott-Dorsey

Melanie and her family moved to Novi in 2021 when they returned to Michigan after living in Austin, Texas for eight years.

Melanie and her husband, Steve, have a daughter who attends Novi Community Schools, class of '34. The family chose Novi for the educational opportunities, diversity and program offerings within NCSD.

As the daughter of a retired educator, Melanie is passionate about supporting educators and students. She joined the Board of Trustees in July 2023 in hopes of making a difference.

Melanie is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience. She has written for various publications and worked as a staff writer at The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Detroit Free Press.