Danville Schools Foundation awards grants
Published 10:05 am Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Nearly $7,000 authorized to fund 18 projects
The Board of Directors for the Danville Schools Education Foundation has awarded 18 grants totaling nearly $7,000 for projects submitted by teachers at all three elementary schools, Bate Middle School, and Danville High School.
“This is an exciting time for the Foundation to be in a position to reward teachers for their creativity in developing or refining programs that make a difference for our students,” said Yvonne Morley, vice chair. “Every application was reviewed by a panel to determine how our funds could best be spent. As we continue to grow, we hope to offer more support for our faculty and students – especially in light of the budget challenges Danville and all other school districts face.”
The specific projects approved by the board include:
• A hands-on learning center for literacy
• A newcomer’s club to focus on students in ESL, or English as a Second Language
• Escape the Classroom, which is an effort to promote critical thinking and problem solving
• Choir music education for students at the new Toliver Intermediate School
• Three separate projects to increase access to online learning programs
• A lending library for students attending Centre’s after school program
• Functional cooking skills for special education students at Bate Middle School
• A speech improvement project
• Material for a video production studio
• Support for drama students in a new production
• Reviving the outdoor learning classroom at DHS
• Promoting marketing and business disciplines with a new Admiral Apparel project
• Two projects bolstering Spanish proficiency through literacy
• Expanding instrumental music programming
• Subsidizing production of a play regarding the Holocaust penned and led by a survivor
• And a practical skills class for elementary school students to “dress up” as men and women in professions they might eventually pursue
“If resources were unlimited, we could fund all of the programs submitted to us,” said Morley. “Unfortunately, that is not the case, but we are immensely proud of what the Foundation can do in support of our faculty, and equally proud that the faculty took the time to develop such marvelous grant requests.”
In other action, the board approved November 10 as the date for the next Dancing with the Danville Stars, the Foundation’s major fundraiser. Board members also welcomed Phil Osborne as the Executive Director. Osborne, who lived in the Danville area for more than 25 years, will be responsible for increasing the Foundation’s fundraising initiatives, expanding outreach to the alumni base, and coordinating Foundation activities.
