Announcing the Stephanie Trauner Memorial Fund

This week, our community experienced a profound loss with the passing of Stephanie Trauner, a beloved CSD teacher whose bright spirit and deep care shaped the lives of countless students and families. Stephanie was known for her warmth, curiosity, and the joyful energy she brought in and out of the classroom. Her impact on Decatur will be felt for years to come.

In the days since her passing, her family, friends, colleagues, and former students have come together in an extraordinary way—sharing stories, offering support, and looking for meaningful ways to honor the legacy she leaves behind. Together with her family and friends, Decatur Education Foundation has created the Stephanie Trauner Memorial Fund, a fund dedicated to supporting programs that reflect the values Stephanie modeled every day: joy, creativity, compassion, and a deep belief in every child’s potential.

Our collective goal is to raise $25,000 to endow this fund, ensuring that Stephanie’s influence continues to lift up students for generations. We invite all who knew Stephanie—or were touched by her work in any way—to join us in growing this fund in her honor.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Stephanie’s life, her extraordinary impact, and the light she brought to CSD.

Learn more or make a donation to the Stephanie Trauner Memorial Fund here:

We have enabled comments on this post for anyone wishing to share messages of support, reflections, or memories of Stephanie. These words mean so much to her family and to our school community.