On November 18, 2022, the Gainesville ISD Education Foundation Board prize patrol circulated the GISD campuses spreading holiday cheer and surprised the 2022-2023 Innovative Teaching Grant recipients.

The Education Foundation Board of Directors works through the year to generate funds and distribute resources to GISD to enrich, maintain and expand programs needed to meet the district’s stated mission of excellence and enhancing education in GISD. This year twenty-five grants were awarded for a combined total of $37,905.68.

Edison Elementary received six grants totaling $9,888.19. Pre-K students will get to enjoy a field trip to the Frank Buck Zoo and various dramatic play materials for all six classrooms. Kindergarten will go on a field trip to the Crayola Experience and math manipulatives will be utilized in the kindergarten classroom as well. The entire campus will get to attend a concert by Stephen Fite. The entire district will benefit from a grant provided to assist with yoga training as well as relaxation techniques.

Chalmers Elementary was awarded five grants totaling $9524.80. Second grade will get to enjoy a field trip to Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch, third grade a trip to Frank Buck Zoo and supplies to dissect owl pellets and fourth grade will get to take a field trip to Sea Life Aquarium and Legoland. There will be two special field trips with life skills special education going to Crayola Experience and fourth grade GT to ATT Stadium. The Education Foundation is excited to fund so many fun and educational trips for the students at Chalmers.

Gainesville Intermediate was awarded two grants in the amount of $2527.83. The music department received a grant for music software that will assist students with music timing and fifth grade received a grant that will assist both ELAR and social studies with a collection of novels with a focus on US History events.

Junior High School was awarded $3874.70 for four grants. Life skills received a grant for an iPad with interactive software to assist in interactive learning. Literature guides and flocabulary will help engage students in a seventh grade ELAR classroom. Seventh and eighth grade will benefit from a grant to give them an immersive, hands-on experience with dissection in the science classroom.

Gainesville High School was awarded the most this year with eight grants totaling $12,090.16. Culinary students will benefit from supplies to assist in baking and cookie making in the classroom. The life skills class will receive decibel readers and timers to help monitor noise and help with time in the classroom. Visual arts received a grant for printmaking tools and supplies. AATV technology will build, program and code mBot robots. The agriculture department received a grant which will purchase a small greenhouse so they can grow their own flowers and plants. Physics and engineering received a grant for rocketry altimeters and in flight cameras for their model rocket project. The accounting class will be able to purchase their own heat press to make shirts and other items on campus to sell in their campus store. Health sciences received a grant for an EKG simulator with training and curriculum.

“These grants serve as a bridge to close the gap between what the district is able to provide financially and what the teachers can imagine for their classrooms and students,” Education Foundation Board President, Penni Edington said. “We are blessed to have very creative teachers who come up with innovative means to provide extraordinary learning experiences for their students and we as a Foundation step-in to help with the funding so their creativity can be put into practice.”

Since 2004 the GISD Education Foundation has awarded $456,224.15 in Innovative Teaching grants to the district. “Because of the continued support of our Foundation, our teachers and staff are able to take teaching and learning well beyond the state standards while making it fun for ALL students,” GISD Superintendent Dr. Stewart said. The Education Foundation relies on community and business donations to allow for the continued support to GISD.