$9500 of PTA Funds Granted to Faculty Members!
Ever wonder what happens to the money PTA raises each year?
Members pay their dues, giving the initial boost to the PTA income at the beginning of the
year. Then school store props up the account year-round selling items on a daily basis. Various events take place throughout
the school year, such as, jeans days and school dances which help to keep the funds healthy.
Obviously, the money can't just sit in the bank. It is constantly being spent to provide all
kinds of benefits for our students, teachers and even parents. One obvious benefit is our website, which is an effective communication
tool between school, PTA and our parents. Money is also used to enhance the school environment, such as, the
Bird and Butterfly Garden. Some money is spent on providing special and fun activities for our students, such as
the 8th Grade Banquet at the end of the school year. Teacher appreciation activities are also funded through PTA. These
are just a few of the many ways in which PTA funds support and enrich our school..
We, at LCIS, have such a fantastic parent body (THAT'S YOU!)). Your generosity has not only
allowed us to provide those items listed above but also to grant a healthy sum of money directly to our faculty.
For the last few years we have had a Teacher Grant Program in place whereby the faculty and staff
can apply for a grant to buy whatever they wish for (with education in mind, of course). They may want new equipment,
some extra training, extra supplies, help fund a field trip....whatever they wish for. Of course there are rules. These wishlists
have to be directly linked to education or be of benefit to the students. Any items purchased become the property of
the school and not the individual educator.
This year we were delighted to grant a huge amount of almost $9500!. There was a wide
range of requests and many were for technology items, such as CPS chalkboards or document camera projectors (Lumens). The
LCIS Technology Integration Specialist, Julie Edwards, received the highest check for $1456. She requested 4 CPS Chalkboards,
1 for each of the core educational departments of Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies. Two more were directly
requested by teachers. Some teachers requested smaller items, such as, a set of science magazines or Student Council
supplies. The oddest, but very valid request came from Mrs. Ponder, the school nurse. She would like a portable
ice machine for the clinic. Ice is always available in the cafeteria but it can be difficult to get to at certain times of
the day. It makes sense for her to have ice readily available in her clinic.
As you can see, PTA funds continually feed into our wonderful school, helping to enrich our childrens'
educational experiences in many ways.
The Teacher Grant Committee members are Julie Hall, Claudia Pardivala and myself, Pearl Hewitt.
As the webmaster, my PTA duties take place in the background, gathering and publishing information. It is very rewarding
to look at the website and see the information available for parents to use. However, nothing can compare with the delight
I felt when presenting the checks to the faculty members. The atmosphere was electric in the library that morning. The teachers were
all excited, with beaming smiles, waiting to see if their wishes had been granted. I felt like the presenter of 'The Price
Is Right' and wanted to shout out...."Here's your check....come on down!!!" It was definitely one of the most rewarding things
I have ever done for any PTA I have served on. To see the delight in the teacher's faces and feel the buzz in the room that
morning just made me smile all day long. I feel very honored to be part of that gift-giving experience and I know that
Claudia and Julie feel the same way.
Please check out the link below to see photos of the faculty members who received grant checks
and see for yourself how grateful and delighted they were.
