Arlington Education Foundation Fundraiser November 18

Arlington Education Foundation (AEF) friends and supporters will gather together on November 18th for the organization’s annual fundraiser.  The program, Innovate, Develop, Expand, will celebrate AEF’s recent projects and programs in the Arlington schools, including a three-year Technology Initiative and a Continuing Scholars Award for teachers.  Special guest speakers will include Dr. Matthew Janger, Arlington High School’s new Principal, and Catherine Ritz, Arlington’s World Languages Director.

The celebration will take place on Monday, November 18 at Flora Restaurant, 190 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

"Arlington is a vibrant community with excellent schools.  I look forward to partnering with AEF, members of our community, and our teachers to improve the technology, facilities, and innovative programs that will be at the heart of this community for many years” commented Dr. Janger.  Attendees will get a special opportunity to interact with Dr. Janger who began his tenure as Arlington’s High School principal over the summer.

AEF has awarded over $100,000 in grants to Arlington Public Schools each year for the past three years. AEF has recently expanded their grants to include two new categories: a Technology Initiative and Continuing Scholars Award. AEF’s Technology Initiative is a three-year fundraising initiative to accelerate the infusion of technology into the Arlington Public Schools.  The first example of this program is a new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Lab at the High School, where computer programming courses are being offered for the first time in over four years.   The Continuing Scholars Award provides grants of up to $2,500 to Arlington educators to support personal education experiences that will in turn benefit their students.

“At AEF, we work hard to support the priorities of Arlington’s schools and teachers.  From the grant requests we’ve received in recent years, it’s become clear that we need to step up our efforts to help the district enhance learning through effective technology.  We have long recognized that our teachers are our most valuable resource, and anything we can to do assist them is well worth doing.  We are so excited to be able to address these priorities through our new endeavors,” reflected AEF Board President Rebecca Steinitz.

Highlights of recent grants include an award winning Suicide Prevention program at the High School in partnership with the Arlington Youth Counseling Center (AYCC), a High School Artist-in-Residence with Winfred Rembert, a Kiln shared by Brackett and Peirce Elementary Schools, the new Kindergarten Around the World curriculum, and math support at the Ottoson Middle School.

AEF’s fall celebration fundraiser is open to the community.  Suggested admission to the event is $100 per person or $150 per couple.  Reservations and donations can be made online at http://www.arlingtoneducationfoundationma.org.

The Arlington Education Foundation works to support and advance public education in Arlington, Massachusetts. AEF funds system wide initiatives and creative new projects to enhance the educational experiences of Arlington’s teachers and students.  AEF relies solely on community donations.