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FOUNDATION HAPPENINGS
November 2016








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   Plano ISD Education Foundation Surprises Educators with over $125,000 to Fund 106 Innovative Instructional Grants

Park Place Lexus Grant Patrol Visits Classrooms to Deliver 106 Grants to a Record 47 Campuses Across Plano ISD 

On November 17, amid laughter, cheers and even a few tears, Plano ISD Education Foundation board members, program sponsors, district staff and parent leaders personally delivered to grant winning teachers over $125,000 in monetary awards.

This year's Grants to Educators awards fund 106 innovative instructional programs throughout our district. The Park Place Lexus Grant Patrol made their annual trek in cars courtesy of Park Place Lexus.

More than 120 educators at 47 schools were celebrated with pompoms, cowbells and hugs throughout the morning. Each grant winner's school was presented with a poster for display.

Renner Middle School teacher Carina Tran receives her grant for $1,172 for "Hooked on Series" to provide a classroom library of best seller books series to get students hooked on a love of reading.

The Plano ISD Education Foundation Grants to Educators program is intended to help Plano ISD educators enhance instruction in schools and classrooms across the district. Earlier in the school year, teachers had the opportunity to complete applications for grants for programs to benefit their classrooms, schools or joint programs at multiple schools.

Funding for the Grants to Educators program comes from the following generous sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Park Place Lexus Plano, Alliance Data, Huawei, TAFF - The Andrea-Mennen Family Foundation, the Plano ISD Council of PTAs and Carole Greisdorf.
 
2016-17 Teachers of the Year - Bryan Yee, Plano Senior High and Erika Manning, Weatherford Elementary - grab a photo op with the "big" $125,000 donation check.  

Plano ISD Education Foundation Board President Chris Bragg said, "The Education Foundation is honored to assist our teachers by providing resources for innovative programs that enhance student learning in their classrooms. The Grants to Educators program is one of the best ways that private donors can assist outstanding classroom programs by supporting educators across Plano ISD."

Grant delivery cars courtesy of Park Place Lexus Plano

Each Park Place Lexus car hosted a team of four to five Grant Patrol volunteers who visited a selected number of campuses for the surprise presentations. These volunteers met for a Grant Patrol kick-off breakfast at Park Place Lexus Plano before delivering the good news to teachers.

Haggar Elementary kindergarten  teacher Lindsay Sivick (and her excited students) receiving her $750 grant for an outdoor learning space.

Grants are also funded through the Plano ISD Education Foundation Annual Giving Campaign, the Plano ISD employee campaign and SKI Plano, an annual winter fundraising event open to the public. This coming year's SKI Plano event will be held on January 28, 2017, at the Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center. For additional information about the Foundation or to make a donation, visit the Foundation website at www.pisdeducationfoundation.org or call 
(469) 752-8272.

Saturday, January 28, 2017
Come Hit the Slopes & Celebrate 

Pull out your après ski apparel to mingle, shop, eat and dance the night away at the Plano Marriott-Legacy Town Center at SKI Plano 2017. Mark your calendar for a fabulous celebration to help raise money to benefit the students, faculty, staff and schools of Plano ISD at the Plano ISD Education Foundation's largest FUNdraising event of the year. Last year's gala was a resounding success. More than 600 people attended and over $200,000 was raised to support academic programs that serve Plano ISD students and educators.

Proceeds from SKI Plano are used to help all students in the Plano Independent School District achieve their full potential by providing financial support to educators and academic programs.  These funds support priority projects for which tax dollars are not available including: Grants to Educators, 5th Grade Camp student scholarships so all students can  attend, AVID, Core Store and many other initiatives that inspire learning for all students in Plano ISD.

Whether you can be at the event or not, there are many ways that you can help.

Put together a themed basket from your PTA - examples: Game Night (board games, etc.), A Great Read a basket of books and gift cards to Barnes & Noble, Kids on the Run (a basket of gift cards to Sonic, Chick-Fil-a and other hot spots where parents stop on the way to practice and games).  Schools that donate a basket will be recognized in the event program, the SKI Plano website and be entered into a drawing for a catering gift card to Market Street to help cater your next PTA or school event! All baskets must be received by Friday, January 6 to be entered into the drawing. For more information or questions please contact Sara O'Connell at 214-529-4911 or sarajoconnell@me.com

◊  Fill a table of friends for the event. Individual tables sold by December 1 receive 10 free raffle tickets. For more information visit www.skiplano.org or call Plano ISD Education Foundation at 469.752.8272
   
◊ Connect the Silent Auction committee with your contacts at businesses that might consider sponsoring SKI Plano or donating to the Silent Auction. For more information or questions contact Sara O'Connell at  2 14.529.4911 or Sarajoconnell@me.com .

