Almost $24,000 will go toward nine new, innovative projects in Southeast Polk classrooms, made possible by Innovation Grant awards from the Southeast Polk Education Foundation (SEPEF). SEPEF awarded a total of $23,613.78 in 2024 Innovation Grants across these nine projects:
- Tools for the Skilled Trades Extension Center– Darrell Butcher
- Disc golf course for SEP Junior High – Ami Sinnott
- Spintronics for Four Mile Elementary and Willowbrook Elementary Talented and Gifted programs – Breanna Dehrkoop
- Indoor sensory pathway at Four Mile Elementary – Tammy Steenhoek and Alexis McCrory
- Leadership Library at Runnells Elementary – Kirsten Aguiniga
- SEP Middle School Rocketry Program – Denise Gulling and Katie Pinegar
- District-wide elementary PE bowling unit –Taylor Bowie
- Digital readout control for SEP High School industrial tech metalworking class – Stephen McCoy
- Books for English Speakers of Other Languages at Delaware Elementary –Callie Avon
2024 recipients were recognized during halftime of a December SEP basketball game, with Southeast Polk Board of Education members and Southeast Polk Education Foundation board members in attendance.
Since 2015, the SEP Education Foundation has awarded more than $292,000 in grants to Southeast Polk district educators
An independently governed nonprofit organization, the Southeast Polk Education Foundation works with SEP staff and educators to enhance opportunities for Southeast Polk students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade by funding grants for projects that fall outside the school district’s normal funding stream. SEPEF is the only funding organization with a mission to fund grants for our SEP teachers.