What Ms. Champey would buy for students with a grant

Melissa Champey, PTA president and librarian at Copper King Elementary School in the Pendergast School District, said she was buying road, car and van bulletin board items that tie in with the school’s theme Road Trip to Success 2020.

“If I had a $200 classroom grant, I would purchase things for our maker space that we’re incorporating in the library,” Champey said.

Video by Mary Irish/ AZEdNews: What Ms. Champey would buy for students with a grant

While the 20% by 2020 plan has increased salaries for many Arizona teachers, most teachers still spend more than $500 a year out of their own pocket for classroom supplies, learning materials and snacks for their students.

A week before school starts, teachers, instructional coaches and assistant principals were buying classroom supplies, learning tools, storage, bulletin board and student reward items at Teaching & Learning Stuff in Glendale.

Some teachers have used crowdfunding to obtain technology for their classrooms, add flexible or adaptive student furniture, and provide learning tools that engage students and help them achieve.

Resources like Treasures4Teachers and Maricopa County Education Service Agency’s STEM Resource Center help many educators.

Many teachers have found that applying for grants  is another way to help meet their students’ needs.

AZEdNews is celebrating its fifth anniversary by giving back to teachers with $200 classroom grants to enhance classroom learning that will be given out in September, December, February and April of this year.

Click here to apply for the AZEdNews classroom grant.