Phoenixville Community Education

TO ENHANCE AND ENRICH THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF PHOENIXVILLE AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT

PHOENIXVILLE COMMUNITY EDUCATION FOUNDATION (PCEF) WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ITS SUPPORT OF MANY EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES IN PHOENIXVILLE THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDED:STEPPING UP SUMMER LITERACY PROGRAM: FOR THE SUMMERS OF 2019 AND 2020 PCEF PROVIDED A TOTAL OF $40,000 FOR 180+ STUDENTS PER SUMMER IN GRADES K-5, WHO WERE IDENTIFIED AS ACHIEVING BELOW GRADE LEVEL IN READING, TO ATTEND SUMMER REMEDIATION PROGRAMS AT NO CHARGE TO THEIR FAMILIES. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO IMPROVE THEIR READING AND [CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O]MATH SKILLS OVER THE SUMMER AND BEGIN THE FOLLOWING SCHOOL YEAR AT AN ACADEMICALLY HIGHER LEVEL THAN THE PRIOR SCHOOL YEAR.PACK A BACKPACK PROGRAM: EACH YEAR, PCEF DONATES BACKPACKS FILLED WITH GRADE APPROPRIATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO STUDENTS IN NEED. IN AUGUST OF 2020 PCEF DISTRIBUTED OVER 546 BACKPACKS TO STUDENTS IN GRADES PRE-K - 12 AND DONATED BINDERS AND OTHER SCHOOL SUPPLIES TO THE PHOENIXVILLE AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PHOENIXVILLE AREA HIGH SCHOOL. OVER $16,690 IN SUPPLIES WAS DISTRIBUTED. SINCE THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2004, PCEF HAS DISTRIBUTED OVER 7,029 BACKPACKS TO STUDENTS IN NEED.YOUTH & PHILANTHROPY PROGRAM: THROUGH AN ANNUAL GRANT FROM THE PHOENIXVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION, PCEF PROVIDED $8,000 IN FUNDING FOR THE YOUTH & PHILANTHROPY PROGRAM AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM EMPOWERS THE STUDENTS TO BECOME YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THEIR ADVISORS THEY LEARN ABOUT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS IN THEIR COMMUNITY BY VISITING WITH AND VOLUNTEERING FOR THEM AND SEEING FIRST-HAND THE SERVICES THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE. THE STUDENTS ACCEPT GRANT REQUESTS FROM THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH THE FUNDS PROVIDED BY PCHF ARE ABLE TO MAKE GRANT AWARDS AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.SUPPORT OF SCHOOL CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS: DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, MANY OF THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES WERE LIMITED OR DID NOT HAPPEN. WE WERE ABLE TO SPONSOR THE ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR AND A VIRTUAL ART CLUB AND CONTINUE TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM.WINTER TRIVIA NIGHT: PCEF HOSTED A VIRTUAL TRIVIA NIGHT IN JANUARY 2021 WITH 200 COMMUNITY PARTICIPANTS. THROUGH TICKET SALES AND DIRECT DONATIONS WE RECEIVED OVER $14,000 FROM THIS EVENT.TEACHER MINI GRANT PROGRAM: WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BEING VIRTUAL, WE DID NOT HAVE AS MANY REQUESTS FOR MINI GRANTS. WE GRANTED $3,460 TO SUPPORT AT HOME LEARNING KITS FOR ALL FIRST GRADERS, FACE SHIELDS FOR THE EARLY LEARNING CENTER SPEECH THERAPY STUDENTS, A RESILIENCE SPEAKER FOR THE MS AND HS STUDENTS/FAMILIES, AND BROUGHT THE ELMWOOD PARK VIRTUAL ZOO TO ALL OUR K-1 STUDENTS.PRINCIPAL GRANT PROGRAM: PROVIDED $3,000 TO THE PRINCIPAL GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND CLASSROOM OWLS TO UTILIZE TO ASSIST TEACHERS WITH THE HYBRID CLASSROOM. DESTINATIONS WITH DIRECTIONS: CONTINUED FUNDING WAS PROVIDED FOR DESTINATIONS WITH DIRECTION (DWD). UP TO 30 HIGH ACHIEVING, ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM. THESE STUDENTS WERE PROVIDED WITH GUIDANCE, MENTORING AND TUTORING THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WITH WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY STUDENT TUTORS AND PAHS STAFF TO KEEP THEM ON TRACK FOR ENTERING