Spring Branch Education Foundation Announces Fall Grants

$61,559 Awarded to Projects for SBISD students

At its November 21 Board meeting, Spring Branch Education Foundation (SBEF) approved $61,559 in grants that will be used for diverse education-enhancing projects throughout Spring Branch Independent School District.

Twice each year, the Foundation calls for grant applications, up to $5,000 each, from any of its 46 school campuses. District-wide projects are eligible for larger grants. Both faculty members and volunteers are encouraged to apply.

“Through these grants, the Education Foundation provides students and staff with opportunities for innovative projects,” said Donnie Roseman, a member of the SBEF Board of Directors and chair of the Program and Assessment Committee. “Through donations and participation in fund-raisers, community members make these grants possible.”

On a district-wide level, the Foundation awarded $6,000 to the Spring Branch ISD Council of PTAs to fund scholarships for SBISD college-bound students. The Council of PTAs received an additional $5,000 to offset transportation for SBISD Odyssey of the Mind teams to the World Finals in May 2014. A College Prep program, funded with a $12,500 grant, will arm seniors with critical information needed to successfully navigate their freshman year of college. A grant of $18,050 to Educational Technology will support Robitics programs at Stratford High School, Westchester Academy for International Studies and Memorial Middle School.

The balance of the money was designated for projects on SBISD campuses:

• Bunker Hill Elementary – Kindles and eBooks will “Kindle the Reading Flame” for third through fifth graders who are currently reading below grade level.
• Cornerstone Academy – Students will use Legos to learn in a three-dimensional format to strengthen and develop new skills as a precursor to physics.
• Frostwood Elementary – Students from kindergarten to grade five will integrate hands-on learning (and develop life-long skills) in a vegetable garden/outdoor classroom.
• Landrum Middle – Landrum and KIPP sixth graders, and their family members, will participate in hands-on activities at Family Engineering Night.
• Nottingham Elementary – All students will be welcome at the “Nottingham Readers of the Round Table” to discover new books and create book recommendations for fellow readers.
• Spring Branch Middle – The school will use the Rachel’s Challenge program to bring awareness to the issue of bullying and stress effective prevention.
• Spring Woods High – The school’s journalism program will receive new cameras to capture photos for the yearbook and bi-monthly newspaper.
• Thornwood Elementary – Today’s Readers Become Tomorrow’s Leaders, a computer-based program, will help students in all grade levels and at all academic levels improve reading skills.

“We encourage PTAs, principals and teachers to apply for these grants,” says Cece Thompson, SBEF executive director. “Our next call for grants is February 2014, and the recipients will be announced in May.”

Community members who wish to support a specific program at a designated campus can make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation and earmark it for that school. Call 713.251.2381 or visit sbef@springbranchisd.com for more information.

About Spring Branch Education Foundation

Founded in 1993, the mission of SBEF is to enhance the quality of education for every student in SBISD. The Foundation provides donors with a vehicle for making tax-deductible gifts to the district. The Foundation has raised almost $8 million and received the Houston Business Promise Award from the Greater Houston Partnership.