Foundation awards $28,000 in teacher grants

The lives of hundreds of students in Pittsburg Community School District will be positively impacted by $28,000 in grants given to more than 30 teachers by the USD 250 Foundation Thursday afternoon.

The grants were awarded in a recognition ceremony at Pittsburg High School attended by the recipients, board members, school personnel, and media.

“This is a chance for us to publicly recognize teachers who are receiving this year’s round of teacher grants, and to say a big public thank you to the individuals and businesses who helped us raise funds for these grants,” said Foundation President Dawn McNay.

The Foundation began its teacher grant program in 2008. Fundraising comes from the annual fundraiser Night of Dragons, which this year is planned for Feb. 28 at Crestwood Country Club; reservations and sponsorships are being accepted until Feb. 19.

To date, the Foundation has awarded $236,259 in teacher grants to teachers at all four elementary schools, Pittsburg Community Middle School, and Pittsburg High School.

“Teachers use this money to help students achieve, explore, create, and engage at the next level,” McNay said.

This year, the support of the Elan Financial Group, Kansas Teachers Community Credit Union, and the Greenbush Learning Tree Institute have helped stretch dollars further. Representing those groups at the ceremony were Trista Shuster, Megan Young, and Kelly Peak.

"The Learning Tree Institute is thrilled to work with Elan and KTCCU to support the efforts of local educators.  We are most grateful to partner with the USD 250 Education Foundation to expand opportunities for teacher grants that honor and support the phenomenal teachers and projects for kids," Peak said.

Grant recipients, grouped by school, are as follows:

George Nettels

• Lacey O’Brien and Natalie Vanderbeck for supplies for a Glow Party Family Night to encourage families served by the Title program in reading and math.

  
  

• Whitney Rogers to expand the school’s gardening project in cooperation with VanBecelaere’s Greenhouse to include 60 portable container gardens.

  
  

• Stacy Foster for science supplies to help expand hands-on learning in magnetism, engineering, force and motion, and more.

Lakeside

• Mary Robinson for supplies for fifth graders to build individual free form sculptures in art class.

  
  

• Colby Sullivan and Morgan Kalm to fund an ESOL Family Night for 40 families for stronger parent-teacher connections and improved reading.

Meadowlark

• Tracy Coke for a classroom rug for a more comfortable and inviting learning environment for second graders.

  
  

• Abby Crandall for flexible seating options for a more collaborative classroom culture and dynamic learning space.

  
  

• Abby also is receiving funding for Mystery Science classroom kits to provide hands-on experiments and interactive lessons.

  
  

• Jamie Davidson to increase the number of instruments available to students in the music classroom.

  
  

• Angie Bolinger and Sarah Parrish to fund materials to fully implement Secret Stories reading program and for Really Great Reading kits.

  
  

• Kortney Rush to fund a whole class set of materials for the Really Great Reading program.

Westside

• Elementary counselors (including those from other elementary schools in the district) Katy Brown, Sean Kelley, Brandi Dalgarn, Melinda Degruson, and Kristine Gillispie for supplies for crafts, card and board games, and critical thinking activities used by Dragon Mentors and Mentees.

  
  

• Jennifer Ellis to replace aging books used in the Success for All reading lessons by more than 250 students.

Pittsburg Community Middle School

• Briana Baker, Amy Bartlow, Jessica Brown, Hannah Burns, Janet Maceli, Anatolia Ruiz, Dalaina Smith, and Ty Spurling to establish a school-wide student-run paper recycling program.

  
  

• Staci Hunt for a mobile storage for robotics kits and accessories as part of an enhanced STEM program.

• Christy Watt, Jordan Woods, James Cameron, for sets of equipment that will support health and fitness activities.

  
  

• John Laflen for hearing protection for students in construction courses that will also allow them to listen to instructional and safety videos.

  
  

• John also received grant funding to enhance a CNC router and to purchase a router lift – both machines used in construction courses.

  
  

• Melodee Knopp and Ashlei Bockover for supplies that will allow students to build and compare parallel and series circuits using snap kits.

  
  

• Megan Mantooth and Seth Ellenburg for six new, high-quality compound microscopes to enhance science labs and promote STEM skills.

  
  

• Kim O’Bray to update and expand the non-fiction section of the library to include 67 new, Perma-bound books in the sports genre.

  
  

• Leroy O’Bray for training/weight equipment to increase opportunities for safe, productive workouts by students.

Pittsburg High School

• Heather Burgess for ceiling light covers for four special education classrooms to provide a sensory calming environment.

  
  

• Anna Gudde for blazers for members of FBLA to comply with dress codes at competitions.

  
  

• Juli Holland for multicultural enrichment activities for ESOL students, including educational trips to Crystal Bridges, Wonders of Wildlife, and the Miners Museum.

  
  

• Cooper Neil for tools and supplies that will allow him to do band instrument repair.

  
  

• Nicole Foster for equipment and technology for use by multimedia students in printing portraits and posters.

  
  

• Sheila Sandford on behalf of the Science Department, for earth and space science lab equipment for more engaging lessons.

  
  

• Carmen Seely for a set of professional microphones for use by students in Literature and Film Class.

  
  

• Steven Seeley for professional insect traps, animal track molds, and storage boxes for mud boots – all to help support scientific aquatic exploration.

Additionally, each elementary school was granted $500 for field trips.

“Take a look around this room today,” said McNay. “Just imagine the number of students who are being impacted by these teachers on a daily basis. They’re doing innovative, imaginative, important things in our classrooms.”

“Now, imagine this funding helping them take it just a bit further, to the next level, and the impact that will have," she added. "We’re proud to be able to help them make that happen, but we couldn’t do it without the support of our donors and our community."

More details and photos of the grant projects will be shared on the Foundation’s Facebook page at facebook.com/usd250foundation and website at usd250foundation.org in coming months.