The City Schools Foundation has awarded over $72,000 in grants to educators in the Murfreesboro City Schools. These grants are designed to support teachers in acquiring classroom resources not typically provided by taxpayer dollars. Educators were invited to submit proposals, which were reviewed and scored anonymously based on merit.

“Reading and scoring the grant proposals is one of the most rewarding jobs as a foundation board member,” said David Scott, Grant Committee Chair. “Thanks to the fundraising efforts of our board members, we were able to fund over $72,000 in grants, which is incredible. It’s truly inspiring to see how educators are using these funds to enrich the education of their students.”

This year, 152 grant applications were submitted, with 50 proposals selected for funding. The awarded grants ranged from $125 for Science Support to $5,997 for Getting to the Root of Computational Thinking.

As in previous years, many of the grant requests centered on STEM-based programs, music enhancement, and social-emotional learning support. Additionally, the City Schools Foundation, through a partnership with the Nissan Foundation, funded robotics materials earlier this year.

“The work of the foundation makes a tremendous impact on our schools,” said Dr. Trey Duke, Director of Schools. “The dedication of the individuals serving on the foundation board is unquestionable, and their continued support is invaluable to the students and teachers of Murfreesboro.”

Funded grants included:

Bradley Academy

• Abbi Miller – Sing Along Stories: Grant for Music Room Books – $636

Cason Lane Academy

• Shae Miga – Mastering the Elements: Equipping Students with Tools for Success in Mass, Volume, and Weather – $5,900

District Wide

• Kathy Waldecker – Honor Band – $1,974

Discovery School

• Emily Petty –  Feathered Focus –  $658.52
• Kelley Kleppinger – I Like to Move It! – $326.99
• Julie Seymour – BlueBots are All the Buzz! –  $3,159.74
• Elizabeth Shepherd – Fresh Air, Fresh Ideas: Building Our Outdoor Classroom – $2,000
• Emily Petty – Building Thinking Classrooms-Magnetic Magnificence – $4,501.35
• Julie Seymour – Getting to the ROOT of Computational Thinking – $5,997.96
• Lauren Fluharty – The Power of Programming – $3,500
• Jennifer Newsome – Building Future Innovators: Enhancing STEM Education with Educreations BrickLAB –  $1,284.87
• Jennifer Newsome – Bringing Nature to Our Classroom: Enhancing Bird Studies with Window Bird Feeders and Local Partnerships – $210.64
• Hannelore Dickerson and Caitlin Bullard – Recess Reinvented: Mobile STEAM Labs for Indoor Exploration – $2,425.75
• Jennifer Newsome – STEAM Bins for Engaged Learning in First Grade – $530.49
• Aimee Hall –  Hooked on Flipbooks! – $800

Erma Siegel Elementary

• Elizabeth Bolden – swings/playground equipment – $310.62
• Brandy Cheatham – Enhancing STEM Education Through Solar Oven Science Kits –  $626
• Rainbow Saupe – Erma Siegel Turning Reluctant Readers into Bookworms: Enhancing Literacy through Playaways and Multisensory Learning – $4,000
• Angela Pope – STEM is LIT! – 940.76
• Jessica McBeth – Support with Science for Multilingual Learners – $125.00
• Jessica McBeth – Erase Away the Copies! – $532.17
• Jessica McBeth – Speaking to Success – $548.53
• Brittany Holloway – Eco-friendly Writing Table – $532.17
• Brittany Holloway – Hola, Kon’nichiwa, Hello Benchmark – $516.36
• Brittany Holloway – Progress Monitoring for English Language Learners – $218.40

Hobgood Elementary

• Charlotte Jamison – Sensory Room – $746.06
• Angela Wilson – Sensory Path- Blast Off – $1500

John Pittard Elementary

• Luke Hill and Valerie Rains – Tech for Music and STEAM – $4030.08
• Victoria Morse – Building Thinking in the Classroom – $590.00
• Kristy Mall – From Fidgeting to Focused: Providing the Tools Students Need for Success – $2,136.57

Mitchell-Neilson Elementary

• Amy Oliver – Immersive Math and Science – $1,129.96
• Mary Kathryn Martin – (SPORE)atic Growth: Mushroom Growth Kits for Grades 3 – $1,980
• Anita Morton – Equipping FUTURE Einsteins – $649

Overall Creek Elementary

• Kasey Taylor – Sphero Mini Educational Pack – $1,489.31

Salem Elementary

• Samantha Trotter – Maximizing Volume – $131.69
• Sarah Primm – Engagement and Equity with eBooks – $2,795.02
• Kimberly Kahle – Salem Computer Science in Our Hands with KittenBots – $918.00
• Beth Wood – “Ten-der Loving Math: Empowering Students with 10 Frames!”- $285.91
• Beth Wood and Kathy Latondress – Math Books, Read All About It! – $968
• Richard Wood & Xavier Mastin Frisbee Fever: Catch the Fun with Frisbee Golf – $1,765.86
• Alyssa Baltz –  “Wipe” Away “Board”-em and build a Thinking Classroom – $599.96
• Emily Cone & Courtney Pragel – Supersonic Hydroponic Grow Systems – $1,262.17
• Lucie Abbott – Salem Seeing is Believing – $359.53
• Richard Wood & Beth Wood – Sun’s Out, Shade’s In, Let the Learning Begin! – $2,587.71
• Angela Bunyi – Unlocking the Benefits of Tier 1 Supports – $877.28
• Emma Hitchcock – COUNTING on Stormy Weather – $330.00
• Richard Wood – Goodness Gracious Great Balls a Flyin -$739.86
• Richard Wood – Discs Flying Here and There and Everywhere! –  $568.86
• Beth Wood Kindergarten – “Botley 2.0: The Classroom’s New Best Bot-friend!”- $358.99

Scales Elementary

• Stephanie Stephens and Hannah Brasher – Brilliant Bots for Building the Future – $1,498

In addition to being a resource for other foundations, The City Schools Foundation has two primary fundraisers – Excellence in Education and a new tennis fundraiser – Serve it UP.

The City Schools Foundation is a private, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization.  Chartered in 2005, the Foundation was created by volunteers from the community who wanted to supplement the resources available to the Murfreesboro City Schools System. Follow The City Schools Foundation on Facebook for upcoming events.