SCHOOL BUS
Foundation for Rural Education Excellence
Supporting Academic Achievement in
Rural Northeast Florida Communities

June 2025 Newsletter

The Foundation for Rural Education Excellence, a registered 501 (C)(3) organization, was founded in 1998 to facilitate philanthropic support for rural school districts of the North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC): Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union Counties as well as Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and PK Yonge Developmental Research School. Working collaboratively, our mission is to enhance academic success and career opportunities for rural students in northeast Florida.

Marking The Way In Literacy:

Supplies for Student Success Initiative

Thanks to a generous grant from Dollar General, educators participating in NEFEC’s Marking the Way in Literacy: Supplies for Student Success initiative will soon receive essential classroom materials to support the implementation of high-impact literacy strategies. This year-long professional learning series engages teachers in multi-part sessions focused on improving literacy instruction through model lessons, collaborative planning, and exploration of a variety of texts aligned with the B.E.S.T. standards.


While the events are led by NEFEC, the Dollar General grant will specifically fund the classroom supplies that will be distributed during upcoming sessions. Materials such as chart paper, markers, whiteboards, cardstock, and erasable charts will support instructional protocols. By providing these tools, the grant ensures that teachers can confidently apply what they learn in training, ultimately leading to stronger student engagement and improved literacy outcomes.

Clay Electric Supports Bridge to Bachelors

FREE's partnership with Clay Electric continues to help existing paraprofessionals to obtain their teaching degree. Participants are reimbursed out-of-pocket expenses for tuition and books with successful completion each semester. The most recent graduate is Scarlett Williams from Putnam County.

Scarlett Williams (center) recently completed her teaching degree through St. Leo University.

FREE officers (L to R) Shay Starling, Anna Arnold, and Margo Arbuckle were recently greeted by Clay Electric District Rep Mike Meredith to accept a $15,000 check to support the Bridge to Bachelors initiative. The funds were generated through Clay Electric's "Operation Round-Up" program.

Mark Your Calendars

Summer Leadership Conference


NEFEC's Annual Summer Leadership Conference is scheduled for July 21-23, 2025, at the Sawgrass Marriott in

Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.



Conference Registration & Hotel Reservations




28th Annual Golf Scramble


FREE's annual golf scramble is scheduled for April 10, 2026, at The Palatka Golf Club.



Foundation for Rural Education Excellence
(352) 317-0621
foundationruraled@gmail.com


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