When we come together to make education a priority, there’s no limit to what we can do.
Contributions to the Classroom Champions program, provides families a way to make a real difference in the lives of teachers and students alike. Each donation brings tools, resources, and opportunities to the classroom of your choice, helping foster the educational excellence and positive environment our children deserve. Click here to donate directly to Classroom Champions
Every fall, our teachers have the opportunity to request up to $2,500 in innovative classroom ideas. We fund ideas that enrich the academic experience through science, literature, music, and other creative activities that inspire our students to learn and grow. Teachers are able to personalize student learning by testing out new ideas and gaining access to innovative technology and tools that otherwise would not be available in the normal school budget.
Kalispell Public Schools educators spend between $300-$400 out-of-pocket annually on their classrooms. Our Micro Grant program was created from a desire to reduce this need. Through this program, teachers can apply for up to $300 annually for funds that both fall outside budget restrictions and meet the instructional needs of students through personalized learning. This is also a place where previous grant recipients can request additional funds to sustain their projects from previous grant funding, ensuring great ideas stay alive in our schools.
New
Teacher
Welcome Cards
New teachers start every year with a blank canvas in their rooms and the desire to make it welcoming and engaging for their students. Because of perpetually tight budgets, there simply isn't enough available to provide needed tools and resources, so most new teachers use their own money just to ensure they have what they need to create the best learning environment.
The KEF provides all new teachers, many of whom are at the beginning of their careers, with $75 gift cards to help mitigate out-of-pocket expenses to help set up their classrooms.
We partner with local businesses to provide snacks for staff, particularly surrounding challenging events.
Are you a business owner interested in helping us with teacher appreciation?
Contact Dorothy at dorothy@kalispelleducationfoundation.org
Melanie Hall, 2nd Grade
Rankin Elementary
“Engineers are problem solvers and engineering in early childhood helps kids cultivate a problem solving mindset. Coming to Rankin Elementary from another district, I did not have many of the teaching manipulatives for hands on learning I had at my old school. Rankin is a newer building and does not have the same supplies and materials an older building might have. The grant money along with my classroom budget gave me an opportunity to purchase these things for my classroom without having to use my personal account."
Khrista-Sue Corpron
Ag Center
"We were able to purchase 22 welding gloves and 25 safety glasses. We really needed
some updated equipment for our students."
Eric Holdhusen, Orchestra
Flathead High School
"All four instruments purchased with the grant money have been used every day in class by the students who have chosen to learn them, and their use has had a broad impact on the Folk Band class as a whole. Of the four "bands" in that class, only one of them doesn't have someone on one of the grant instruments."
