Berryville, VA, August 24, 2021 – The Clarke County Education Foundation (CCEF) is pleased to announce $63,090.82 to Clarke County Public Schools in Teacher Grant Funding during the last school year! Grants were awarded in three different categories:

Covid Grants

COVID grants were created to help ease the burden of new expectations of social distancing and virtual learning during the pandemic.  Congratulations to the following teachers who were awarded a grant last year:

  • Donna Michael, CES, Reader’s Theatre Puppet Show Supplies
  • Jessica Tavener, BES & CES, Beginning Band Supplies
  • Pam Seekford, CCHS, Marketing Supplies
  • Dannielle Ames, CES, Transparent Masks
  • Lauren Allison, CCHS, Hanging Mats
  • Kim Baker, CES, Kindergarten Social Distancing
  • Donna Shaughness, CES, Digital Books for Virtual Learners
  • CJ Wilkerson, JWMS, Virtual Band Consortium & Music FUNdations
  • Marissa Gett, JWMS, Insert Learning
  • Jennifer Strosnider, CES, Supply Bins
  • Mark Curry, CCHS, Virtual Band Consortium
  • Meredith Stenberg, JWMS, Oil Pastels
  • Donna Michael, CES, Utility Carts
  • Elyse DeQuoy, JWMS, Symbaloo and BreakoutEDU
  • Amelia Erickson, BES, Social Distancing in our Classroom
  • Carol Marshall, CCHS, The Escape Classroom & Pivot Interactives Lab Learning Simulations
  • Gina Basham, CCHS, Super Quizizz
  • Christine Brewer, CCHS, KAMI

STEM Grants

CCEF STEM grants provide the resources for CCPS to build and expand their STEM programs as well as their professional learning for educators to lead our students.  Last year we were proud to award the following grants:

  • Library STEM Book Update, Susanna Gawrysiak, BES, $11,218.74
  • Virtual Reality Headsets, Patrick Hausamann & Susanna Gawrysiak, CES & BES, $24,058.00
  • Reading Specialist STEM Books, Sherry Newman, CES, $1,256.20
  • CLM Courtyard Update, Amelia Erickson & Heather Montgomery, BES, $2,500
  • CCPS Innovation Conference, Patrick Hausamann, $5,000

Classroom Impact Grants

Classroom Impact Grants were created to allow teachers a funding source for new and innovative projects as they begin the school year.  This year, the following teachers will begin the school year able to implement a new project or idea in their classroom.  Congratulations to the following teachers:

  • Story Walk at Boyce Elementary, Susanna Gawrysiak, BES
  • Pickleball for Middle School PE, Sarah Casey, J-WMS
  • Children Literature – Think Alouds, Pam Seekford, BES
  • Vermicomposting, Lauren Marzetta, J-WMS
  • Newcomer ELL Program for K-12, Lisa Knick, Kerri Spitler, Janine Davis, CES, BES, CCHS, J-WMS
  • IXL Grammar for English 11, Eric Morgan, CCHS
  • Installation of Northstar Stainless Steel Extruder for Ceramic Clay at CCHS, Chrissy Schmohl, CCHS
  • Choir Masks for CCPS Elementary Schools, Derek Boyce, CES
  • Backyard Games, Lauren Allison, CCHS
  • Scholastic Guiding Reading Short Reads, Lynne Esslinger, J-WMS
  • Don’t Dis My Ability, Donna Michael, CES
  • Reading Resources for Teachers, Sherry Newman, CES

A few additional highlights from the CCEF include:

  • CCEF raised over $10,000 in less than a month and purchase a school supply pack for EVERY child in need in our schools. 
  •  donated 10,000 masks, a reusable water bottle for every student in the district, as well as a huge supply of toilet paper when it was hard to come by,
  • Sponsored the Clarke Innovation Conference bringing amazing professional development to all of our CCPS teachers and staff,
  • Partnered with the Discovery Museum to bring virtual field trips to our youngest learners at both BES and CES,
  • provided at home wifi to students in need through wifi hotspots purchased through the Dr. Richard M. Lewis Academic Access Fund,
  • hosted some amazingly successful fundraisers,
  • AND gave away our MOST EVER in student scholarships- $48,300!

The Clarke County Education Foundation, established in 1991, is an independent public charity dedicated to promoting, expanding, and augmenting the educational opportunities for students and staff in the Clarke County Public Schools, by generating private support and involvement to enhance these publicly-maintained services. The CCEF has provided more than $2.8 million in student scholarships, teacher grants, system demonstration grants, and donor-defined projects through a combination of fund-raising and endowment income since its inception.  For more information visit www.ccefinc.org

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