The Fairmont School Board on Tuesday discussed donations from Partners In Education. The group has given more than $150,000 over the years to fulfill teachers’ requests for activities and equipment.
This school year, PIE donated $28,000. However, only $24,477 in requests were received. To obtain PIE grants, teachers and staff at the elementary and high schools make proposals. This year, some of the money went toward CER youth scholarships, beginner reading books, sensory needs equipment, flexible classroom seating, a camera for the yearbook, books for Spanish reading library and iPads.
PIE allocated the excess funding to a stipend for the high school musical piano accompanist. Some also will go toward the high school robotics program, with the rest earmarked for elementary maker space.
There was extra money in the Hunt fund, so what we decided to do with the $7,236, we put it toward the STEM innovation grants,” said Superintendent Joe Brown, referring to ag land the district owns and rents out for farming.
The board accepted the following grants:
$1,350 from Fairmont Firefighter Relief for CER elementary basketball program.
$500 from Fairmont Firefighter Relief for second-grade field trip to Como Zoo.
$100 from Bruce and Jayne Peymann for Fairmont High School cardinal account – activities.
$950 from Martin County Youth Foundation for CER after-school science enrichment program/Prairie Ecology Bus.