Verona Foundation for Educational Excellence (VFEE) is proud to announce a Special Grant awarded to the Verona Public Schools in support of the District-Wide Google Initiative. VFEE will grant $75,000 over the course of three years to support Chromebooks in our Classrooms. $25,000 was awarded at the Verona Board of Education meeting on September 8, 2015. VFEE will provide $25,000 per year for the next two years making the Google Initiative Grant the largest award by VFEE since its inception in 2007. This initiative is a district-wide program that will bring innovative educational apps and creative classroom learning tools to students and teachers throughout Verona Public Schools. Cathy Jackson, Chair of VFEE, captured the mood of the group, “Our board is dedicated to directly impacting student success, enriching student opportunities and supporting quality instruction.”

Superintendent of Schools Rui Dionisio shared the following:

“We have a responsibility to make schools more relevant for kids as they walk through our front doors each and every morning. The technology we are scaling is not a substitute for high quality instruction in our classrooms, but rather a means to enhance learning opportunities for our students that did not otherwise exist without the technology. Our teachers are excited about learning new approaches. We are seeking new opportunities for our students to publish their authentic work to a broader audience, videoconference with people from different parts of the world, and to provide our staff ways to most effectively support student learning and maximize the potential of every child. Our goal is to continue to create 21st century learning classrooms throughout our entire district with a focus on creation and collaboration.

The success of this program would not be possible without the generous support of the Verona Foundation for Educational Excellence. This award will enable the Verona Public Schools to scale the infusion of effective technology and provide an innovative approach to teaching and learning. For that, we are extremely grateful.”

The Google Initiative Grant Award would not be possible without the generous support of our donor base. We want to thank those who have provided contributions that fund quality innovative educational grants to Verona public schools in an effort to enrich the educational experience of the students of Verona. Your support is greatly appreciated by the trustees of VFEE as well as district teachers, administrators and students.

VFEE is a 501 c (3) charitable organization dedicated to enhancing excellence in education through the development and distribution of private resources for the benefit of Verona public schools and students. Help us continue to Inspire Minds One Grant at a Time by donating today at www.vfee.org.