Education Foundation awards Kliminsi grants

Bloomfield Educational Foundation Board Vice Chairwoman Madeline Wollner, announced the winners of the Joseph Kliminski Teacher Grants at a BOE meeting held at Fairview School on Jan. 24. Joseph Kliminski, foundation chairman emeritus, presented all award recipients with certificates of achievement.
Wollner, the foundation’s Grant Review Committee chairwoman, said, “The teachers submitted unique proposals, many of which included the latest technology initiatives for educators. The grants awarded were up to $500 and fund projects which enhance learning, but fall outside the regular school budget. This is the first of two grant rounds for this school year to support these creative initiatives.”
The schools and teachers who received certificates and funding were:
• Lisa Basile from BHS, for “Pro-Graphics Escapades: Katman comes to Bloomfield - Graphic Novel Literacy and Second Language Learners”;
• Keri Regina from Brookdale School, for “I Speech! Tech Savvy Speechies”;
• Tania Liddy from Berkeley School, for “I Read!” (i-Pod+ accelerated Reader);
• Lisa Maron from Fairview School, for “Pi Day”; and
• Amy Konzelmann and Denice Yavorski of Carteret School. for “Carteret Newsletter.”
The foundation’s Grants Review Committee also forwarded the requests for matching grants along with the elementary schools’ home and school associations for eight Smartboards for the eight elementary schools at a cost of $1,800 a apiece, totaling $14,400 for that initiative.
Total donations for this period were $16,950.
Founded in 1999 by Chairman-Emeritus Joseph Kliminski and past Chairman Robert Fetterly, the BEF is a registered 501(c)3 foundation, which strives to enhance the educational experience for all Bloomfield school children, grades K-12. This year marks a milestone of giving that totals $500,000 in college scholarships, teacher classroom grants, and extraordinary grants for larger projects. Some of the projects most recently funded include:
• Two rounds of SmartBoard purchases for the eight elementary schools, in collaboration with each of the home and school associations;
• donations to support equipment for the renovation and updating of the BHS television studio and music labs;
• funds to support the purchase of Notebooks for the BHS sophomore biology class and Project Cloud Ten; and
• ongoing support for the VEST program, which serves the disabled students by teaching them vocational and career skills.
If you would like more information about the BEF, visit the website, www.bloomfieldeducationalfoundation.org. If you would like to become involved as a BEF volunteer, call BEF Executive Director Ann Dassing at 973-403-0032.