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Foundation for Rural Education Excellence
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Supporting Academic Achievement in
Rural Northeast Florida Communities
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September 2022 Newsletter
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The Foundation for Rural Education Excellence, a registered 501 (C)(3) organization, was founded in 1998 to facilitate philanthropic support for rural school districts of the North East Florida Educational Consortium (NEFEC): Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Dixie, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Nassau, Putnam, Suwannee, and Union Counties as well as Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind and PK Yonge Developmental Research School. Working collaboratively, our mission is to enhance academic success and career opportunities for rural students in northeast Florida.
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Robert E. Smith Memorial Endowed Scholarship
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A lifetime Putnam County resident, inaugural scholarship recipient Reese Symonds is a Palatka High School graduate with a special connection to NEFEC. His mother, Heather Symonds, works for NEFEC. Symonds made the most of his high school experience and earned various career and technical education certificates, including Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint. He also participated in many sports, such as golf and weightlifting.
Symonds is working toward earning a degree in IT/Computer Technology. Regarding his choice to attend St. Johns River State College, he says, “I feel like St. Johns River State College is a good choice for my career education because they have programs for me to reach that goal.“
After college, Symonds looks forward to pursuing a position in a related field. He is passionate about the way the world is advancing in technology, and he is excited to be a part of it.
Robert E. "Bob" Smith served as NEFEC's Executive Director for 25 years. An endowed scholarship was established in his name at St. Johns River State College in 2022.
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After-Hours Virtual Professional Learning
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New teachers from the NEFEC region participated in an after-hours virtual professional learning opportunity Tuesday, September 13, 2022. Eighty-seven teachers, representing 11 districts: Alachua (10), Baker (10), Bradford (10), Dixie (4), FSDB (1), Lafayette (6), Levy (4), Putnam (13), Sumter (9), Suwannee (9), and Union (11) attended the session.
Additional professional learning opportunities will be held throughout the school year to provide continued support. This session was provided to support alternatively certified teachers who are working on certification through the Professional Development Certification Program (PDCP) coursework. They had professional development around educational best practices, State Standards, and the importance of communication with parents and were able to work on their tasks during the hour-long session.
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Clay Electric Supporting Bridge to Bachelors 2
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Clay Electric Cooperative, through its Operation Round Up program, recently awarded $15,000 to support the Bridge to Bachelors initiative.
The Bridge to Bachelors initiative provides support to current paraprofessionals in obtaining their teaching degree. Partnering institutions include the University of Florida and St. Leo University. Grant funds provide partial reimbursement for tuition and books.
This is the second grant award from Clay Electric in support of the Bridge to Bachelors program. The first grant supported the initial cadre in 2019. Thank you Clay Electric!
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NEFEC Connect for Mathematics Get Rolling
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Over 100 mathematics educators from across 12 districts in the NEFEC region recently gathered for NEFEC Connect.
At these regional professional learning sessions, educators collaborate to discover new ways to engage students with the B.E.S.T. Standards for Mathematics. Engaging in the work firsthand, teachers, coaches, and administrators experience mathematical thinking and reasoning through learning routines aligned to B.E.S.T. Standards.
In November and February, educators will meet again for parts two and three of this regional opportunity.
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24th Annual Golf Tournament
FREE's annual golf tournament is scheduled for March 24, 2023, at The Palatka Golf Club.
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Summer Leadership Conference
NEFEC's Annual Summer Leadership Conference is scheduled for July 10-11, 2023, at the Sawgrass Marriott in
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
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Foundation for Rural Education Excellence
(352) 317-0621
foundationruraled@gmail.com
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