Garden City Public Schools Foundation Awards Mini-grants
The Garden City Public Schools Foundation Grant Squad visited schools on Thursday, March 5th, to award $250 mini-grants to help teachers enhance instruction in their classrooms. The awards were presented to teachers in a surprise celebration in their classrooms.
The foundation received 20 grant applications from staff around the school district. The grants are awarded to help support learning initiatives in the classrooms. The grants may be used for the classroom, department, or individual staff development for a district employee. The applications are read and judged by a Garden City Public Schools Foundation committee.
The teachers who received the mini-grants include:
Becca Burnfin, Garden City High School social studies teacher, will use the grant to purchase “They Call Us Enemy” novels for classroom use as part of the World War II curriculum.
Mechele Thompson, Florence Wilson Elementary School librarian, will use the grant to purchase book collector cards that, when scanned, provide a read-along experience, encouraging more independent reading.
Rosalba Ramos, Florence Wilson Elementary School Special Education teacher, will use the grant to purchase items to launch Culture Clubs that strengthen the school’s culture and engage all students in the school with collaborative activities.
Tyrone Gil Jr., Florence Wilson Elementary School Special Education teacher, will use the grant to purchase items for an Early Finishers Kit designed for teachers to utilize for students who complete work ahead of schedule.
Derek Algrim, Joseph Bach, and Brandon Hammond, 8th grade science teachers at Horace Good Middle School, will use the grant to purchase Snap Circuit Light and Waves Kits. This will increase hands-on STEM in the classroom as they discuss the waves and light.
The Garden City Public Schools Foundation has provided over $43,000 in grants to fund opportunities to enhance the learning environment and increase the effectiveness of instruction across the district. The foundation was founded in 2004 and is a non-profit organization that is committed to effectively generate, manage and distribute funds to stimulate excellence for the preservation and enhancement of exemplary education provided by Garden City Public Schools. The foundation functions in alliance with the Western Kansas Community Foundation.
