APE Foundation – AHS Alumni

Tim Ruzek, a 1999 Austin High alum, has served on the Austin High School Alumni & Friends Association’s board of directors for nearly 20 years, overseeing the group’s Facebook page, creating its biannual Post-Sentinel publication and helping with the annual AHS Distinguished Alumni program. He serves on the district’s Facilities Committee and has helped lead two “Vote Yes” initiatives to support Austin Public Schools. His daughters, Aubrey (11th) and Estelle (7th), attend Austin Public Schools and are on the Austin Packer Dance Team. His wife, Heather, teaches early childhood special education for APS. His late mother Susan was an APS elementary teacher for nearly four decades and his father Dave, an AHS Class of 1965 alum, served on the Austin School Board. Tim’s full-time job is being the water plan and outreach coordinator for Mower Soil & Water Conservation District and the Cedar River Watershed District. He also serves on volunteer boards for the Friends of the Hormel Nature Center and Parenting Resource Center. 

Please help us welcome Tim!

Hello,

It is with regret that we share the Packer Classic golf tournament has been cancelled due to low numbers and lack of interest. We hope to see you at this event next year.

If you registered online, a refund has been issued and you can expect to see your funds in 5-10 business days. If you would like us to also refund any fees from Better World (our online registration platform), please email me: carolyn.dube@austin.k12.mn.us and I will get a check out to you as soon as possible.

If you had registered by mail, your check will be returned to you.

We apologize for the relatively short notice, and thank you for your support for the teachers in Austin Public Schools.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Dube, Austin Public Education Foundation President

Sign up to Sponsor or Play in this year’s 27th Annual Packer Classic!

The Austin Public Education Foundation is excited to introduce its new Executive Director, Sarah Qualey.

This year, the applications for APEF instructional and building grants can be found on the APE Foundation – AHS Alumni website. Follow these links to access the application and instructions for submission.

Instructional Grants

Building Level Grants

The Austin Public Education Foundation is please to announce the education grants awarded for the 2023-2024 school year.

Community Learning Center

Sheri Mitchell	Book Buddies	$872.23
Suzanne Rymer	PACT (Parents and Child Together) Packs	$1,400.00
Heather Ruzek, Lori Coughlin, & Amy Goette	**Buddy Bins Rolling Carts	$4,148.69

Woodson Kindergarten Center

Andrea Larson	Vestibular Movement Tools	$1,314.00
Andrea Larson & Jason Denzer	Greenhouse Material	$909.32
Kristen Becker	**PE Equipment	$1,667.40
Josh McRae	**Headphones	$2,052.20

Banfield Elementary

Jamie Zielke	Critical Thinking Games	$382.90
Mandy Leopold	Visual Aid Materials	$500.00
Nicole Edwards	Flexible Learning Tools	$488.20
Nicole Edwards	1st Grade Non-Fiction Emergent Reading Support	$199.47
Jer Osgood	3D Pens	$675.00
Jer Osgood	1st Grade Headphones	$1,225.00
Jessica Thoma	1st Grade Non-Fiction Emergent Reading Support	$199.80
Mallory Harber	Reading and Writing Support Resources	$1,008.46

Neveln Elementary

Maria Mickelson, Janene Lunning, & Brenda Hackensmith	Early Reading Resources	$535.23
Adam Treinen	**Cross-Curricular Physical Education Tools	$1,573.82

Sumner Elementary

Jessica Brandt	Decodable Books	$2,000.00
Nikky Tolde & Cheryl Muhlbauer Legrieg	Library Books	$975.00
Nikky Tolde	Hula Hoops, Rhythm Sticks, & Bell Sets	$489.58

Southgate Elementary

Marianne Davidson	Multi-Lingual Language Learners STEAM books	$1,000.00
Erin Schoen	Logic Skills Games	$434.86
Julie Kakes & Chelsea White	Sensory Mats	$599.95
Abbie Hoyle	Flexible Seating Saddle Stools	$423.23
Jer Osgood	Rubik’s Cubes	$200.00
Christy Halsey	Decodable Readers	$1,570.00

IJ Holton Intermediate

Alison Witiak	Maude Hart Lovelace Books to Encourage Reading	$850.00
Alexis Stallkamp	Toobaloos – Whisper Phones	$450.00
Leah Motl	Instrument Cases	$1,000.00
Andrea McKichan	Social Emotional Learning Tools	$554.64
Kristen Wilker	Writing Library	$1,435.20
6th Grade Language Arts Team	Free Verse Novels	$618.30
Jennifer Compton	Speech Therapy Materials	$863.98
Chris Gogolewski, Rachel Stange, & Ryan Weichmann	**Project Lead the Way 3D Printers	$6,469.26
Sarah Schultz	**Art Supplies	$2980.53

Ellis Middle School

Kirstin Norby & Lea Oelfke	Packer Profile Preparedness – Career Exploration	$380.00
Anna Meyer & Rod Pesch	**Large Gymnasium Sound System	$6000.00

Austin High School

Jackie Thompson	Light Diffuser Covers – Sensory Tools	$53.68
Jacob Nelson & Suzy Hebrink	CPR Infant and Adult Manikins	$1,802.95
Zach Smith	Construction Tools	$1,954.00
Jenna Jorgensen	FACS Food Science Materials	$1,600.00
Rhonda Alberts	Spanish Classroom Library	$691.06
Yenny Ahumada-Quimbay	Spanish Classroom Library – heritage and non-heritage readers	$750.00
Colleen Owens	Spanish Classroom Library	$750.00
Lisa Rueckert, Tisha Pischke, & Nancy Jones	Microscopes	$2,050.00
Tony Einertson	Calculators	$1,912.00
Bobbie Stone	Science Kits	$1,694.95

