The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education heard an update on grants awarded by the Education Foundation during their meeting on Tuesday night.
The Board of Education established the Education Foundation in 2023 with a $50,000 loan to help support outstanding teachers and academic programs in the district. In the past 18 months, the foundation has been busy partnering with other community entities and securing new donations. They’ve been able to repay their loan in full and expect to be self-sustaining going forward.
Throughout its first two grant cycles, the foundation has awarded grants to 27 teachers at 25 different schools in the district. These teachers applied for support based on ideas they had for professional development opportunities and innovative classroom experiences for their students. 11 teachers chosen during the June 2024 cycle were recognized for their awards during the Tuesday meeting.
The foundation’s third grant cycle will open on Sunday, September 15. There will be $15,000 worth of grants up for grabs, and each applicant can request up to $1,000.
Education Foundation Treasurer Lora Tiano thanked the Board of Education for the initial support that made these awards possible. She also expressed admiration for the educators who have put in the time and initiative to make the most of the available resources for the good of their scholars.
“We are so grateful that you guys took the time out of your day and for everything that you thought of to enrich the lives of your kids and to make sure that their experience was something meaningful that they can hold onto,” Tiano said. “That means more to parents and the community and this board and all of us than you can ever know.”
Also on the board’s agenda for the evening were:
A performance from the Reynolds High School A Capella Choir
A special recognition for Reed Cuccio, a Union Cross Elementary School second grader who saved his class by alerting his teachers about a fire
Review of the 2023-24 state release about student achievement data
Discussion of Article 46 tax supplements and efforts to bring the district into the statewide Top 5 in teacher pay
Approval of the 2024-25 Title I Plan, a proposed partnership with the National Center for Families Learning and the NC Statewide Family Engagement Center, and several other action items
The Board of Education will meet again on Tuesday, September 24 at 6:30 pm.