A Special Thank You to All WPS Educators

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TO ALL WOBURN PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS,

As we reach the end of a more than year- long battle with the COVID pandemic, the members of the Woburn Community Educational Foundation (WCEF) thank you for your dedicated service under extreme circumstances to deliver uninterrupted teaching to the students of Woburn. Recently, our “Awesome Teacher Tribute Campaign” was completed and we were struck by the overwhelming public response this year considering the disruptions caused by the pandemic. Many parents felt compelled to include a personal note with their submission applauding the dedication of their child’s teacher.

Our partnership with Woburn educators began by fulfilling the major mission of our organization, providing private investment to innovative programs that were not possible with public money. For the last five years, this has included $100,000 in funding for the LEXIA reading program.

In an effort to continue this support, WCEF applied for a renewal grant through the Cummings Foundation $25 Million Grant Program.  We were informed this week that WCEF was awarded a $200,000.00 grant in annual installments of $20,000.00 per year for 10 years. Credit for this important milestone must be shared with the Woburn Public School Administration and the Woburn Public School educators, whose obvious enthusiasm for the program has contributed to its success in helping Woburn students read at grade level. This is what inspired the support of the Cummings Foundation.

While the “pandemic period” had some negative impact on normal schooling, it did highlight the innovation, dedication and flexibility of Woburn educators. Congratulations and we are proud to be working on your behalf and the students of Woburn.

In Partnership, 

The Board of Directors of the Woburn Community Educational Foundation
Joe Crowley                               Joanne Mulkerin
Sue Ellen Holland                      Donald Queenin
Bonnie Johnson                         Eric Skeffington
Robert E. Maguire                      Brian Teague
Michael Martini                          Nancy Whalen
Rick Metters                               Maria Zeqo

Maureen Willis, Executive Director
                                                    

 

Presenting Woburn’s Awesome Teachers!

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WCEF is proud to present the list of Woburn Educators honored this year with a Woburn’s Awesome Teacher Tribute.  This year’s campaign was our most successful ever, with 271 tributes received, 189 individual educators honored, 5 whole school tributes and more than $6,700 raised to support WCEF’s Educator Grants Program. 

This year, honored educators received their tributes via email, and they are posting selfies with their tributes on social media with the hashtag #WATT2021.     

Thanks to the inspiring work of our educators, the WATT program has grown more than 50% during the past two years.  WCEF is pleased to provide this opportunity for our Woburn community to publicly recognize the extraordinary efforts of our educators, and the difference they have made for their students and their families, especially this year.  All funds raised through the WATT program directly support Educator Grants in our schools and will be made available to all Woburn Educators during the next school year.

The mission of WCEF is to increase private investment and community involvement in the Woburn Public Schools.  Our goal is to support educational programs and initiatives that empower teacher creativity and drive innovation in the classroom beyond that which is possible with public dollars.  We are a volunteer organization which works to bring new resources to our schools.  To see the full list of honored educators and view the Awesome Teacher Tribute Gallery as we build it, visit www.woburnedfoundation.org/fundraising/teacher-tribute.

Presenting Our 2017 Woburn’s Awesome Teachers

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In total, 196 heart-felt tributes were made to 144 of Woburn’s Most Awesome Teachers.  We are grateful to our community for its outstanding support of this wonderful program, which raised more than $4,000 this year for Educator Grants.

To our 2017 Awesome Teachers:  Congratulations and Thank You for the Difference You Make for Your Students Everyday!

For the full gallery of award presentations, visit our Teacher Tribute page!

2016 Educator Grant Awards Reception

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The Woburn Community Educational Foundation recently held a Reception in the School Department’s Conference Room to award this year’s round of Educator Grants.  Hosted by members of the WCEF Board, the event was attended by the district’s leadership, to include the Superintendents, members of the School Committee, and many Principals, who came together to celebrate the work of 18 teams of teachers awarded $16,479 in funding for their creative school-based projects.

In comments by Executive Director Maureen Willis, she reminded the assembled group that the process to secure a grant award was very competitive this year, due to the high number of requests received from every school in the district.  To the Award Recipients, she noted, “Your projects reflected creativity in teaching and a thoughtful approach to the needs and interests of your students and demonstrated clearly to us the potential they have to advance student achievement.  We are pleased to support your great work and recognize your special role as ambassadors for the Woburn Public Schools as well as the Woburn Community Educational Foundation.”

Five of the grants awarded this year were funding through the generous investment of the Winning Home Foundation.  This organization was formed upon the sale of the Winning Home property in West Woburn, with a mission to serve those most in need among Woburn’s children.  The projects selected are well-matched to this mission, as they will provide tools and experiences to some of our most high-risk and economically disadvantaged students, to give them the inspiration and the support they need to achieve their full educational potential.

WCEF would like to thank our Educators in the Woburn Public Schools and the Greater Woburn community for their support of our Educator Grant Program.  Every parent or community member who recognized an Awesome Teacher, purchased a ticket to the Women’s Forum event, or made a donation of any size to WCEF helped to fund this year’s Educator Grants.  Each should feel proud of the difference they have made to support innovation in the Woburn Public Schools.

The complete list of funded projects can be found here:  WCEF Grants March 2016

An Inside Look at Our Educator Grants Program!

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For anyone who wanted to take a peak at our Educator Grants Process, this post is for you!

During our first-ever round of Educator Grants in 2015, we received some truly awesome proposals from Woburn Educators. WCEF was proud to provide funding for these innovative projects; a complete list of grants awarded can be found here.

This year, we have received several requests to view an example of a WCEF Educator Grant Proposal and Report.

With permission, we are posting the grant proposal submitted by Linda Riley, an ELL Educator at the Linscott-Rumford Elementary School, as well as her Final Report on the results of her funded project:  Kindles for the Classroom.

Grant Proposal:  Riley Linscott Kindles for the Classroom 2014-15 Grants

Final Report:  Riley Linscott 2015 Kindles Final Report

We hope this inspires Educators in the Woburn Public Schools to participate in WCEF’s Educator Grant Program.  The deadline for our 2016 Grants is January 22, 2016.

Thank you for your interest and support!

 

Teacher Spotlight

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From our Woburn’s Awesome Teacher Tribute to our Teacher Grant Program, WCEF celebrates and supports the hard work and dedication of our public school teachers.  This space will be dedicated to our Teacher Spotlight series, designed to introduce you to the people who are inspiring achievement in today’s students.