The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded two Public School Proud Grants at John Harris Elementary. Conor Grevlos, a former student, attended the presentation and was able to award one of the grants to his former kindergarten teacher, Kerstin Schempp. She received $1,974 for her proposal, “Letters and Numbers Alive!” She will use funds…

Dr. Poornima D’Souza and Nicole Mutchler received a $1,660 Public School Proud Grant for their proposal, “Native American Values and Virtues.” In the application, they wrote, “This grant will serve K-5 classrooms, adult emergent learners, community members, and future educators. The project will teach six Native American values and virtues of love, gratitude, harmony, respect,…

Ann Just received $5,348.35 for her proposal, “All Kids RISE.” With the grant funds, Ann will purchase specialized trikes for 25 RISE students. In the application, Ann wrote, “Currently, we have Strider Bikes for kindergarten students. We do not have an adequate number of, or sizes of, trikes for our RISE students. This project would…

The Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation awarded five Public School Proud Grants at Ben Reifel Middle School. Tracy Teerink received $2,970 to purchase Apple pencils that will be used with iPads. More than 1,000 students will benefit, and they will use the materials to design cartoon characters, recreate famous paintings in digital form, and…

MacKenzie Jensen, Mallory Spoelstra, and Kirsten Bielen received a $2,669.38 Public School Proud Grant for their proposal, “Regulation Station.” They will purchase sensory mats, knot balls, a trampoline, weighted hand balls, a sensory path, a yoga deck, puzzle beam set, resistance bands and more materials. In the application, they wrote, “The goal of the regulation…

Penny Brunken, director for the Academy of Finance Program at CTE Academy, is receiving $1,448.75 for her Public School Proud Grant, “Accounting Leadership.” She will use funds to purchase QuickBooks online. In the application, Penny wrote, “QuickBooks access will prepare students with a skill they can use for future careers in accounting. Businesses of all…

The Education Foundation awarded six Public School Proud Grants at R. F. Pettigrew Elementary earlier this week, investing $19,859.99 in their teachers and students. Heidi Reynolds received $9,970 for her grant, “Renewing Our Mindsets.” Students and staff focus on seven key themes: Everything Is Possible, Passion First, We Are Connected, 100 Percent Accountable, Attitude of…

Sarah Yee received $649.54 for her proposal, “Social and Emotional Learning through Makerspaces.” She will purchase bilingual emotions toys, LEGO education people, a puppet theater with diverse characters, world Memory games, and multicultural floor puzzles. In her proposal, she wrote, “With this grant, my hope is that students will feel confident in their ability to…

Alysa Hershman, music teacher at Hayward Elementary, received a Public School Proud Grant for $1,822.75 to purchase ukuleles. More than 300 third, fourth, and fifth graders will use the instruments. In her grant application, Hershman noted that ukuleles will give her students the ability to create their own music and play along with various styles…

The Education Foundation announced two Public School Proud Grant winners at Memorial Middle School earlier this week. Sue Zueger received $6,929.78 for her proposal, “It’s a Muse Thing: Improving Literacy in the Makerspace Environment.” “It’s a Muse Thing” is a literary makerspace open to students as an after-school club. They will work on self-selected writing…