District 157-C Education Foundation Awards New Grants

The Frankfort School District 157-C Education Foundation recently awarded 25 grants totaling over $73,000 to enhance the education of the students at all three of its schools. The grant applications are completed by District 157-C staff for consideration. The Foundation was pleased to approve all of the proposed grants requested for funding in 2015. The Foundation gave special recognition to Kevin and Tina Goodwin of Triple R Child Care in Mokena and New Lenox for funding four grants totaling $12,422. Additional grants will be funded by the Foundation in the spring that will focus on the new math and science initiatives.

District 157-C Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Maura J. Zinni, stated, “We are so fortunate to have a dedicated group of parents who have one goal in mind – it is to help our teachers fund learning resources that bring innovation into our classrooms. I am certain these grants will continue to inspire our teachers and serve as a catalyst for engaging and creative instruction for our students.”

For the District, the Foundation awarded funding in the amount of $2,936 to provide school supplies for District 157-C students in need.

For Grand Prairie Elementary School, the Foundation awarded funding of nearly $23,000 for items that include an IXL Learning Website License that focuses on reading and math, Fluency Timers to time students for math problems and reading fluency, Books for Literature Circle with Teacher Guides, Tag Pens/Books, Stand Up Desks for the Classroom, Animals in the Classroom which is for housing and food for the live animals in the Enrichment Learning Center, HearBuilder Online Subscriptions which is an important part of Response to Intervention (RTI) in English Language Arts, a Raz-Kids License to provide an Interactive Reading Tool for students to practice reading fluency and comprehension, Illinois Monarch Book Award Books 2017 and Boardmaker Plus Teaching Tool that allows teachers to add animation, sound and video to their lessons that will be used for students with special needs.

At Chelsea Intermediate School, the Foundation awarded funding of over $15,000 for items that include a FastMath Next Generation License, Bluestem Award Books, Relax & Read which is an area rug and comfortable chairs as a new reading area in the library, Junior Balloonist for fifth grade, SMART Board & Visual Monitor for Special Education Rooms and an IXL Math Membership for third graders.

For Hickory Creek Middle School, the Foundation awarded funding of over $32,000 for items that include a SMART Board for Special Education, an Education City Website for language arts, math, science, computing and math, a Music Software and Hardware Upgrade to be used in the music classes, Author at School where students will meet an author of a popular book, Rebecca Caudill Books and Award Party, Leveled Library books to help bring children in the special education program to their grade level in reading, digital cameras to be used in technology classes, and a Newsela School License to increase reading comprehension and tracking of student progress.

The Foundation is comprised of a group of volunteers who help obtain funds to be granted to the teachers to enhance education. Grant money is provided through funds received from the Foundation’s annual fundraising auction, corporate sponsors, private donations and other fundraisers. The Foundation Board asks community members to save the date for its 21st annual fundraising auction on March 11, 2016 at Prestwick Country Club. More information about the fundraising auction will be forthcoming.

The Foundation expressed special thanks to its corporate sponsors and the many local area businesses and families that continually support its efforts on behalf of the students. Additional information about the Education Foundation is with the District Administrative Offices at (815) 469-5922 and on the Foundation’s website, www.ef157c.org.

Shown: (l-r) Chelsea students Carson Low, Max Bacon, J.T. Poulton and Daniel O’Connor enjoy the new rug and comfortable chairs in the “Relax & Read” library reading area. It was funded by a grant from the District 157-C Education Foundation through a donation by Triple R Child Care.