Joni Martino Multiplies Materials Two decades after the founding of Wylie ISD Education Foundation, corporate sponsors continue to serve the community.
Two years ago, second-grade teacher Joni Martino noticed her students were spending a lot of time trading tools for math and waiting for other classmates to finish practices. Smith Elementary is a bright place in our booming district with the class sizes growing faster than the materials can multiply. In 2020, Wylie ISD geared up for an unpredictable academic year. Teachers began looking for new ways for students to engage. Mrs. Martino applied for a grant from Wylie ISD Education Foundation to help supply enough math toolkits so her students didn’t have to share and precious classroom time wouldn’t be spent cleaning tools before passing them off to other students during the same lesson. “These toolkits were needed very much when we had to social distance and limit sharing supplies,” she said. “My students love having their own kits, and having hands-on math manipulatives is instrumental in student learning!” Mrs. Martino is just one of many educators who applied with pandemic-related requests for the classroom. Her grant was sponsored by Chamber of Commerce member RLK Engineering, who saw it as an opportunity to help inspire future engineers. “Supporting Wylie ISD Education Foundation is about supporting our teachers, and ultimately our students,” said Ronny Klingbeil of RLK Engineering. “It’s been so inspiring to see how teachers have innovated and persevered to support their students, and we want to be a part of that success.” Sponsors, Wylie ISD teachers and staff, and our donating community are responsible for more than $3 million worth of grants to date. To learn more about Wylie ISD Education Foundation and its teacher grants, and participate in our online auction opening Feb. 18th, please go to wisdfoundation.org.
A Wylie Chamber of Commerce Publication
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