Austin Online Academy

Megan Nelson

AOA Learning Lab

$5159.09

District-Wide

Erin Dilley-Jones

**ADOS 2 – Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule

$2854.50

Athletics & Activities

Boy’s Golf	Matt Raso	Golf Bags & Range Finders	$1,950.00
Boy’s Soccer	Ryan Mayers	Portable Bluetooth Speaker	$699.00
Girl’s Swimming	Alexa Dolan Peterson	Tech Suits	$2,600.00
Track & Field	Nancy Jones & Gabe Nelson	High Jump Landing Pit	$4,000.00
Ellis Football	Justin Heskett	**Helmets, Shoulder Pads, Watering Station, & Jugs Machine	$9,689.84
AHS Weight Room	Jacy Bodi	**Weight Room Resources	$4,862.03
AHS Drama	Kim Potter	**Drama Reset – Storage, Lighting, and Microphones	$5,448.99

Total Grant Awards for the 2023-2024 School Year: $96,113.84

**Grants with asterisks are funded through grant dollars received from the Hirsch Family Foundation.

Austin Public Education Foundation is pleased to be able to continue with a 30 year tradition of providing instructional staff grant monies to support and enhance learning in the classrooms! Since 1992 the Huntting and Packer Endowments have made these grants possible. Growing from a single $500 dollar grant that first year to awarding 50 grants totaling over $84,500.00 in 2022.

Eligibility

The APE Foundation is pleased to consider applications that benefit the students of the Austin Public Schools. Please review the attached district goals when submitting your grant. 

The foundation does not provide grants for the following:

• Salary or fringe benefits for school district employees
• Continuing education 
• Student fees and/or rentals normally paid by parents or guardians
• Curriculum
• Clothing
• Field trips
• Smartboards
• iPads 
• Batteries
• Food or snacks

If you are requesting an item that will require the district’s support, please talk to your principal to see if it can be supported.    

Two Grants, One Submission Process

As of the 2021 grants are available to both instructional staff and building administrators. Instructional Staff grants will continue to be funded through the Huntting and Packer Endowments. Building Administrator grants will be funded through APEF grants from the Hirsh Foundation. 

Application Guidelines

• Your grant should not be more than 1-2 word processed pages. Refer to the sample grants found in the tab above or links below.
• Submit FOUR PAPER COPIES of your grant to Jennifer Boysen, Executive Director, at the APEF Office located in the High School.  Emailed grants will not be considered. 

Your grant needs to contain the following information: 

• Date, project title, school, applicant name(s), signature(s) and contact phone and e-mail information. 
• A brief description of the objectives or purpose of the grant request, including the number and description of the people who will be served by the grant. 
• A detailed description of item(s requested with estimated costs.  
• List each item separately; it is beneficial to prioritize your items and attach pictures. 

Reward Instructions

• If a grant is awarded, approval is given only for item(s) and dollar amount described. 
• The foundation board must approve any changes prior to purchase. 
• For Instructional Staff grants, email your administrator detailing your grant request. This will keep principals informed of the number and objectives of grant requests generated by their staff.  
• Timelines
• Applications are due March 6th, 2023 for projects to be funded for the 2023-2024 school year. 
• The grant committee will notify you if your grant was selected, by April 7th, 2023. If your grant is accepted, give your purchase order to your principal stating it is for the APE Foundation, prior to the last day of school.  For building administrators, submit purchase orders as normal with a notation that funding is provided by the APEF grant. Your order will be made after July 1st, 2023 and you should have your items in time for the 2023-2024 school year. 
• Access a Word document version of Instructional Staff Grants here. 
• Access a Word document version of Building Administrator Grants here.

The Austin Public Education Foundation would like to announce the establishment of a new educational grant to benefit instructional staff for Austin Public Schools District #492.

Annabell Mae Benson was born July 7, 1930, in Blackduck, Minnesota to Frederick William and Anna Cecilia (Sorberg) Benson.  She graduated from Blackduck High School and went on to earn her teaching degree from Bemidji State.  Her entire teaching career has been in Minnesota public education.  She began in Williams, MN, and then later taught in Litchfield and Hutchinson, MN, completing her career teaching at Neveln Elementary School in Austin, MN.   Annabell Benson passed away on Friday, October 8, 2021. A portion of her estate was left to the Austin Public Education Foundation.

As a teacher, Annabell’s lifelong passion has been the education of children. She had a particular passion for mentoring new teachers as she became a veteran in the classroom. For this reason, the funds from Annabell’s estate that were left to the foundation will be used for new licensed instructors to Austin Public Schools with setting up their classrooms.

 Grants will fall into one of two categories:

• First Year Teachers: First Year Teachers have significant needs to set up their classrooms for the first time. If a new instructional staff member is a first-year teacher, they are eligible to receive $400 towards resources to help set up their first classroom.
• Experienced Teachers New to Austin: Often the school district hires teachers with experience who are new to the district. These teachers are eligible to receive $200 towards resources to help set up their classroom.

In alignment with the bylaws for the Austin Public Education Foundation, grant monies may not be used for salary, professional development, curriculum, or consumable resources.

We are excited for the opportunity to provide this grant to new teachers in the district. We know that teachers spend a significant amount of their own funds to enhance the learning experience for their students. This is our way of saying, “Welcome to Austin Public Schools on behalf of your Austin Public Education Foundation. Let us help you get started.”

-Carolyn Dubé, President