Education Foundation Of Teton Valley

TO ELEVATE PUBLIC EDUCATION BY FUNDING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS AND CRITICAL NEEDS.

THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF TETON VALLEY'S MOST SIGNIFICANT PROGRAM WAS THE TETON HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT TRANSITION. TETON SCHOOL DISTRICT DECIDED TO RESPECTFULLY RETIRE THE OLD TETON HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT AFTER CONTENTIOUS DEBATE. THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION PROVIDED THE INITIAL FUNDING TO TRANSITION THE MASCOT INCLUDING LOGO DESIGN WORK AND SUPPORTED THE STUDENT VOICE SURROUNDING THE REDESIGN, NEW UNIFORMS FOR MAJOR SPORTS, STADIUM CHAIR UPDATES, TRAILER WRAPS, MEMORIAL CASES, AND FOOTBALL STADIUM SIGN UPDATES. THE NEW MASCOT IS NOW IN USE ACROSS THE SCHOOL.

THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF TETON VALLEY PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT COVID-19 SUPPORT. THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION PURCHASED HOT SPOTS AND AIRTIME TO INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY OF RELIABLE INTERNET ACCESS TO ALLOW FOR REMOTE LEARNING DURING MANDATED AND OPTIONAL OUT-OF-SCHOOL LEARNING DUE TO HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES. ADDITIONALLY, AS STUDENTS RETURNED TO CLASSROOMS, EFTV PURCHASED MASKS FOR TEACHERS, WATER BOTTLES FOR STUDENTS TO USE WHEN SHARED DRINKING FOUNTAINS WERE CLOSED, AND HAND SANITIZER STATIONS FOR SCHOOL BUILDINGS. THIS IMPORTANT WORK ALLOWED ALL STUDENTS TO SAFELY ACCESS INSTRUCTION DURING A DISRUPTED SCHOOL YEAR.

THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF TETON VALLEY PROVIDES A CLASSROOM GRANTS PROGRAM BENEFITING TETON SCHOOL DISTRICT 401 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS. THE FOUNDATION IS ABLE TO AFFECT ALMOST EVERY SINGLE STUDENT FROM K-12 GRADES WITH THESE GRANTS. TEACHERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY THREE TIMES A YEAR TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE EDUCATION FOUNDATION. THESE PROPOSALS ADDRESS BASIC NEEDS IN THE CLASSROOM AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO TAKE LEARNING BEYOND THE TEXTBOOKS. THE GRANT PROCESS IS COMPETITIVE, AND PROPOSALS ARE SCORED BASED ON A RUBRIC SUPPLIED IN ADVANCE TO THE TEACHERS. THE AMOUNT AWARDED PER CYCLE IS BASED ON AVAILABLE FUNDS.

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