January 21, 2022 - The Comal Education Foundation surprised 18 Comal ISD teachers with grants totaling more than $56,000 during its Fall Prize Patrol this December. This financial support will directly benefit students with innovative programs in art, music, reading, science, technology and more.
Additionally, 50 teachers who are in their first year of teaching were awarded $250 New Teacher Grants from the Foundation to help build their classrooms.
In the last 21 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $1 million in funding to support the district’s students and teachers. The deadline for Spring Grant applications is Friday, Feb. 11. Any Comal ISD employee may apply.
Fall Grant Winners
- Julie Bevis, Clear Spring Elementary. Innovation grant for $3,000 for the Passion Project Buddy Bags program for students in foster care.
- Anita Carrera, Freiheit Elementary. Innovation grant for $1,342 for GT STEM program.
- Catherine Deatherage, Canyon High School. Innovative grant for $3,432 for digital art program.
- Michelle Engel, Canyon Middle School. Innovative grant for $757 for a blacklight art program.
- Ronald Fey, Mountain Valley Middle School. Innovation grant for $1,658 to support an Augmented Reality Sandbox.
- Rachel Grubbs, Clear Spring Elementary. Innovation grant for $1,520 for Noteworthy Novels program.
- Jennifer Hernandez, Mountain Valley Elementary. Innovative grant for $2,300 for Raising Readers program.
- Michael Herrera, Pieper High School. Received the maximum innovation award of $7,500 for the zSpace program, an advanced 3D virtual reality learning experience. Students can virtually explore the anatomy of a beating heart, dissect a fetal pig, take apart an engine or architecturally design and engineer a structure and more.
- Jennifer Leohr, Oak Creek Elementary. In partnership with the OCES PTA, the Foundation provided $1,000 for purchase of a class set of Ukuleles.
- Whitney Oefinger, Oak Creek Elementary. Innovation grant for $2,520 for Circuit Scribe program.
- Melissa Patrick, Indian Springs Elementary. Innovative grant for $2,392 for Novel Book Studies.
- Heather Sammis, Specht Elementary. Innovative grant for $3,500 for Reimagine Morning Work program.
- Lynn Scheele, Comal Discipline Center. Innovative grant for $1,916 to start an on-campus library.
- Venessa Sloan, Indian Springs Elementary. Innovative grant for $2,926 for music enrichment.
- Julie Tebbe, Pieper Ranch Middle School. Expertise grant for $618 will support professional development at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
- Alice Tuckness, Mountain Valley Elementary. Innovative grant for $2,082 for Drums of the World program.
- Denise Villarreal, Clear Spring Elementary. Innovative grant for $353 for Brain Bins program.
- Jennifer Waltermyer, Indian Sprins Elementary. Innovation grant for $1,262 for Heroes of Spheroes Innovative robotics program.
Congratulations!
-Teacher Michael Herrera at Pieper High School was surprised when he was awarded a Comal Education Foundation Grant of $7,500 for the zSpace program. Pictured from left are Comal Education Foundation’s District Liaison Sarah Permenter, Herrera, PHS Principal Jaime Alvarez-Calderon and Comal Education Foundation’s Executive Director Chlesea Ormond.