 |
|
|
||
|
Thursday, December 3, 2009 BY GEORGE WIRT Everything from the latest children's books to new musical instruments will be heading to Montclair's public schools in the weeks ahead, thanks to more than $85,000 in funding approved this week by the Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence (MFEE). Executive Director Lois Whipple said the MFEE awards the funding to more than 120 applications submitted by teachers and faculty members in Montclair's 11 public schools. "The MFEE support this year is more important that ever," Whipple told The Times. "We're filling a void. We are supplying funding for projects that will make a difference. "In a very tough economy, the discretionary money that any school system has is miniscule," Whipple explained. "So when a local education fund can bring $500,000 to the table, often matched by PTAs and other parent groups, then you're really talking about a substantial difference in what individual teachers and principals can do in their buildings." The MFEE's new round of grants will go to wide variety of programs and requests, according to Robin Schlager, the MFEE's associate director. Schlager said MFEE's support will fund new books for a reading program at Glenfield School, materials for a new science lab at Mount Hebron School and new mathematics projects at Nishuane School. MFEE funds will also covered the recent Montclair High School college fair, helped acquire audio-visual equipment for the athletic faculty in Furlong Field House and cover the cost of the newly opened Writing Center at MHS. "These are just a few of the projects that were awarded grants," Schlager said. "We're in the process of notifying the other applicants." A full list of the MFEE grants will be posted on the organization's Web-site, www.mfee.org. Schlager said the grants were made by a 12-member committee led by MFEE President Julie Jackson and which included MFEE founding member Joyce Michaelson. The committee reviewed each of the 120 applications that were submitted and looked for projects that would have an immediate impact. "It's challenging and rewarding to award grants in a way that's going to make a difference," Whipple said. "Foundations small and large grapple with ways to supply funding for projects that will make a difference across the system. "We're like a college development office,' Whipple said. Whipple said that MFEE will conduct a second round of grant applications and awards in the spring. The Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence was founded in 1991 to generate private funding and community support for Montclair's public schools. It is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization, and contributions to the MFEE are tax deductable. Since its founding 15 years ago, the MFEE has raised more than $3.5 million for Montclair's public schools. Its annual series of fundraisers events begin in the autumn with the Montclair Schools Rock concert and continues to the spring Toast to the Teachers parties. The MFEE also seeks support from individuals through fundraising drives and from foundations and charitable trusts. "It's a wonderful program," said Montclair High School Principal James Earle, "They do a great job of raising money and providing things for our students. I'm excited to be a part of it. I'm amazed at what they do." Whipple thanked Carol Ewertsen; Cranetown, the Montclair-based rock band; and the many volunteers who helped stage the Montclair Schools Rock event on Oct. 24. She also expressed appreciation for the individuals and families that took part in the Toast to the Teachers event. "We were thrilled that last spring in a difficult economic situation we had a record number of Toast to the Teachers parties. People really stepped up." Contact George Wirt at wirt@montclairtimes.com. |
||||
|
|
||||