Who do Fulton educators look to when they want to introduce a new opportunity for their students? The Fulton Public Schools Foundation.
For the 2020-21 school year, the foundation awarded 13 classroom grants. The foundation is already looking forward to next year when it will provide another $10,500 in grants. Teachers are currently putting their applications together.
"We felt like it was very important to continue to provide for extra learning opportunities," foundation Executive Director Kathy Richey Liddle said.
The foundation is dedicated to keeping the classroom grants going, even if the pandemic got in the way of fundraising this year. Back in March, the annual gala had to be canceled, but an October golf tournament was able to go forward.
Additionally, the foundation applied for and received CARES Act funds from Callaway County to support the classroom grant program.
Each grant is $500-$1,000. Liddle said the community has been supportive of the classroom grant program.
A trust in the names of Ed and Jean Avra will provide for a $500 grant for a history-related project each year, as well as an annual scholarship for a local high school senior planning to attend a Missouri four-year higher education institution with an interest in education.
Eva "Jean" Avra died in November. Davis Edwin "Ed" Avra died in 1983. Jean was a dedicated educator, school board member, founding member of the FPS foundation and a pillar of the community, Liddle said.
The next round of classroom grants will be announced in the spring.
"We try to get a little bit of everything to help many different children," Liddle said.
This year's classroom grants supported teachers at each FPS building in their efforts to provide a wide variety of opportunities, from science to the arts:
Supporting goal setting as students earn rewards for walking and running at Bartley Elementary School
A Fulton Early Childhood Center woodworking project
Enhancing earth science instruction at Fulton High School with a stream table
Providing FECC with materials needed for the high scope curriculum
The second year of a "celebration bus" to honor Fulton Middle School students
A 3D printing project at FMS
Providing Doodle Boards to incorporate visual and physical learning at Bartley
Supporting fashion merchandise and design at FHS
A sensory path at Bush Elementary School
Classroom iPads at McIntire Elementary School
Colorimeters for advanced chemistry experiments at FHS
Supporting a ceramics program at Bartley
A cross-curricular dinner theater at FMS.