Grants – many of us have been involved in applying for or being the recipient of a grant in our work, private or volunteer life. Grants come in all types. San Saba ISD has been fortunate to be the recipient of a variety of grants. The largest grant the ISD has received was a $1,000,000 repair and renovation grant that provided for the renovation of San Saba High School several years ago. Most recently SSISD has been awarded several substantial technology grants that provided for the upgrade of our student and teacher technology that is used in daily instruction. The type of grants that we apply for are those that enhance our daily instruction and fit the vision and goals of our school district. Listed below is an update on the current grants we are managing and pursuing: 2 RUS grants – these two grants upgrade the distance learning equipment at San Saba High School and provides two mobile distance learning carts one each for SSMS and SSES. These carts will allow the campuses to receive instruction from other school districts, SSISD to share teachers with other school districts, provide college credit to our students, electronic field trips to our students and professional development for our teachers without leaving the city limits of San Saba. The Meadows Foundation Grant provides for the implementation of the AVID program. AVID is a program that prepares students for life after graduation. The process taken when enrolled in AVID assists students with gaining the skills necessary to be successful in the workforce, in college or in trade school. AVID answers the question, "what will I do after high school and not if I am going to get training, but where." The Texas Association of School Boards awarded the ISD funding to install video surveillance equipment on our school buses and provided for safety locks on the interior doors of our classrooms. A Federal Title II grant called the Pre-Ed grant in the amount of $33,332 was awarded to the ISD to "grow our own science and math teachers." An unusual grant that is due for submission this week is the SECO grant. This grant will assist the district in cutting its electrical costs by generating electricity through solar panels. Finally, a big grant that is due for submission next week is the Connections Grant. San Saba ISD qualified for this grant because of our previous success and as a receipt of two large technology grants – Vision 2020 and T3. The Connections Grant will position our high school as a mentor school for our middle school and elementary school in regard to technology. The grant will provide for laptops in the middle school, grades 5-8 and will provide iPads for the 4th grade students in San Saba Elementary School. With each new grant that becomes available, we carefully consider the implications of each grant. Namely, how will we sustain it once grant funds are used up, does the intent of the grant fit our mission, vision and goals and will the grant provide for safety and will it improve instruction and the success of our students. With each grant we receive or funding source we apply for, we secure another avenue of alternative funding that does not take money from our local sources. Applying for and managing grants does take a great deal of time and effort and often times too much trouble for school districts to manage. SSISD staff willingly takes on this challenge to provide the most opportunity to our students and our district. As well, don’t forget to sign up for the "alerts" available from the website, and don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for the Parent Portal giving parents access to grades and attendance. Parents, let us know how we can help you the first day of school all the way until the last day of school!! If you have any question about this article or any other question about school happenings please contact me at 325/372-3144 or email me at lglaze@san-saba.net . We are San Saba! We are together!