ROGERS -- Teacher grants awarded this year by the Rogers Public Education Foundation were three times the amount last year.
Board members spent Tuesday and Wednesday visiting classrooms and awarding grants.
At A Glance
Rogers Public Education Foundation
The Rogers Public Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the mission of the Rogers School District through fundraising and annual grant awards.
Source: Staff Report
Last year board members doled out $40,000. This year they raised more money and gave out $122,000.
Some of the money was raised through the Rogers Public Education Foundation Wall of Distinction annual banquet.
Students raised a lot of the money that went to their teachers this year by selling saver cards, said Laurel Jackson, foundation board member. Children were given incentives for selling the cards, and the 16 participating schools got $1,000 per school for participating.
The cards provide discounts at participating merchants.
The most requested item last year was an iPad. Requests this year were more varied. Technology grants included iPads, but also software and a computer for a broadcasting class, a charging cart, laptop computers, Chromebooks and calculators.
Teachers received headphones for students, and there was a voice amplifier for a classroom. There was a software program to learn Spanish, money for Quiz Bowl projects, an archery program and a girls' fitness program, a kiln and two outdoor classroom projects.
Teachers at Joe Mathias Elementary School have been working toward getting an outdoors amphitheater seating classroom for the last year. Teacher Jennifer Sexton accepted the $2,000 grant for the school Tuesday afternoon.
"It's a big project with lots of pieces," Sexton said.
Grants ranged in size from $230 for literacy resources to $5,000 for music curriculum.
Cathy Davis, early childhood director, gathered children around teacher Amanda Vanderoef at the Rogers Pre-kindergarten Center as foundation board members handed her the envelope. A listening station with books on CD was a new addition to her classroom last year because of a grant, Vanderoef said. The new $479 grant means it will be stocked with more books.
Davis hugged Jackson after getting a grant of her own for $1,247 that will supply easel-sized books for classroom reading at the center. Pictures and big words make it easier for children to learn, Davis said. Some children are ready to begin reading when they leave the prekindergarten classrooms.
The need for prekindergarten education is great, and helps students transition into kindergarten, she said. State money is designated for kindergarten through 12th-grade education only.
"Our entire prekindergarten program is based on grants," Davis said.
The board began meeting about a month ago to review applications, said Hunter Fry, a board member and represents the Early Riser Rotary Club on the board.
"So many of our teachers work hard and put their own money back into the classroom," Fry said.
The descriptions on each grant detail how teachers will use the equipment and exactly what it will take to purchase it whether it is carpet squares or a combination of iPads and applications, Jackson said.
"They know exactly what they're going to be getting," she said.
Teachers were very excited to receive the awards, Jackson said.
"It has been a blast," she said.
NW News on 05/29/2014