Tom Built This Legacy

Since Tom’s passing in August of 2023, more people have become aware of the impact his generosity had on ISD 112 and the health of the arts scene throughout Carver County.

Here are a few of his generous acts that I bet he didn’t tell you about:

  • Funded the creation and founding of the Chanhassen High School Debate team 

  • Covered the ongoing expenses continuation of the Chanhassen High School Speech Team 

  • Personally funded students who couldn’t afford to attend the Drama Department’s week long annual trip to the International Thespian Festival’s theater intensive (2010-2016)

  • Helped create a 503c account to support students in the Fine Arts/Activities programs at both Chan and Chaska high schools

  • Quietly purchased a laptop computer for a student on the Chaska High School debate team who couldn’t afford to purchase one

  • Personally funding parts of the arts/music programs at Chan/Chaska high schools, including building expenses and materials costs for theatrical sets and props (multiple years 2010-2016)

  • Covered the transportation costs for students participating in the annual All-District Music Festival (Middle School Music Festival; multiple years) 

  • Co-founder of Carver County Arts Consortium, Founding board member

  • Supported and helped raise money to get larger trophy cases, awards spaces for Chanhassen High School  

  • Created a legacy of family support (Tony Stauber, speech coach; Anna Stauber, National Honors Society coach) for Fine Arts and Activities programs at Chan and Chaska high schools

Past Initiatives

Though SFLAF was officially founded in 2023, altruistic work with and for ISD 112 has been a part of the Stauber Family since Tom, Karen and their kids moved to the district in 1994. Here are some noteworthy initiatives that Tom spearheaded.

2013: iMatter*

Tom Stauber put together a citizens committee and worked alongside the ISD 112 School Board to successfully pass a $25 million dollar safety and technology referendum.

The project included renewing an existing levy to help continue to fund the district for ten more years and approving a capital projects levy for "Technology Learning and Security" putting new learning tools in the hands of our elementary and middle school students with state of the art netbooks and smart screens in classrooms. It also allowed for renovations to the entrance-ways of 13 district buildings implementing new entry safety procedures.

2015: itMatters*

A citizens committee, lead by Tom, passed this $66.7 million referendum. This initiative was written with five elements: repairs and betterment of existing district buildings, adding space in the form of classrooms to two elementary schools (Clover Ridge and Victoria), creating a a new, olympic-sized swimming pool and a heated, indoor athletics dome, both to be used as school facilities as well as for community education classes, adult workshops and extra-curricular spaces, and building a bus hub/depot to reduce wear and tear on district-owned busses. .

2019: Yes, Yes, Yes!*

Lead once again by Tom, a citizens committee worked hard to pass a new referendum during a tumultuous personal time and alongside challenging misinformation campaign. If passed, this referendum would have approved an operating levy increase of $550 per pupil, applicable for 10 years, a $111.6 million bond request to build a new elementary school in the district, reducing elementary class sizes across the district, and address deferred maintenance and building repair projects across the district. Finally the yes vote would have approved the continuation of the technology learning and security operating levy from the 2013 campaign.