Ponoma Middle School has received a $3,000 grant as part of the D51 Foundation’s 15th round of the Professional Learning Grant Award. The funds, partially sponsored by the American Legion Post 2006, will support a new initiative aimed at strengthening parent engagement.
Grant to Support ‘Strong Families Parent Cafe’
Bil Pfaffendorf, Principal of Pomona Elementary and a U.S. Navy veteran, expressed his excitement about the funding, highlighting its significance for the school community.
“We were ecstatic. Money’s hard to come by, and we are looking to support our community,” said Pfaffendorf.
Half of the grant funding was provided by the American Legion Post 2006. Pfaffendorf, who served in the Navy from 1992 to 1996, emphasized the importance of his lifelong connection to the American Legion and the military ties in his family.
Strengthening Community Ties Through Education
The grant will be used to launch the ‘Strong Families Parent Cafe,’ a program designed to increase parental involvement in Pomona Middle School. Pfaffendorf described the initiative as a sustainable model that will continue to grow as new families join the school.
“It’s more of just getting them in and having conversations,” he said. “As kindergarten parents come in or new 5th-grade parents arrive, it’s a perfect opportunity to introduce them to what Pomona is all about.”
Emphasizing STEAM Learning
Pomona Middle School incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) into its curriculum, encouraging students to approach problem-solving from different perspectives.
“We focus on the engineering process,” Pfaffendorf explained. “We’re not expecting all of our kids to become engineers. We just want them to look at things a little bit differently and see some of the mechanisms and thought processes of how things work.”
Training Educators for Future Growth
The program is still in its early stages, but according to the D51 Foundation, the grant will also be used to train four staff members in implementing the ‘Strong Families Parent Cafe.’
“We just want to bring more community members in, make more connections, and make Pomona even a stronger community,” Pfaffendorf added.
The initiative aligns with the school’s broader mission to foster a collaborative learning environment where both students and families feel engaged and supported.
