QPS Foundation distributes more than $58,000 in grants to Quincy educators

QUINCY — The Quincy Public Schools Foundation recently distributed grant award notices for 21 applications, totaling $58,749.60 in approved funding for use in the Quincy Public School District 172. The funds for this grant cycle will be made available after July 1 and will be for use in the 2023-24 school year.

In a press release, Heidi Lanier, executive director of QPS Foundation, said, “We are very excited about the grant applications submitted this grant cycle and are grateful to be able to provide funding for many of the projects that were submitted. We very much look forward to seeing the educators implement their great ideas. These projects will have a huge, positive impact on the student experience at Quincy Public Schools.”

The largest grant awarded this fall will impact elementary students in Quincy Public Schools who are struggling with reading. The $15,500 grant will purchase five sets of decodable books and other supplementary materials to teach reading to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. These materials are in support of Quincy Public School’s Reading Recovery program.

Other grants funded by the Foundation are:

• iPad cart for Quincy Junior High orchestra students
• Computer cart for reintroduction and the chronically absent at Quincy High School
• A ball launcher goalie training system for the QHS soccer teams
• Second grade art instruction at Denman
• Picnic field trip for elementary students in the special needs program
• Bearded Dragon for the emotional disturbance/behavior disorder class
• Funds to implement programs to improve climate, culture and attendance at Rooney Elementary
• New stools for worktables in a QHS Art Department classroom
• Materials to implement a clothing and hygiene project at Iles Elementary
• Materials for special instruction of third grade students at Denman Elementary
• Funding to support Rooney BizTown
• Incentive program for most at-risk IEP students
• A tower garden extension for Rooney Elementary
• A cricut machine for the theater department at Quincy High School
• Supplementary materials for the foreign language department at Quincy High School
• P.E. equipment for all five elementary schools
• Funding to support the Denman house system and meetings
• Autism program community outings
• Ingredients to provide cooking instruction to Cross Cat & ED classrooms at Denman

The QPS Foundation also helped match six applications with existing funding in the QPS District. The combination of foundation- and district-funded grants resulted in nearly 75 percent of the applications being funded.

All QPS staff members are welcome to apply for funding through the QPS Foundation’s QPS Staff Grants, which award up to $1,500. Certified staff members are eligible to apply for Dream Big Grants, which are available for up to $25,000. The application period for spring grants will open on July 1. To apply, visit qpsfoundation.org.

For questions about grants or other foundation programs, contact Lanier at lanierhe@qps.org or 217-228-7112.