GEF Project Initiatives

The GEF Board of Directors works closely with District 35 officials to identify various possible initiatives that will best benefit students. The board evaluates these possibilities and selects projects that first, correlate with the organization’s mission and second, reside within its funding parameters. Technology is our current focus.

Why Outside Funding is Needed

With just four Projects funded fully or in part by the GEF include:

• Central School Tech Lab
• Central School Climbing Wall
• SMARTBoard Technology in classrooms at South, West, and Central Schools
• Weather Station which provides live information accessible to the community through the district web page.

District 35’s 2007 budget being allocated toward capital outlay expenses, there is little room for the purchase of cutting edge technologies through existing revenue streams. The GEF has focused on several projects since it was created in 1996 with the sole mission of bridging the gap between what the district’s capital budgets will allow and what our children need to enrich the classroom experience. 

Current Projects

During the past two years, the GEF has allocated most of its funding to purchase SMART Technologies interactive whiteboards (SMARTboards). The GEF has provided 13 SMARTboards to date and will be announcing the purchase and installation of an additional 19 for the 2008-2009 school year. The organization has established a goal of installing at least 51 SMARTboards by the 2009-2010 school year.

The GEF has maintained a keen focus on providing new technologies and services to District 35 since 1996. The Tech lab at Central School and the Portable sound system to the Glencoe Junior High Project are two more recent dedications. The GEF has also provided funding for dozens of extra-curricular clubs and activities such as mathematics, language, science and chess clubs, as well as student newspapers and magazines.