 Buy a raffle ticket - whether it's for yourself or even as a gift.  For more information call Plano ISD Education Foundation at 469.752.8272. 

For more information about SKI Plano sponsorships and individual tables visit www.skiplano.org or call Plano ISD Education Foundation at 469.752.8272.
  

Congratulations to former Foundation Administrative Assistant, Marta Lilly who has been named Supervisor of the CORE Store. The CORE Store serves educators throughout the community by providing school supplies and classroom materials free of cost for use in classrooms across Plano. "It is so exciting to see this store become a reality," said Jean Callison, committee chair for the CORE Store initiative. "This store is helping teachers fill in the gaps where their students' families cannot afford. It is another way as a community that we can support our teachers and students."

The store's vision and mission are to help students succeed by equipping teachers with donated classroom resources, providing an opportunity for every Plano ISD student to have the supplies required for success in school. Centrally located on 15th Street in Plano in space donated by Medical Center of Plano and supported by donations from the community, the CORE Store allows teachers to shop for additional school supplies for their students at no cost to them. Across the district 16,164 students (about 30%) qualify for free or reduced cost meals, with some campuses reaching as high as 90%. For these campuses, school supplies and classroom materials represent a day-to-day struggle for many students and teachers who may not always be able to afford what they need.
 
"Clearly there is need, and thanks to our generous donors and volunteers, there is a safety net for students and their teachers," said Education Foundation Executive Director, Kristin Alexander. 

"Our teachers can now access supplies for their classrooms and their students throughout the school year without cost," said Plano ISD Board President Missy Bender. "We are grateful for the continued support that our community provides to meet the needs of our teachers and students, giving each child the opportunity to maximize his or her personal potential."

Capital One and Kroger lead the community in organizing supply donations to help fill the shelves of the store before its grand opening. Capital One also provided shelving, furniture and an additional financial contribution to help fund the store's management and operations.
 
Additional donations and volunteer hours have been provided by:  Children's Learning Adventure Center, Elite Care 24 Hour Emergency, GCA Services, Gordon Biersch Restaurant, Hilton Granite Park, Lincoln Properties, Plano Firefighters, Signs By Tomorrow, Starbucks, Title Boxing and TransAmerica, Junior League of Collin County, National Charity League, Plano ISD Council of PTAs, Plano ISD Education Foundation, Plano Senior High National Honor Society and Young Men's Service League.

Looking to lend a hand? - Here are the items we need to stock the CORE Store!

Backpacks
Binders
Calculators
Colored Pencils
Compasses
Composition Books
Construction Paper
Crayons
Dividers
Dry Erase Markers
Erasers
Folders
Glue
Hand Sanitizer
Highlighters
Lunchboxes
Markers
Notebook Paper
Pencil Bags
Pencil Sharpeners

Pencils
Pens
Permanent Markers
Protractors
Rulers
Scissors
Spiral Notebooks
Tissues
Watercolors
Wet Wipes

For donation and drop-off inquiries, contact: Marta.Lilly@pisd.edu or at 469 752 8190.

We are located at 3900 West 15th St. Suite 102, Plano, TX 75075

HOOPING IT UP FOR EDUCATION
Family Fun Night at Texas Legends
Thursday, December 1, 2016
7:00 pm at Dr Pepper Arena
Frisco, TX
Plano ISD Council of PTA and Plano ISD Education Foundation have teamed up with Texas Legends Basketball to bring Hooping It Up For Education - Family Fun Night on Thursday, December 1. In addition to a great basketball game, Plano ISD students will be performing throughout the evening,  Half of the ticket cost goes to the PTA at the school of your choice and the other half goes to the Plano ISD Education Foundation. For more information about the event click here. To purchase tickets visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/plano-isd-night-tickets-28692037657

Bring some of the CORE Store's most needed items to the game on Thursday, December 1 and drop them in the drop-off boxes.
 
Most needed items....
Binders
Dry Erase Markers
Index Cards
Markers
Sticky Notes
Backpacks
Meet Kristin Alexander
Executive Director, 
Plano ISD Education Foundation


Kristin Alexander joined the Foundation as Executive Director in September and hit the ground running with the opening of the CORE Store and her feet still have not hit the ground.  Kristin is an award-winning fundraising and marketing expert with twenty years' experience, specializing in resource development, PR and communications. She has refined her skills with a distinguished group of organizations in North Texas including United Way of Dallas, American Heart Association, Chronic Disease Fund and the DFW Hospital Council. When Kristin is not asking for money, she loves to travel. Ask her about glacier hiking in Iceland! She is also an avid shoe collector and self-admitted helicopter mom to Luke the rescue dog. 


Plano ISD Education Foundation / 2700 W. 15th Street / Plano, Texas 75075 469.752.8272/foundation@pisd.edu