Special Project Grants

Building on earlier grant funding for staff wellness, this grant will further enhance the well-being of our district educators by creating a sustainable annual Staff Wellness Calendar, including mental, physical, and social well-being activities. Funding will implement this initiative, with a focus on staff recruitment, retention, and ultimately, improving student learning outcomes to build a culture of wellness within our schools.

Providing resources and enrichment opportunities to support the mission of Middle School Alternative Education: Connecting students with knowledge, skills, and resources to increase school and academic access and thrive as individuals and community members.

Projects include challenge courses, inspirational speakers, experiences, community service, and entrepreneurial and wellness opportunities that build students’ sense of identity, community, and creativity.

To allow Pride Clubs to exist in every school in Corvallis School District. Providing pronoun pins, flags, stickers, arts, and craft supplies for bracelet making and button making, journals, stickers, fidgets, and snacks as gender-affirming tools to support LGBTQ+ students and allies in their identities.

The Department of Student Growth & Experience aims to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all staff and students by ensuring that the available books represent diverse perspectives and counterstories. This will enable students to view themselves and their potential differently, as they will be exposed to materials that reflect their backgrounds. These materials will also encourage conversations between students and staff, leading to an increase in racial consciousness.

To further enhance the well-being of our district educators. Over the years, grants initiated some wellness programs, but the new goal is to create a sustainable annual Staff Wellness Calendar, including mental, physical, and social well-being activities. Funding will implement this initiative, with a focus on staff recruitment, retention, and ultimately, improving student learning outcomes to build a culture of wellness within our schools.

This trip celebrated the accomplishments of two exceptional Crescent Valley High School art students, Kayna Smith and Maureen Villalobos Vargas, who had been selected to showcase their ceramic works at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) convention in Cincinnati, Ohio, from March 15-18, 2023. Accompanied by their teachers, Keith Moses and Julia Blue Arm, this opportunity provided these students with recognition for their hard work, exposure to a vibrant artistic community, and access to workshops, educational forums, and scholarships. Additionally, the presence of our staff and students at this event reflected a significant honor for our school district and community.

To reduce barriers to education at individual schools for students navigating poverty. Grants are allocated to each school to facilitate swift responses to immediate needs, such as food, hygiene items, fees, school supplies, and gas cards.

To provide families with supplemental food, hygiene items, laundry cards, grocery gift cards, and emergency financial support through the Welcome Center. The Welcome Center connects families with resources within schools and the community, and ensures that all students have access to full educational opportunities. The Welcome Center team supports students who are unhoused and/or navigating poverty.

To expand curriculum aimed at addressing suicide prevention, child sexual abuse education, anti-bullying efforts, and healthy gender and sexuality education, with a focus on the middle school level.

To support the wellbeing and retention of staff by sponsoring food for community-building events for teachers and staff at strategic points over the course of the school year. Meals will provide an opportunity for educators to foster relationships with colleagues. These connections are critical to a positive work environment, and are especially valuable after the isolation educators experienced during extended school closures.

To show staff appreciation by providing “spring” wildflower bookmarks along with a Corvallis School District lapel pin.

To equip the superintendent with a sno-cone machine as a means of connecting with staff. This project is meant to bring teachers, staff, and administrators together in a light-hearted way at the end of a school day.

To support ongoing professional learning and collaboration in each school to disrupt systems and structures that have historically marginalized students and communities of color.

To fund leadership development of staff of color in our school district. Opportunities may include leadership seminars organized by Corvallis School District Aspiring Administrators Core Team, and career advancement for staff who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color.

To provide the Students Advocating for Equity (S.A.F.E) program at elementary schools. Supports the recruitment of BIPOC students in fourth and fifth grades to come together to learn and engage in courageous conversations about race.

To provide culturally responsive and racially conscious reading materials for students. Books include “Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and You” by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, and “This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work” by Tiffany Jewel.

To ensure that all families have access to the internet so that students can participate in remote learning.

To provide tutoring in different content areas for students who need additional support. Tutoring referrals will be provided through the Welcome Center.

To reduce barriers to education for students navigating poverty. Grants are allocated to each school to facilitate swift responses to immediate needs such as food, hygiene items, fees, school supplies, and gas cards.

To enhance the capacity of the 509J Welcome Center so it can better serve and support Spanish-speaking families seeking resources, referrals, supplemental food, hygiene items, emergency supplies, and other services.

To provide families with supplemental food, hygiene items, laundry cards, grocery gift cards, and emergency financial support through the Welcome Center. The Welcome Center connects families with resources within schools and the community, and ensures that all students have access to full educational opportunities.

To offer virtual evening seminars in Mam, Spanish, and Arabic aimed at helping families understand and support the at-home learning for their children.