Editor, Gazette-Journal:

I have the pleasure and honor to serve on the board for the Gloucester County Public Schools Educational Foundation. I am pleased to work with those whose goal is to find ways to recognize and support our teachers, so that they can help our students thrive.

Each year, the board raises funds to keep two main programs alive: recognizing excellence through the Teacher of the Year and the Mini-Grant programs. We just completed our 2024 fundraiser, which was supposed to culminate in our 3K, 8K, and Virtual 5K run/walk.

Even though the storm moved through and we were not able to have the race, we still raised funds to keep these programs going.

The submissions for mini-grants that teachers submit each fall employ creative ways to help students stay engaged in learning. Every $500 mini-grant helps teachers purchase materials that perhaps provide a different way to present a concept, foster collaboration in problem-solving, or reinforce reading comprehensi...