LINDALE, Texas — Several Lindale ISD educators were surprised with over $37,000 in grants to fund innovative student learning projects Thursday morning as band students, cheerleaders and administrators paraded around district campuses.
The grants totaling $37,619.50 came from the Lindale ISD Education Foundation and will directly benefit LISD students by allowing for the purchase of new and innovative tools for classrooms.
“The Lindale ISD is an outstanding school district with amazing, hard-working teachers,” said Gay Pyland, president of the Lindale ISD Education Foundation. “The Education Foundation’s goal is to support these teachers by funding their creative and innovative needs in the classroom. Together, with our individual donors, businesses and community, we support not only the teachers, but we also give our students an added advantage to their education.”
Teachers were notified about the funding they received though the district's surprise Grant Patrol that moved through campus hallways.
During the Grant Patrol, the Lindale High School band, cheerleaders, donors, administrators and volunteers cheer through the campuses, while presenting the money to the teachers, according to the district.
“This is the best time of the year for the Lindale Education Foundation,” said Courtney Sanguinetti, executive director of the Lindale ISD Education Foundation. “Our board members and volunteers work extremely hard throughout the year to raise enough funds to be able to give like we do. To see it all pay off with the excitement of the students and teachers is definitely our reward. We are so thankful for the teachers who applied for these new learning tools and we are excited to see them in action.”
The education foundation began distributing grants in November 2009, and since then, the nonprofit group has given out $410,151.33 to LISD classrooms for more than 100 projects, the district said in a statement.
“We are so thankful for our donors and the Lindale community who make all of this possible,” Sanguinetti said. “These students deserve a chance to excel beyond the classroom and the projects funded by the Education Foundation help to do just that. Our teachers’ dedication to our kids and school district is what makes LISD one of the best.”