Providing an extra bit of help for classrooms
News | Published on November 17, 2021 at 11:37am EST | Author: Chad Koenen
0
The Adopt-A-Class program at Henning School has helped teachers to purchase things like new chairs.
By Chad Koenen
Publisher
A small donation by a number of people, can go a long way to enhancing the learning environment at Henning School.
For the past 20 years, businesses, nonprofit groups and individuals have stepped up to the plate, so to speak, and participated in the Adopt-A-Class program.
The Adopt-A-Class program was started in Henning by Sue Reinbold in 2001. She began the program after seeing on the news that a school in another part of Minnesota created a similar program. The idea was to collect donations for teachers/classrooms to help with the financial load for extra supplies during the school year.
A new book shelf label system was purchased in years past for the library by utilizing funds from the Adopt-A-Class program.
Reinbold said many of her friends were teachers and they often talked about using so much of their own money during the school year. Purchasing items for 20 or more students can really add up over time.
Essentially, the program provides the opportunity for people to get involved with a specific classroom at the school, while also giving teachers the opportunity to receive additional money to purchase items for the classroom that may not otherwise be within their classroom budget. Over the years, the donations have been used to purchase things like notebooks and folders, flashcards, special chairs, books, toys, treats/rewards for students and much more.
In 2016, Reinbold handed over the program to Mary Seipkes, who volunteered to continue the Adopt-A-Class program. Seipkes was an elementary teacher in the Wadena-Deer Creek School system for 36 years and knew how important the additional funds from the Adopt-A-Class program were to students.
This year marks the 20th year of the Adopt-A-Class program at Henning School. The program allows businesses, groups and individuals to choose a classroom they would like to donate with everything from a small donation, suggested at $80, to possibly even visiting one another throughout the year. A sign is placed outside of each door in the school to thank each business that supported the classroom.
This year Seipkes said every classroom was adopted because of the very generous donations from some businesses, churches, grandparents, parents, community people and the Ottertail Lions Club.
For any questions about the program contact Mary Seipkes at 583-2842.