Board OKs grants for media equipment, weekend backpacks and therapy dog training; food-service director details backpack purchases

The Franklin County Community School Corporation board voted Monday, Aug. 11, to accept several small grants aimed at classrooms, student nutrition and additional supports.

Superintendent Dustin Garing told the board the district requested and the board approved acceptance of a $2,579.51 grant from the Franklin County Community Foundation to purchase equipment for a new high-school media class. The administration said the media class will support the district’s marketing and communications efforts; the district also plans to use foundation funds to hire a media consultant, funded through local TIF dollars, to support outreach.

Jessica Defaut, food-service director, asked the board to accept a $4,000 grant from Reed Health to support the weekend backpack program. Defaut described the grant as funding “food that we’re going to be purchasing … to go purchase healthy foods that they need.” She said purchased items are intended to be healthier and more consistent than ad-hoc donated foods and will serve a small population of students who rely on the weekend pack program.

Athletic director Dustin Riley asked the board to accept $1,000 from the Franklin County Community Foundation discretionary/family endowment for therapy dog training. The board grouped the items for discussion and approved them during the grants section of the agenda; the vote on the consolidated grants was recorded as 6-0 in favor (one trustee absent).

Board members asked for brief clarifications about how backpack contents differ from donations and whether the media-class equipment request aligns with the district’s broader marketing strategy. Garing and Defaut said the foundation and community partners had been responsive; Defaut noted the weekend program purchases should reduce reliance on inconsistent donated items and better target nutritional needs.