Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Grants And Outreach topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District announces $133,000 award for STEM/PD items; schedules Parent University sessions
Summary
The district reported receipt of a $133,000 award to support professional development, Lego clubs, AVID and prevention work tied to student supports; administrators also outlined a series of Parent University events for incoming kindergarten, middle- and high-school transition nights.
Kuna Joint District staff told trustees on April 15 that the district has been approved for a grant award (referred to in the meeting as “the medicraft” award) for $133,000 to support targeted programs including professional development, Lego clubs at elementary schools and AVID.
The superintendent (identified in the packet as Kim Bechtel) reported the award is designated in several “pockets,” including roughly $65,000 earmarked for professional development and a request to sustain Lego club activities across elementary campuses. Staff explained the award was pursued as part of the district’s relationship with a funder referenced as CUNA; the funder provided a dollar amount the district could request and approves eligible items within that allocation. “They gave us kind of the dollar amount we could apply for and then we looked at what we like,” the superintendent said. Trustees clarified that the grant was designated to specific uses rather than an entirely unrestricted award; staff said awarded funds must fit the funder’s eligible program categories.
Staff also reviewed a set of upcoming Parent University events aimed at family orientation and transition: a high-school “101” night for families of rising ninth graders is scheduled at Kuna High School, and a kindergarten-focused “Welcome to Your Future” event will be held at Swan Falls High School the same night to let families tour career and technical education (CTE) facilities and learn registration, busing, safety and classroom expectations. Middle-school and additional high‑school sessions will follow, and some parent groups plan to provide childcare or parent volunteers at the sessions.
District communications staff said they will provide QR codes and online resources for parents who cannot attend in person and will coordinate messaging around rezoning updates and boundary decisions so parents are not directed to schools that could later change by board action. The board did not vote on accepting the grant award during the meeting; staff reported the grant approval process is complete and funds will be distributed after usual processing steps.
