Teacher Grants
We support classrooms
Annually, AEF invites the district’s teachers and staff to submit grants for projects and programs that will have a meaningful impact on students. The grant requests are primarily in the areas of engineering, core curriculum subjects, technology, and arts programs. The Foundation’s goal is to grow the endowment to $1 million, making it possible, with the coupling of annual giving, to fund $100,000 in education-enhancing grants annually.
Grants would go directly to support:
• Students in developing essential knowledge and skills
• Students in every building and every grade level
• The Arts and Academies of Alexandria
Classroom Innovation Grant Awards
Project Title: Outdoor Makerspace
Teacher: Barb Walswick
School: Woodland Elementary
Students Impacted: Woodland Elementary K-3 with potential for grades 4 and 5
Amount Funded: $2,000
This grant is the second part of a two-part grant for an Outdoor Makerspace. This will allow students to investigate, explore, create, and expand their horizons in a natural setting through interactive stations set up for individuals or small groups.
Project Title: Light Tables for Kindergarten Classrooms
Teacher: Lexie Prom
School: Woodland Elementary
Students Impacted: 3 Kindergarten Classes (approximately 64 students per year)
Amount Funded: $2,915.82
This grant will provide hands-on learning through the use of light tables and manipulatives. Students will explore numbers, letters, patterns, building, and exploring in a new playful way.
Project Title: Geared up for STEAM Learning
Teacher: Amy Revering
School: Miltona Science Magnet School
Students Impacted: School-wide, approximately 140 students in grades K-5
Amount Funded: $5,250
This interactive gear wall will provide investigative, hands-on, collaborative learning opportunities in the Maker Space. It will provide a unique opportunity to meet MN Science State Standards in an innovative way surrounding simple machines, as well as supporting other math and science standards.
Project Title: Video Production Students Partner w/ the CAF Jumbotron
Teacher: Eric Hartmann
School: Alexandria Area High School
Students Impacted: 48 currently enrolled in class – school-wide/community-wide impact
Amount Funded: $10,000
This video production course will partner with the Cardinal Athletic Foundation (CAF) to provide video content for the new digital board at the AAHS Stadium. The video production class will partner with community partners to create high-quality video productions for the board. This grant will be used to purchase high-quality video equipment.
Project Title: DMS Bands Recording Equipment Project
Teacher: Derek Ziemer
School: Discovery Middle School
Students Impacted: Over 300 band students in grades 6-8
Amount Funded: $3,500
The Band Department will build an audio recording setup for the band room at DMS. This will allow the bands to record their ensembles in real-time during class. Students will then be able to review and reflect upon their performance during class to generate ideas and strategies on how to improve/refine their performance. This equipment also provides the band with opportunities to collaborate in new and exciting ways such as connecting with other bands, composers, directors, and clinicians from around the world.
Project Title: Knitted Circle Looms for Fiber Art Projects
Teacher: Mitch McGuire
School: All elementary schools in District 206
Students Impacted: approximately 600 4th and 5th-grade students
Amount Funded: $8,856
Minnesota’s newly-released art standards require elementary students to demonstrate how to weave art materials. These looms will be used to implement a fiber art project to meet these standards in an innovative way. Fiber art is a great material to build fine motor skills through creative education.
Project Title: Orff Approach used in the Music Classroom
Teacher: Rhonda Blaser
School: Voyager Elementary
Students Impacted: 500 Students
Amount Funded: $4,280
This grant will provide additional instruments needed to balance out the bass sound to the existing classroom Orff instruments. The Orff approach promotes creativity which encourages innovation in children.
Grant Archives
View all current and past grants by clicking here or using the search function.
2022 Scholarship Awards
The Foundation wants to build a financial cornerstone for investing in students and teachers in Alexandria Public Schools. One of the ways we do that is by helping students attain college degrees. Through a competitive scholarship process, the Foundation financially supports students in the transition from high school to 2 and 4-year colleges.
Since 2009, the Alexandria Education Foundation’s donors have awarded $65,200 in scholarships to 65 students.
The Seeds for Future Learning Klimek Family Scholarship provides two $400 scholarships to students interested in pursuing a college degree in business, education, manufacturing, or agriculture.
2022 Seeds for Future Learning Klimek Family Scholarship Recipients:
The Class of 1988 Scholarship fund was created through a generous 1988 Jefferson High School graduate. These scholarships in the amount of $2,200 each are awarded to two students who plan to pursue a degree in education, health care, or the arts.
2022 Class of 1988 Scholarship Recipients:
The Kim Jenson "Lift Her Up" Scholarship was established by Kim Jenson, an ATCC alum who benefitted from the support of mentors as she worked through school. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to one female who will be attending the Alexandria Technical & Community College (ATCC) in the fall, and is willing to work with a mentor.
2022 Kim Jenson "Lift Her Up" Scholarship Recipient:
The Bev "B" Lohrman Grossman Scholarship provides a $2,000 scholarship to a young woman who has participated in at least one full season of a sport during each year at AAHS. The scholarship is in memory of B Lohrman Grossman, a former teacher in the Alexandria Public Schools who started and coached the first girls basketball team and girls track team in the early 1970's.
2022 Bev "B" Lohrman Grossman Scholarship Recipient:
Ken and Jeanne Howell have established a scholarship fund to encourage students interested in pursuing a career in a medical profession. This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to one student who plans to go into a health care field.
2022 Ken and Jeanne Howell Scholarship Recipient:
Alexandria Area High School Capital Campaign
In September, 2011, voters showed solid support for building a new grades 9-12 high school in a special election. The cost to residents for the project was reduced thanks to a Capital Campaign conducted prior to the bond referendum vote. This Capital Campaign was a joint effort between the Alexandria Education Foundation and the Alexandria School Board that represented a unique public-private partnership. This partnership raised over $4 million in pledged contributions from individuals, businesses and other entities in the community to help reduce the tax impact for district residents.
Every gift, large or small, helps sustain the tradition of educational excellence in Alexandria public schools.