NEW GRANTS
School Improvement Grants
Federal School Improvement Grants are geared toward supporting schools in reaching Annual Yearly Progress as measured by ISAT and PSAE. For 2009-2010 school year, nearly $1.8 million was awarded to five District 150 schools to implement plans that the school leadership teams developed with Two Rivers RESPRO services. The plans are designed to match the unique challenges an individual school identifies but must supplement existing services. The Illinois State Board of Education closely monitors the plans with school leadership teams and if progress is shown, will renew the grants up to a total of three years’ funding. Schools are: Garfield Primary, Lincoln Middle, Manual Middle and High, Sterling Middle and Trewyn Middle.
21st Century Community Learning Centers
Harrison and Glen Oak Schools were each awarded $150,000 to implement programs (outside of the regular school instructional program) designed to improve reading and math achievement with innovation and enrichment. Both schools’ programs will use the arts to improve achievement with students enrolled in the programs. The Illinois State Board of Education closely monitors the achievement results and if progress is shown, will renew the grants up to a total of five years’ funding.
CONTINUING GRANTS
Peoria Grow Your Own (PGYO)
Funded through the Illinois State board of Education, PGYO provides tuition and education supports to a cohort of students for teacher education. A planning grant in Summer 2007, implementation grant in Fall 2007 and continuation grants from Fall 2008 to Spring 2010 have provided $590,729 to date. Lydia Branch, a long time District paraprofessional, is our first graduate (Spring 2009). Mrs. Branch now has her own District 150 Special Ed. classroom.
Peoria Area Community Education Services (PACES)
PACES was first funded in fall 2006 for $100,000 by the Heart of Illinois United Way to create a network of support services to students and families concerning substance abuse. Data driven programming and accountability systems have demonstrated program success which led to increased funding for 2007, 2008 & 2009.
Promoting Academic Success in Boys of Color
Kellogg Foundation funding through the University of North Carolina amounted to nearly $700,000 over 5 years to research interventions and best practices with PPS African-American, Latino, and Native American boys in grades Pre-K through 3rd grade. The research team will develop a national support network of educators to address the achievement gap and disseminate the information. Now in year three, capacity and understanding has increased due to professional development with educators.
Community Foundation of Central Illinois (CFCI)
Annually, ten classroom grants of $1,000 are made possible by the Yeomans Fund of the Community Foundation of Central Illinois. Applications are submitted in the Spring and awarded in the fall. Fall 2009 awards: Developmental Center-Jill Foster (Lending Library Adaptive Equipment); Jamieson-Christine Fletcher (Voice augmentation devices); Harrison-Marcie Tupper (Books for upper elementary student give aways & Fieldtrip to Normal Children’s Museum); Irving-Laura Bally (Art Mini Clubs); Valeska Hinton-Daniel McCloud (Attendance incentives-roller skating); Glen Oak-Lane Muzzarelli (America the Beautiful balloon weather project); Glen Oak-Shanica Davis (3rd grade business fair); Woodruff-Kim Mougey (Fast Intervention Support Team); Northmoor-Marlene Leitch (Attendance breakfast and good behavior lunch); Harrison-Lucia Noguera (Family ELL Books).
Regular cycle CFCI grants are due on September 15 and April 15. Awards for September 2009 included Northmoor-Marlene Leitch (Steps to Respect Bullying Prevention) and Harrison-Lucia Noguera (Heritage Exhibitions).