Initiatives

Listed below are a few of the projects which we consistently receive funding requests for. If you are interested in contributing to any of these initiatives, please visit our Donate Page here.

Musical Instruments

Research shows that students who participate in fine arts programs such as music, improve their fine motor skills, processing skills, and engagement in school and other activities, benefitting their academic instruction.The Ogden School Foundation and Ogden School District have partnered for several years to make school music programs more robust and meaningful for our students. Funding requests include providing instruments, sheet music, instrument repair, risers, lighting, music stands, and other needed musical equipment. We continue to invest annually numerous resources to support our growing music programs, yet there is still ongoing need. We continue to receive requests, particularly from our secondary schools. We currently have over $100,000 in funding requests for instrument maintenance and replacement.

To learn more about music in the Ogden School District, watch our video below.

OverDrive (electronic) Books

Electronic books get students to read in any place, on any electronic device, which increases competence and literacy in language, reading, and writing. We presently have over 12,000 students in our district and fewer than 2,400 e-books available. Our goal? At least one OverDrive book per child. The current waiting list for popular e-book titles is longer than 10 days. At times, there are over 500 holds on electronic books with an average wait time of 14 days before a student is able to read a particular title. This is often discouraging to our students. We want to make every effort to make these books available to our students who are excited about reading! The average cost of one OverDrive book is $16.00. Our project goal is to raise $160,000 to purchase 10,000 additional e-books.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)

STEM is all about providing opportunities for students: opportunities to learn, explore, experiment, be challenged, and ultimately, to prepare for success in the world of tomorrow. In a world of constantly changing technological breakthroughs, it's crucial that our students have the equipment and updated technology they need in order to prepare for their future. We consistently receive funding requests for STEM related materials and programs as our teachers prepare our students to be able to send rockets into the sky, put robots in action, create code for the next great innovation, and make it possible for the new generation to change the world for good in ways never before imagined.

To learn more about STEM in the Ogden School District, watch our video below.

Field Trips

Sometimes the best way to help our students learn is to get them OUT of the classroom! Numerous studies suggest that field trips are a key component in broadening the educational experience of each child. Field trips help our students learn by exploring, and are particularly beneficial to disadvantaged students by providing them opportunities to learn that their families may otherwise not be able to afford. Field trips deepen understanding and make what our students are learning in the classroom more relevant. We are continuously receiving funding requests for field trips, and are currently seeking donations to help us fund them.

To learn more about helping our students explore, watch our video below.

Special Education

Another area of our district with several funding requests and needs is our Special Education classrooms. Special Education in our district is a crucial piece of the educational puzzle as our teachers and staff work to educate ALL children. The students in our Special Ed programs are sometimes also those in the most need of intervention and special equipment to accommodate their learning and growth. From computers and tablets to help facilitate communication, to projects and outings that teach important life skills, we continuously fund requests to help these often overlooked classrooms and their incredible teachers. We are continuously seeking donations to help support their work.

Grants Program

Ogden School District educators are able to apply for funding through the Ogden School Foundation Grants Program to enhance their teaching and their classrooms. Each year, we award an average of $300,000 for needed support, reaching every school in the district. Projects run the spectrum from field trips to the zoo, to books and supplies for science labs. This program has become a necessity to our schools and makes a significant impact on the entire district. With over 75% of our students considered low-income and/or a sensitive population, including food insecure, many of our teachers rely on these grants to enable our students to see and do things outside of what their families are able to afford. We are continuously seeking donations to sustain our teacher grant program.

To learn more and see some of the projects recently funded through our Grants Program, watch our video below.