Schools Foundation distributes nearly $20,000 in classroom grants

Thirteen teachers recently got some great news during a surprise visit from three South Whidbey School Foundation board members — all of their classroom grant requests are being funded.

The board members stopped by to deliver the news and disburse $19,962 in grants.

“The requests included specialized science kits for soil erosion experiments, resources for expanding the high school farm program, funding off-island trips of cultural significance for South Whidbey Academy students, a mobile planetarium visit to enable fourth-graders to study the moon and stars, special attachments for graphing calculators to enable algebra students to work collectively on problems, improvements to the choir and dance practice classroom, new books and media for the high school library, robotics kits, and more,” said South Whidbey Schools Foundation President Chris Gibson, in a news release.

“The great news is we still have funds available for additional requests and will be encouraging district educators to contact us for off-cycle grant funding,” Gibson added.

One project, fifth grade teacher John LaVassar’s popular “Salmon in the Classroom” program, was adopted for a second year by the Holmes Harbor Rod and Gun Club’s Safety and Education Fund.

“This is a good fit for our Club’s values, and we hope to make this an ongoing relationship,” said Steve Mooney of the Holmes Harbor Rod & Gun Club, who presented a check to LaVassar on Nov. 1 at the South Whidbey campus.

So far the Foundation has provided more than $245,000 in classroom grants with monies raised through its Dine Out For SW Schools program, a spring fundraiser, and an end of year donation campaign.

Contributed image — Debra McMenamy and Jean Shaw of the South Whidbey Schools Foundation surprised 4th grade teacher Rachel Kizer with the news that her classroom grant “Fly Me to the Moon and Let Me Play Among the Stars” was fully funded. The grant will pay to bring a mobile planetarium to the school campus. The notification was part of the Foundation’s disbursement of $19,962 in classroom grants.

Contributed image — Debra McMenamy and Jean Shaw of the South Whidbey Schools Foundation surprised 4th grade teacher Rachel Kizer with the news that her classroom grant “Fly Me to the Moon and Let Me Play Among the Stars” was fully funded. The grant will pay to bring a mobile planetarium to the school campus. The notification was part of the Foundation’s disbursement of $19,962 in classroom grants.