School’s Never Out for Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation

School’s Never Out for Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation

By Jodi Nash

School is out soon, but that doesn’t mean work ends for educators.

Fauquier school children benefit greatly from FEEF grants.

Almost 40 years ago, The Committee for Excellence in Education was founded by a group of inspired bankers and Judge J. Gregory Ashwell, with the intention of supporting the ongoing professional development of teachers in Fauquier County Public Schools.

In 2013, local business leaders, school board members, community officials and parents collaborated to expand that mission to include students, administrators, guidance counselors, and all areas of education.

Rebranded as Fauquier Excellence in Education Foundation (FEEF) in 2014, the non-profit has received $212,850 in grants over the years. The funds support a variety of innovative programs implemented in the county, including the Outdoor Lab, the Environmental Studies Academy, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) summer camps, My First Book Club, Eyes on Wildlife, the Orton-Gillingham Institute for Multi-Sensory Education program, and Transitions, which provides hands-on work experience and life skills for Fauquier special education students ages 18-22.

Stacy Griffin, a current board member and the previous executive director, remains passionate about the non-profit’s work.

“It’s a 100 percent volunteer organization,” she said. “We have no overhead other than our website maintenance fees, and all funds donated go to directly to the program.” A grant from Dominion Energy funded the Environmental Studies Academy at Fauquier High School. And Appleton-Campbell (plumbing & HVAC) has partnered with FEEF to guarantee a certain number of jobs to Liberty High School graduates, to encourage career “technical and trade” educational opportunities.

Fauquier High’s exceptional automotive studies program is also a foundation beneficiary. It essentially acts as a conduit for funding everything from continuing professional development for teachers and counselors, to “a safe and fun after-Prom celebration” for high school seniors.

“Since schools don’t accept credit cards, parents can donate to our ‘bucket’ for this particular campaign,” Stacy said. “Then the funds are split evenly across the board, to provide games, prizes like laptops, food and non-alcoholic beverages at the after-prom parties.”

Another example of FEEF’s remarkable work is Mary Walter Elementary School’s request for support for the fifth grade field trip to the Baltimore Aquarium.

“For $25, you could fund a child to go to the aquarium, to include lunch,” Stacy said. “Many children would never have that opportunity.”

Ideas for how to fill the competitive gaps in the educational system come from the organization’s Board members, who spend much time talking to teachers, administrators, and school board members to identify the most important needs. Those needs are then prioritized, and funds are funneled to the recipient. Funds raised from the “Superintendent’s Scramble” golf tournament at Stonewall Golf Course in Gainesville on June 1 will be used to sponsor an initiative called the New Teacher Academy being implemented for the first time this summer.

This one day training will help reimburse first time teachers (or teachers new to Fauquier schools) for their “new teacher kits” or classroom supplies, familiarize them with the curriculum and how to navigate the technology, and show them how to be functional in the classroom on the challenging first day.

In 2017, the foundation, in partnership with Fauquier County Public Schools and Lord Fairfax Community College, received the inaugural Virginia Governor’s Award for Excellence and Innovation in Education in the category of Community Partnerships and Collaborations.

Details: https://www.fauquiereie.org/.