For the 24th year in a row, local students are benefiting from
the hard work of the Live Oak Foundation, an organization formed to
help Morgan Hill Unified School District schools.
Morgan Hill – For the 24th year in a row, local students are benefiting from the hard work of the Live Oak Foundation, an organization formed to help Morgan Hill Unified School District schools.
This year, the foundation awarded 20 grants totaling more than $20,000 to help schools offer specialized programs or buy classroom materials, such as books or equipment.
“After 25 years I continue to be inspired by the creative and resourceful commitment teachers have to students,” Foundation President George Thomas, Jr., said Thursday. “Their caring attitude is revealed each and every year. We feel fortunate to support programs that benefit the classroom, outside of district funding. We get satisfaction out of seeing teachers doing their best for kids.”
The grants for nine different schools were awarded during a ceremony last week. Foundation board member Don Moody said the money awarded to grant proposals by district teachers goes directly to the teachers.
“This is just a great opportunity for our schools,” he said. “It’s a joyous time. It’s a shame that more people don’t participate, the money is there for the asking. We know our teachers have all these great ideas, and those that do (participate) usually get rewarded.”
Three grants were awarded to teachers at Britton Middle School and one to a teacher at Martin Murphy Middle School. El Toro, Jackson, Nordstrom and San Martin/Gwinn elementary schools all received money from the foundation. All three district high schools – Central Continuation, Live Oak and Sobrato – had successful grant proposals.
Several of the teachers submitted proposals to purchase multi-media projectors, including Jackie Lee and Alice Packard at El Toro, Mary Francis at Martin Murphy and Nancy Altman and Margaret McCann at Britton.
The foundation hosts a popular wine tour and dinner each fall and accepts donations year round to benefit the schools.
Every year, district teachers submit grant applications to the foundation’s board of directors. Criteria for selection include innovation and ability to benefit a maximum number of students.
The foundation’s goal is helping all district schools purchase tools and programs and pay for “extras,” like special speakers, special staff training and substitutes for staff development, beyond what the district budget provides.
Since its inception in 1981, the foundation has awarded more than $500,000 for district schools.
