District 742 “Adopt a Classroom Project” Kicks Off for 2014

ST. CLOUD - The District 742 Local Education and Activities Foundation (LEAF) has announced the official kickoff of the "Adopt a Classroom Project" for 2014.

Supporters can "adopt" a classroom in the district for the project by making a tax deductable $250 contribution. The goal of the project is to connect businesses, individuals and groups to specific classrooms to help provide supplies that the district is unable to fund.

Donors can choose to adopt a specific classroom at a certain school, or make the donation to LEAF and allow them to pick a classroom. The business or individual will receive a certificate of adoption that identifies the classroom they have adopted.

Currently, teachers often spend hundreds of dollars in order to provide basic supplies for classroom use. The district says teachers often use their own money on basic things like markers and pencils and for specialized items like sheet music and science kits.

Pre-kickoff efforts have already resulted in over $8,000 that will go directly to benefit classrooms, including preschool that was impacted by the Roosevelt School fire. In an email, LEAF executive director Bruce Hentges says the program will benefit teachers who lost supplies in the Roosevelt fire.

"With the tragic fire at Roosevelt preschool, LEAF is focusing our efforts in support of those preschool teachers while we continue our overall support of classrooms throughout District 742," Hentges says.

This is the fourth year of the Adopt a Classroom project, which has raised over $41,000 for 166 classrooms. In 2013, the St. Cloud community adopted 60 classrooms with contributions totaling $15,000.

The Adopt a Classroom form can be downloaded here.