Date: April 5, 2006
About: Quincy Foundation for Quality Education

QFQE Awards Grants

Source: Quincy Herald-Whig
Author: Holly Wagner
Link: http://www.whig.com/secure_story/285794158257322.php

QFQEawards grants


Wednesday, April 5, 2006

H-W Photo/Steve Bohnstedt Eli Hogge, 4, enjoys his time on a swing hanging from the ceiling of Kathy Schwartz's classroom Monday at the Early Childhood and Family Center. The swing was funded through a grant last year from Quincy Foundation for Quality Education. The foundation announced 15 grants totaling $6,350 at a special meeting of the School Board this morning.
By Holly Wagner

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Kathy Schwartz's classroom at the Early Childhood and Family Center features a swing.

For her 10 special needs students, the low platform that hangs from the ceiling is more than a piece of play equipment. It helps to calm some students, stimulates others, and helps all improve their coordination and balance and strengthen muscles.

Schwartz said she'd wanted such a swing in her classroom for years, but there was no money budgeted for it. That's where the Quincy Foundation for Quality Education came in.

QFQE's mission is to acquire financial resources to enrich academic programs and fund other projects. Each year, its Teacher Grant Committee decides how much money it will distribute and opens a grant application process.

Julie Ross, QFQE's executive director, said the committee looks for new and innovative ideas that can't be funded by the district, and projects that involve teacher-classroom collaboration.

Schwartz's swing, which cost $1,350, was among the projects funded under last year's grants. This year, 15 grants totaling $6,350 were approved at a special meeting of the School Board this morning.

For the Early Childhood Center, funds were awarded for Take Home Learning Packs to encourage parental involvement; books, toys and puppets to help teen parents learn to stimulate children in beginning the language process; and science-related material for a Head Start classroom.

(Continued from Page 9A)

Elementary teachers were awarded grants to buy themed alphabet baskets for a kindergarten classroom; a collection of books designed to get students to develop a literary relationship with authors; books and materials to provide exposure to literacy-related activities at the kindergarten level; materials to address kindergartners' language deficits; math kits and manipulatives for use in a home setting; and Sound Health CDs to help minimize distractions for third-graders.

At Quincy Junior High, teachers were awarded funds to buy historical texts, paint, wood, a sound level meter and calibrator for ninth-graders to help them understand historical concepts while promoting literacy.

The grants bring to more than $310,000 QFQE has awarded since 1989.

QFQE also supports the long-term Science for Life Project and the Literacy Coach Project, designed to improve the reading and writing of students in grades K-3.

QFQE started the Child/Family Mentor Program in 1994 after a teacher wrote a grant to enhance volunteer efforts in the schools.

Along with donations, QFQE receives funding from a fall campaign; service club grants; individual and corporate gifts of stocks and securities, gift annuities, matching funds, trusts, wills and bequests; and foundation grants.

More information about QFQE is available from Ross at 228-7171, or by e-mail at jross@qhsalumni.org.



Contact Staff Writer Holly Wagner at hwagner@whig.com

or (217) 221-3374