Foundation for SPS awards $205,248 in grants across the district

 

The Foundation for Springfield Public Schools (FSPS) awarded $205,248 in Back to School Grants, benefiting classrooms throughout the Springfield Public Schools (SPS) district. Educators submitted grant proposals to receive vital resources that enhance learning experiences for their students.

This year, 77 grants were awarded to 41 SPS schools, with more than 60 FSPS volunteers delivering the good news on Grant Delivery Day today. The educators that received grants plan to use them for projects like creating a kindness club, purchasing supplies for students to write their own graphic novels, updating a school garden and more. Truman Elementary Librarian Scarlet Braddock plans to use her grant to fund a book club. 

“I am so grateful to everybody at the Foundation because without them, I don’t know how we would provide this number of books to this number of students who are interested,” Braddock told Ozarks First. “Usually, it’s at least a fourth of each grade level that wants to participate.”

The Back to School Grant Program is made possible through the generosity of local businesses, community members and individual donors. 

“When our volunteers go out into the schools today, they’re going to be giving teachers that extra bit of support,” said FSPS Executive Director Natalie Murdock. “And not just the financial support which they are so excited to have, but also knowing they have a community of people behind them supporting them and saying we believe in your work.”

FSPS is still accepting donations to fund additional grants throughout the year. To learn more about the foundation and their grants or to contribute, visit www.supportsps.org.