COLLEGE AFTER GRADUATION. NORMALLY, THESE STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN A COLLEGE TOUR VISITING VARIOUS SCHOOLS IN THE AREA. DUE TO COVID-19, THIS TRIP HAD TO BE CANCELED. UPON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, THE STUDENTS ARE AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION EXPENSES BASED UPON THEIR PARTICIPATION LEVEL IN THE GROUP.OPERATION FOCUS: THIS ORGANIZATION OPERATES UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF PCEF. THE ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION RAISES MONEY AND HOSTS A POST-PROM PARTY FOR PAHS JUNIORS, SENIORS AND THEIR GUESTS. NORMALLY, 300-400 STUDENTS ATTEND THE EVENT FREE OF CHARGE! THE EVENT PROVIDES A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO OTHER PARTIES WHERE DRUGS AND ALCOHOL MAY BE PRESENT, PARTIES THAT MAY BE UNSUPERVISED, OR SITUATIONS THAT CAN LEAD TO DESTRUCTIVE DECISIONS. THE 2021 FOCUS EVENT WAS HELD OUTSIDE ON A SMALLER SCALE DUE TO COVID-19.SCHOLARSHIPS TO SENIORS: PCEF WAS PROUD TO AWARD $2,000 SCHOLARSHIPS TO FOUR PASD SENIORS. WE ALSO AWARDED $21,000 IN DONOR ADVISED SCHOLARSHIPS.PRE-KINDERGARTEN SCHOLARSHIPS: AS AN APPROVED EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT ORGANIZATION THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, PCEF WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE $25,200 IN PRE-K SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS TO AREA PRE-SCHOOLS TO ASSIST FAMILIES IN NEED WITH PROVIDING OUR YOUNGEST STUDENTS WITH A GREAT START TO THEIR EDUCATION.ACTIVITIES ACCESS/STUDENT GRANTS FUND: PCEF PROVIDED $1,200 IN FUNDING TO HELP FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS IN COVERING THE COST OF EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES THAT OCCUR WITHIN THE SCHOOLS AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES SPONSORED BY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS. DUE TO COVID-19 MANY ACTIVITIES AND FIELD TRIPS WERE CANCELLED.CURRICULUM GRANT: PCEF PROVIDED $5,000 IN GRANT FUNDING TO THE DISTRICT FOR STEM CURRICULUM UPGRADES AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AND AN ADDITIONAL $1,130 TO PROVIDE ALL KINDERGARTENERS WITH HOME KITS WITH THE REQUIRED LEARNING MANIPULATIVES.DISTRICT HOME SCHOOL VISITOR: THROUGH A COLLABORATION WITH PASD, PHOENIXVILLE COMMUNITY HEALTH FOUNDATION AND PCEF, AN ADDITIONAL SOCIAL WORKER HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE DISTRICT STAFF. WITH TWO SOCIAL WORKERS THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO WORK MORE CLOSELY WITH STUDENTS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HIGH TRUANCY RATES AND/OR MAY BE EXPERIENCING ADVERSE HOME/HEALTH CONDITIONS.COVID-19 SUPPORTS: OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS AND THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR PCEF AND PASD EMBARKED ON A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT OUR FAMILIES IN NEED BY PROVIDING WEEKEND FOOD BAGS AND INTERNET SERVICE. PCEF PURCHASED $38,149 IN FOOD ITEMS AND COMBINED IT WITH DONATED ITEMS FROM THE CHESTER COUNTY FOOD BANK AND THE PHOENIXVILLE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT AND PROVIDED OVER 5,371 BAGS OF FOOD FOR FAMILIES EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY. DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR, PCEF PROVIDED $ 46,809 IN GRANT FUNDING TO COVER THE COST OF WIFI HOTSPOTS FOR PASD STUDENTS WHO DID NOT HAVE RELIABLE INTERNET IN THE HOME. THESE HOTSPOTS ENSURED THAT OVER 300 STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO ATTEND VIRTUAL CLASSES AND TO ACCESS ONLINE TEACHING RESOURCES. THESE FUNDS ALSO ALLOWED US TO GRANT AN ADDITIONAL $30,000 TO THE PASD SUMMER REMEDIATION PROGRAMS HELD OVER THE SUMMER TO ASSIST THE INCREASED NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO NEEDED ACADEMIC SUPPORTS DUE TO THE COVID-19 INTERRUPTIONS IN THE TRADITIONAL TEACHING ENVIRONMENT.