Press release from
Buncombe County Schools
6 Buncombe County Schools Receive $57,000 in Local Grants
Funds will support technology, an outdoor classroom, and bilingual education
Two local charitable funds have announced plans to provide grants to six Buncombe County Schools this month.
The Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund is awarding over $47,000 in grants to schools in the Enka District to advance student engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics:
• Candler Elementary will receive $13,000 to purchase iPad technology, including probes, a wireless microscope and other scientific measurement devices, plus an integrated software package with science learning activities for 4th, 5th and 6th graders.
• Hominy Valley Elementary will receive $9,000 for iPad technology to advance 21st Century learning methodologies and help meet specialized instruction requirements for advanced and intellectually gifted students in grades 3-5.
• Pisgah Elementary will receive $13,000 to purchase iPad technology and integrated software, plus related professional development for teachers. The focus is on their second-grade science and math programs, including the weather investigation program,Weatherbug.
• Sandhill-Venable Elementary will receive $12,700 to implement the first phase of a new science lab, expanding their capacity to provide hands-on learning experiences for all students, in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Meanwhile, The Ramble Charitable Fund has awarded over $10,000 to support new educational programs at two Buncombe County elementary schools:
• Avery’s Creek Elementary will receive $7,500 to help launch a dual-language immersion program (Spanish-English) in two kindergarten classrooms. Campus way-finding signs will be provided in both languages, and books will be purchased to establish a dual-language library. The grant also supports planning time for dual-language classroom teachers before school resumes in August.
• Oakley Elementary will receive $2,800 to build a school garden and outdoor classroom. Teachers plan to use this outdoor learning lab as they address state curriculum targets regarding plants, insects, ecosystems and climate.
The Biltmore Lake Charitable Fund was created to improve the quality of life in the Enka-Candler community by supporting education, economic development, health care and other projects that promote community development, including the arts and environmental quality.
The Ramble Charitable Fund was created to improve the quality of life in designated Buncombe County communities by supporting education, economic development, health care and other projects that promote local well-being.
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