A partnership between four of Oakwood Schools’ strongest support groups is providing more than $110,000 to fulfill grant requests from Oakwood teachers, benefiting students in all five of the District buildings.
For the fifth year in a row, Oakwood Schools Foundation, Oakwood Fine Arts Boosters (FAB), Harman PTO, and Oakwood Junior and Senior High School PTO are collaborating to provide funding for projects and activities that range in subjects from the arts to science.
Caleb Vanden Eynden, 
a first-year music teacher at Smith Elementary School, applied for two grants this cycle, including one which will give Smith students the opportunity to participate in Muse Machine. FAB was able to fund both of Vanden Eynden’s requests. He says he was enthusiastic about the grants process, because it gave him flexibility when establishing his music programs.
Other grants funded this cycle include a hands-on science kit for Smith students, an interactive partnership with the Pacific Whale Foundation to teach Harman students more about the giant mammals, decodable book sets for Smith, Harman, and Lange students to bolster their comfort with phonetics, vocational bundles for students at OJH and OHS, focusing on crucial employment skills, and a virtual dissection table for OHS science students.
“We have been able to provide more for our students and teachers by working together and we have increased the communication between the grant gifting groups within the District. It is so meaningful to have an established Foundation within Oakwood continuing to lead the way in making a difference in our schools. We are grateful for this partnership,” OJH/OHS PTO Grants Chair Jennifer Almoney said.
Oakwood Schools Foundation presented the winter grant funds at the February Oakwood Board of Education meeting