Wyomissing Area Education Foundation

Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday break. Two of the grants that WAEF funded since the COVID-19 school closure last spring were in support of our elementary students. WAEF purchased iPads to be used in virtual learning as well as 700 styluses to be used by elementary students. The styluses support the development of fine motor skills and dexterity, students' ability to properly form letters and numbers on an iPad, and students' ability to make a cognitive connection with a concept being taught. Thank you to WAEF's supporters who make projects like these possible for Wyomissing Area School District students!

End-of-year Matching Opportunity! As you wrap up your year-end giving and consider your philanthropic options, please consider WAEF. A new round of matching is now available thanks to the generosity of John & Gloria Rothenberger, who have pledged up to $25,000 to WAEF! Gifts given to WAEF's Annual Campaign or Foundation Sustainability Fund will be matched as follows:... Gifts from $1-$750 will be matched 1 to 1 (doubling your impact!) Gifts of $751 and above will be matched 2 to 1 (tripling your impact!) Please visit our website to make your donation or mail your check to WAEF at 630 Evans Avenue, Wyomissing PA 19610 and indicate your gift designation.

WAEF was pleased to approve this grant request from Mrs. Hughes at WHEC for books to support gifted students. She wrote in her grant application, "Now more than ever the social-emotional needs of our students need to be addressed. To help our gifted learners who are highly sensitive with over-excitabilities and asynchronous development, this project will focus on the gifted population in third and fourth grade at Wyomissing Hills Elementary Center and the development and understanding of what it means to be gifted, how to deal with stressors and pressure of family, friends and teachers, and how to embrace one’s individual strengths and talents. Through small group and individual discussions, journaling and activities, the students will develop a sense of self-worth, understanding and confidence."

Thank you to Riverview Bank for your continued support of WAEF through Pennsylvania's EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program! This $3,000 donation will provide great support for programs in the Wyomissing Area School District and is an important part of WAEF's ability to fund grants for all three schools. We were pleased to gather safely for a photo this week. Pictured left to right are Karen L. Scalese, Riverview Asst. Vice President/Community Office Manager; Molly McCullough Murrill, WAEF Executive Director, and Jen Mangold, Wyomissing Area School District Supervisor of Assessments and Instructional Interventions.

One of the ways that WAEF has supported the Wyomissing Area School District during this shift to hybrid and virtual learning is through the purchase of 22 document cameras to be used in all three school buildings. These devices provide an effective method to help at-home learners feel as if they're learning in the room with the teacher. With the implementation of document cameras, educators have more freedom to use real-world documents, live, with their students.

Thank you to Mid Penn Bank for your support of WAEF through Pennsylvania's EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) program. This $2,500 donation will provide great support for programs in the Wyomissing Area School District and is an important part of WAEF's ability to fund grants for all three schools.