The Foundation has awarded between $60,000-$70,000 to the community in the last 10 years. This money has always been used towards education and grants for things that are not always budgeted for each school. These funds are awarded to all teachers across our district. These projects tend to be out of the box and are used for materials and activities that will enhance students learning. These grants would not be available without the help from the facility, alumni, and our community. 

Here is a list of grants there were awarded for the 2020-2021 School Year:

One of the grants in our high school went to purchase plants and herbs for a garden. The teachers are hoping it will encourage and teach responsibility to those students on how to take care of plants. It will definitely increase their knowledge of the science behind how plants grow. What a great reward for them when they will get to use their harvest in their cooking and daily living lessons.

Mrs. Geotz and Mrs. Lampman were given funds to help with the district initiative to focus on Social-Emotional Learning. They used the money to focus on staff self-care. They were thrilled to receive these funds and have been using them for multiple health and wellness challenges. This has increased staff self-care, which leads to a positive impact on the students and their success. 

In middle school, both Jayme Nies and Sara Merritt were awarded funds to receive a document camera. Jayme Nies, our 6th & 7th-grade teacher said that this will make it easier for instruction to take place and help students better understand what is happening in the classroom. She also hopes that this will increase the instructional means of the classroom by allowing for another method of teaching. Sara Merritt is an 8th-grade teacher at the middle school. She will be able to project her notes and examples very quickly. It also gives both teachers the ability to present student examples. They both agree that this tool will really help out in their classrooms. 

Over at Robison Elementary, 1st-grade teacher Casey Jack is putting the money toward Busy Bags. These are a bag that all first graders will be given. It will include their own technology-free items to work with at their desks during recess or any spare moment in the school day. The main purpose is for days where students cannot go outside to play and includes precautions for COVID-19. These bags will be given out with the hopes of reducing stress and anxiety. This will also give kids the chance to play without the use of technology. 

The final award went to Waterford Elementary. 5th-grade teacher Alicia Colletta she obtained a document camera. She stated that going between two classrooms with COVID-19 is very difficult so using this type of camera is very helpful to interact with the students. She hopes that this will improve PSSA scores with daily writings and try to close that learning gap that was left due to COVID-19 and online learning. Mrs. Klins’ 2nd-grade class received Boogie Boards. These boards are magnetic and provide a different way of learning and keeping 2nd graders’ attention. They also allow for germs not to be spread and the students can show their work for math class and improve their handwriting and cursive. Mrs. Klins said that the students really seem to enjoy using them and they have been very helpful in the classroom.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this project. This year we have been able to provide about $2,500 in grants. President Dennis Fortin says “It has been great over the past 10 years to help fund incredible opportunities for Fort LeBoeuf”.