COUNCIL BLUFFS SCHOOLS FOUNDATION AWARDS MORE THAN $43,000 IN CLASSROOM GRANTS

Each year, the Council Bluffs Schools Foundation partners with the Council Bluffs Community School District to provide classroom grants. The Classroom Grants program funds teacher-led ideas that enhance learning, spark student engagement, and provide resources that help students access classroom instruction in meaningful ways. This year’s awards include projects in literacy, early childhood learning, STEM, fine arts, sensory supports, English Learner resources, and social-emotional learning. 

This year, thanks to the generous support of community partners and individuals, the Council Bluffs Schools Foundation awarded $43,743 in classroom grants to support 44 projects. 

Teachers from throughout the district submitted grant requests, large and small, to enhance learning in their classroom and expand the educational opportunities available to their students. 

“Our community continues to show up in incredible ways for our students and teachers,” says Bridgette Watson, Executive Director of the Council Bluffs Schools Foundation. “Because of the generosity of our donors and partners, we are able to bring innovative ideas to life in classrooms across the district. These grants are more than funding, they are investments in creativity, opportunity, and student success, and we are excited to see the impact these projects will have throughout the coming school year.” 

This year’s grant requests included a wide range of items, including sensory tools, electronic drum kits, reading and literacy materials, and updated lab materials for high school science classes. 

“These grants empower our teachers to bring new ideas and meaningful learning experiences into their classrooms, and the impact is felt by students across our district every day,” Superintendent Dr. Vickie Murillo said. “We are incredibly grateful to the Council Bluffs Schools Foundation and the many generous donors whose support makes these classroom grants possible each year”

New this year, the Foundation introduced a $5,000 Building Grant designed to support larger-scale projects that enhance teaching and learning across an entire school building. Unlike traditional classroom grants awarded to individual teachers, the Building Grant supports shared instructional resources or initiatives that benefit multiple classrooms or grade levels.

Bloomer Elementary School was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Building Grant for its Amelia Bloomer’s Literacy Landscape project. Funding from the grant will help create reading nooks throughout the school, providing welcoming spaces where students can relax, explore books, and build a love of reading.