Education Foundation Offering 'Minigrants' to Teachers, Parent Groups

The following press release was submitted by The Teaneck Organization for :

The Teaneck Organization for Public Schools (TOPS) education foundation is pleased to announce they are offering the Teaneck Public School teaching staff and all seven PTOs an opportunity to apply for one of several mini-grants to be awarded in January 2012.  These grants, which will be awarded up to $500 each depending on budgeted need and are targeted to the school districts’ goal of improving student achievement.  The teacher minigrants are available for individual or team classroom projects done with students that hope to deliver a higher level of unique and creative instructional approaches in the primary, elementary and secondary classrooms.  The PTO minigrant applications, offered for the first time this year, will ask for proposals that help improve the home-school connection such as increased parent support programs, materials, etc.

Past winning projects included a 1^st grade project studying weather patterns across interdisciplinary curriculum, materials for read-along kits for ESL students to take home and share with their families, support technology for a healthy fitness program in middle school and a pilot phonics reading program for Pre-K and kindergarten students at Bryant.  The enthusiasm for this opportunity is high among teaching and administrative staff, and TOPS expects a large number of proposals to evaluate after the December 16th deadline, with awards to be announced in mid-January.

TOPS (formed in 1991), a registered 501c3 non-profit group, continues to work hard each year raising funds through donations, events, grant-writing and contributions from businesses and corporations to provide supplemental assistance to the Teaneck Public Schools.  In addition to direct monies that support technology, literacy and math programs, TOPS also maintains the Jeanie Cole Kids Fund which is used to provide financial assistance for after school and summer enrichment programs. . To date, TOPS has contributed well over $68,000 to the Teaneck public schools.  All donations (tax-deductible) are greatly appreciated, and can be sent to: TOPS, P.O. Box 1095, Teaneck, NJ  07666.  If you are interested in working with us to help TOPS grow, please contact Barbara Ostroth, president of TOPS, (201-692-1494) for more information.