The Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools has announced the award of $32,600 in teacher/staff classroom grants for Spring 2021. The following classroom programs were funded thanks to our generous donors and supporters and will benefit thousands of Eden Prairie students.
Ready! For Kindergarten – $2,500
This grant provides training and high quality learning tools for families to develop school-ready skills with their children. Through this program families learn how to support their child in reading, math, and social emotional development in order to be fully prepared for Kindergarten.
STEM Exploration Summer Program – $5,000
This grant will provide materials for STEM-focused, experiential, and hands-on learning experiences for students participating in the Summer EPIC program through Targeted Services. With the support of these materials, students with the greatest academic need will be able to strengthen their math and science skills in a dynamic, creative, and unique manner different from the core school day.
Little Eagles Diverse Library – $5,000
Children’s literature plays an essential role in the literacy development of children. This grant will provide educators with a wide range of books across multiple genres that are representative of the diverse world we live in. These books have the potential to entertain, foster a love of reading, and inform while also affirming the multiple aspects of student’s identities and exposing them to the values, viewpoints, and historical legacies of others.
Little Eagles Preschool Supplies – $5,000
Little Eagles Preschool uses Creative Curriculum materials as the curriculum for all 3 and 4 year old classrooms. The goal of this grant is to purchase Creative Curriculum materials for the unit studies so students can further engage in critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration while engaging in studies aligned activities in the classroom. Furthermore, with the expansion of Little Eagles Preschool into six buildings in the coming school year, this grant will impact up to 30 classrooms/teachers and 600 students.
BEST (Book Engagement in the Summertime) Summer Reading Program – $2,700
This grant will be used to supply books to Kindergarten through Grade 2 students for the purpose of providing summer reading materials to students in order to minimize reading loss that can occur during the summer months. A book fair at the end of the school year provided students with select 10-12 choice books to take home for summer reading support.
Zones Toolkits at Forest Hills Elementary- $1,828
Zones of Regulation are taught schoolwide to help teach students different tools to help them regulate their behavior. Along with thinking strategies and calming techniques, students are provided with sensory supports (fidgets, worry rocks, putty, etc). Due to COVID-19 restrictions, toolkits are not able to be shared, so this grant will provide for additional toolkits for each individual student in need.
TASSEL Screen Printing Start-up Equipment – $10,600
TASSEL works with young adults 18-21 years old who are addressing areas of growth around secondary education, independent living, and work experience needs. This grant is for the introduction of a complete screen printing shop in order for the students to have an opportunity for creative outlets, skill building, and gain the hands-on experience of running a screen printing production shop. This grant provides for all equipment including a screen printing press, flash dryer, design software, ink, work tables and storage, as well as a consulting artist to support in teaching the art of screen printing.
FEPS is proud to provide our teachers and staff with the opportunity to supplement their classroom curriculum and implement innovative programs, projects, and supplies that ordinarily would not be funded.
