Despite changes in leadership at the Education Foundation of Indian River County and the School District of Indian River County, and the turmoil of a pandemic that has lasted a full year and half, the foundation has continued its efforts to support teachers and students. Several programs were modified during the pandemic, to ensure that needs didn’t go unmet.
“We’ve recently signed an updated memorandum of understanding with the school district, so we are working to re-establish that relationship,” said Douglas Herron, Education Foundation executive director.
“We just needed to re-establish lines of communication, and I think that we’ve done that. The new superintendent, Dr. Moore, has a real vision for the school district, and that’s beginning to be put into action, always keeping what’s best for kids in mind.”
The foundation has supported local students for 30 years, funding initiatives designed to enrich educational opportunities such as High-Impact Grants, the Indian River Regional Science & Engineering Fair, Sneaker Exchange, STEP into Kindergarten, and Vision for Reading.
Each year, teachers and principals throughout the district are invited to apply for High-Impact Grants of up to $10,000 to fund innovative school or classroom solutions that focus on social and emotional support as well as academic achievement. The grants typically fund STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) projects, with a tie-in to literacy.
“I think everyone realizes the importance of early literacy and children getting a good grip on being able to read early on. That’s what’s going to provide them with opportunities,” noted Herron.
Grants are funded through legislatively appropriated funding, as well as matching grants from philanthropic groups such as the United Way of Indian River County; John’s Island Community Service League; John’s Island Foundation; Grand Harbor Community Outreach Program; Head, Heart and Hands of Indian River Golf Club; and Quail Valley Charities.
In the 2020-21 school year, the foundation granted more than $62,000 in High-Impact Grants to teachers at nine schools, and they recently announced recipients for the 2021-22 school year, which saw an increase in recipient schools to 11 and grants to $68,790.
Amy D’Albora, Indian River Academy media specialist for Pre-K through fifth grade, was awarded grants last year and again this year for her Limitless Ingenuity: Building a Community of Innovative Learners project, enabling her to purchase robots for lessons tied to the school’s emphasis on aerospace and robotics.
Students have become more engaged as they create coding for robots to demonstrate their understanding of concepts, resulting in a significant increase in fifth-grade science scores and improvements in socialization and self-esteem.
“It really stimulates a lot of lifelong skills; it has been amazing. We couldn’t have done it without the money from the Ed Foundation. Just because we’re a Title I school doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have the same access to tools and materials that others do,” said D’Albora.
Ashley Kohlstedt, assistant principal at Sebastian Elementary School, said her grant last year has enabled students to march to the beat of their own drums.
Students needing intervention and remediation were invited to attend Saturday school, where they received additional instruction in math and reading and were rewarded with the chance to participate in the Drum Club.
“These are students who also have motivation issues; they really don’t find their purpose at school. This [program] also gave them a sense of belonging and purpose,” said Kohlstedt.
For nearly 30 years, the Indian River Regional Science & Engineering Fair program has engaged students in higher-level thinking strategies as they explore scientific processes that reinforce math, reading and writing skills.
Each year, 4- and 5-year-old children enrolled in Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten programs who will attend Title I schools in the fall are invited to participate in STEP into Kindergarten, a six- to eight-week-long summer program to help prepare them for school.
The Sneaker Exchange program provides children in need with a voucher to purchase sneakers at the Shoe Carnival. Vision for Reading funds vision screenings, follow-up visits and other vision needs, thanks to grants from the John’s Island Foundation and Grand Harbor Community Outreach.
“Programs like the Sneaker Exchange and Vision for Reading do not directly impact academics, but both support programs that make school a better experience for kids. If it’s a better experience, they’re going to learn at a higher rate,” explained Herron.
During the pandemic, the Education Foundation, in partnership with Quail Valley Charities, added Adopt-A-Class and Fund-A-Project programs, with donors selecting classrooms or projects to fund, thereby providing continued support for teachers as they navigate the changing dynamics.
“I’m excited about the future of the Education Foundation in Indian River County,” said Herron. “We want to make sure they’re well prepared for whatever direction they want to go in life.
That’s our goal. That’s the district’s goal, and we’re certainly here to support them.”
The Education Foundation launched an online raffle/silent auction fundraiser on Oct. 1 in conjunction with the SDIRC’s School Choice and Community Extravaganza that takes place Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Intergenerational Center. For more information, visit edfoundationirc.org.
Photos by Kaila Jones
