The Dent County Public Schools Foundation (DCPSF) has awarded nearly $15,000 in classroom mini-grants since the beginning of the school year, bringing new educational resources to five Salem-area school districts.
“The foundation has had a very eventful school year, and we’ve been really busy helping all of our local schools with resources needed in classrooms,” said DCPSF President Lynne Emory Engle.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relies on community fundraising to support more than 80 classrooms across Oak Hill R-1, Green Forest R-2, Dent-Phelps R-3, North Wood R-4 and Salem R-80.
The grants have funded a wide variety of educational tools and experiences across the county. At Green Forest R-2, seventh grade teacher Melissa McCarter used a mini-grant to take seventh and eighth grade students to see "The Outsiders" at the Fox Theatre following a novel study in class.
“This was a memorable and personal experience for the students that inspired thoughtful discussions of our book studies and a deeper appreciation for literature and the arts,” McCarter said. Green Forest also received literacy games, books and STEM resources.
At North Wood R-4, kindergarten teacher Lauren Prugh purchased morning STEM bins to foster creativity and strengthen fine motor skills.
“Having the Dent County Public Schools Foundation is such a blessing for teachers in our community," Prugh said. "I am so thankful to have been able to add this activity to our day." North Wood also received maps for the sixth grade classroom, headphones, math resources, resources for the Parents as Teachers program and funding for a Titanic field trip.
Other county districts utilized the funds for specialized classroom needs. Oak Hill R-1 received calculators, while Dent-Phelps R-3 acquired flexible seating, along with literacy and math resources.
In the Salem R-80 district, Upper Elementary teacher Jennifer Rensch acquired new reading materials, noting that the books have been highly motivating for students who now view reading as an enjoyable activity rather than homework. First grade teacher Amanda Oppelt purchased Math Stackers, a hands-on learning tool for modeling mathematical concepts.
“Students can physically build and see the numbers in a problem, helping them better understand how math works," Oppelt said. "Math Stackers allow me to easily adjust the level of difficulty for different learners and are a great resource for hands-on and visual learners in our classroom."
Other R-80 grants funded an agriculture laptop, sensory resources and library books.
“As you can see, all of the classroom grants that have been approved by our DCPSF committee have offered valuable resources for many students and classrooms,” Engle said.
These grants are made possible through community and corporate support. Recently, the foundation received an annual $10,000 donation from the Dragonfly Wings Foundation. Additional support this year has come from the Judson-Young Educational Foundation, Progressive Ozark Bank and Town & Country Bank.
The foundation also received a memorial gift honoring former local educators Ben and Jackie Koenman.
“The Koenmans were former educators in the community and made a significant contribution to the Salem community and were loved by everyone,” Engle said.
As a tax-exempt organization, DCPSF continues to seek community contributions to fund future grants. Engle noted that the donation process is simple. Contributions can be mailed to DCPSF Treasurer Michael Sullivan, c/o Scenic Rivers CPAs, 221 W. Fourth St., Salem.
In-person donations can be made at Town & Country Bank with DCPSF specified as the recipient. Online contributions—both recurring and one-time—are accepted through the Community Foundation of the Ozarks website at:
Looking ahead, the foundation is planning a fall online auction.
“We held one during the fall of 2024 and it was very successful," Engle said. "We had many wonderful donations from friends of the community and look forward to holding this event again to help support the foundation."
For more information, the public can contact any DCPSF board member, including Engle, Tammy Sellers, Ruth Ann Parker, Mary Beth Cook, Michael Sullivan, Kathy Hill or Dr. Bernie Sirois. School representatives include Marilyn Sweitzer, Ashley Crocker Floyd, Lesa Glenn, Sarah Parker, Kristina Jackson, Dan Copeland, Kathy Grover and Laine Schafer.
