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The Bartlesville Public School Foundation's Prize Patrol spread some joy across the District on Thursday as they awarded $22,000 in grants to teachers.

Foundation President Blair Ellis said the grants were spread out over three categories: Classroom Grants, Professional Growth Grants, and Northern Oklahoma American Chemical Society (ACS) Grants. She said the Professional Growth grants go towards the professional development of teachers in Bartlesville Public Schools, while Classroom Grants go towards innovative ideas, projects and equipment for classrooms. Lastly, Northern Oklahoma ACS Grants are science grants that are fund through the Northern Oklahoma ACS

Ellis said the BPS Foundation distributed eight grants in total (some pictured below). She said the largest grant that was handed out on Thursday was a $10,000 grant for professional development. She said approximately 50 general education teachers across the District will participate in virtual instruction training.

This training will also help teachers learn how to support and educate students on the autism spectrum in a virtual environment. Ellis said the teachers that attend the training will be responsible for returning to their school site and teaching what they learned to the teachers that couldn't attend the training. She said LeeAnn Pressler led the charge for the grant with Heather Davis (pictured above).

Other items funded by the BPS Foundation's grants that were handed out on Thursday include drones for several of the District's programs including broadcast. Ellis said they also gave out a science grant, a grant to support the arts, and a grant to purchase e-books for students to use. She said there was an emphasis in virtual instruction so they can continue to teach the District's students through the pandemic while focusing on a post-pandemic future.

Ellis said the BPS Foundation is always looking for the grants that involve District-wide collaboration. She said they're responsible for the funds from their donors, so they want to make sure that they're being good financial stewards with those funds by making a broad yet significant impact with the grants they hand out.

For the first time since Ellis has been involved with the BPS Foundation, the Foundation's grant committees funded all the grants they've received. Ellis said this is not because they've lowered their standards, but rather due to the fact that the teachers are excellent grant writers that know what their students and the District needs. She said she is grateful for Bartlesville's teachers and she applauds their efforts.

The BPS Foundation has been around since 1985. Ellis said they celebrated the Foundation's 35th Anniversary this year. She said they hope to continue to fulfill their mission of advancing quality education in Bartlesville public schools. You can learn more about the BPS Foundation and/or donate here.

Looking at the future, the BPS Foundation may open a second cycle for science grants again. Ellis said that could take place in January but a decision is yet to be made on that thought. She said Classroom Grants go through two cycles. The second Classroom Grant Cycle will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 17th. There is a $10,000 budget for the Classroom Grants.

Professional Growth grants are always open to teachers. Ellis said the $10,000 Professional Growth Grant that was awarded on Thursday was the only one that has been awarded so far this year. She said they also offer Experts in Residence Grants year round to teachers. The Experts in Residence Grants are virtual this year but experts in a profession can Zoom or Skype into a classroom and teach what they know and it would all be funded by the BPS Foundation's grant that they award. Only one Experts in Residence Grant has been awarded this year.