Donation to the Agriculture & Art Programs
at Pinckneyville Community High School
** UPDATE: Click here to get to know the new
Art and Agriculture teachers at PCHS
Picture - Several Foundation for Pinckneyville board members present a check for Pinckneyville Community High School for $56,003 to PCHS Superintendent – Keith Hagene, to assist in bringing back the Ag and Art programs. Pictured (L to R) David Pirsein, Kathy Travis, Keith Hagene, Mary Roe, and Bill Crawford.
On February 9, 2016, the Foundation for Pinckneyville presented a donation to the Pinckneyville Community High School in the amount of $56,003 to assist in the reinstatement of the Agriculture and Art programs. PCHS will reserve these funds with the sole purpose of helping to provide the financial means necessary to bring back these academic programs that have been eliminated in the recent past.
The funds were raised during the seventh annual Masquerade Party in October of 2015. The event raised $31,003 through business and personal sponsorships, ticket sales, a dessert dash, a silent auction, a live auction, and simple donations.
The Engelhardt Family Foundation has generously given an additional $25,000 to make the final donation an amazing $56,003!
Principal Dustin Foutch, said, "Right now, we are in the preliminary stages of bringing back a part-time Art teacher for the 2016-2017 school year and also looking to reinstate the Agriculture program as soon as financially possible, so this donation couldn't have come at a better time."
The funds were raised during the seventh annual Masquerade Party in October of 2015. The event raised $31,003 through business and personal sponsorships, ticket sales, a dessert dash, a silent auction, a live auction, and simple donations.
The Engelhardt Family Foundation has generously given an additional $25,000 to make the final donation an amazing $56,003!
Principal Dustin Foutch, said, "Right now, we are in the preliminary stages of bringing back a part-time Art teacher for the 2016-2017 school year and also looking to reinstate the Agriculture program as soon as financially possible, so this donation couldn't have come at a better time."
Donation to the Pinckneyville Library
Library Staff from left to right: Library Director-Kathy West, Tautchia Coleman-Library Trustee, Dustin Foutch-newly elected President of the Foundation for Pinckneyville, Charlene Butcher-Library Board President, David Stone-Library Board Vice President and Cheryl Hager-Library Assistant.
Pinckneyville Library Donation Update
July 2017 - $5000
July 2016 - $5000
July 2015 - $5000
In July 2015, the Foundation made a $5000 donation to the Pinckneyville Public Library. The Library used this donation for the purchase of eBooks through Overdrive and for special programs. Overdrive offers many options for books, audio books and streaming videos for the public to use. The e-books are $3000 per year and the other $2000 was used for programs.
Kathy West, Director of the Pinckneyville Public Library, said, “One of our most successful programs sponsored by the Foundation was our Animal Tales EdZoocation. We had over 180 attend this program. It was so big we didn't have room at the library so St Paul's Church of Christ let us borrow their Fellowship Hall. Other programs sponsored by the Foundation include our Summer Reading Program, Story Time and crafts and Adult Coloring Nights. We've had 3 Adult Coloring nights with 20-30 in attendance. We certainly couldn't do the things we've done this past year without the Foundation’s help!”
The library has worked hard to become a bright and cheery place with valuable resources benefiting the entire community. Stop by and see the improvements.
Donation to the PCHS Education Foundation - July 2015
Pictured are Foundation for Pinckneyville president, Dave Pirsein and PCHS principal, Dustin Foutch.
The Foundation for Pinckneyville recently gave a generous donation to the PCHS Education Foundation in the amount of $10,000. This donation was given to help the Education Foundation raise $50,000 which would then be matched by the Engelhardt Family Foundation. These donations went directly into the fund to support the scholarships the Education Foundation distributes every year.
The Foundation for Pinckneyville continues to advance its mission of making Pinckneyville a community with quality education, state-of-the-art healthcare and economic stability. The PCHS Education Foundation helps fund PCHS graduates with scholarships to higher education.
The Foundation for Pinckneyville continues to advance its mission of making Pinckneyville a community with quality education, state-of-the-art healthcare and economic stability. The PCHS Education Foundation helps fund PCHS graduates with scholarships to higher education.
Donation to PCHS Math Readiness Academy - May 2015
Picture—Dave Pirsein, president of the Foundation for Pinckneyville, presents a check to PCHS principal, Dustin Foutch, and Superintendent, Keith Hagene, to fund the 2015 summer Math Readiness Academy.
The Foundation for the Future of Pinckneyville has presented Pinckneyville Community High School with a check for $3500 to conduct another Math Readiness Academy this summer. Last year 35 incoming freshmen attended the three-week program taught by 2 teachers prior to the start of school. Classes lasted 2 hours and transportation was provided free of charge to the students.
- 100% of the students who attended the Advanced Math Academy in the summer of 2014 scored an “A” or “B” during their first semester in high school math.
- 86% of the students who attended the Intervention Math Academy in the summer of 2014 scored a “C” or higher and 100% of the students have passed their high school math courses this school year.
Principal, Dustin Foutch, said, “The Class of 2016 had the highest ACT scores in school history in math and with programs like the Math Readiness Academy, we firmly believe that our students’ ability to survive and thrive at the college level will continue to steadily climb to unforeseen levels.”
The money donated by the Foundation for Pinckneyville will be used to purchase classroom supplies, provide transportation for students to and from the Academy, and pay the instructors who take time out of their vacation to teach the courses. This donation is in keeping with the foundation’s goal of making Pinckneyville a destination –– a community with quality education, state-of-the art healthcare and economic stability.
PCHS Math Readiness Summer Academy Update and Improvement Results
In 2014, the Foundation for Pinckneyville donated $11,000 to the Math Readiness Academy and another $3500 was given in April of 2015.
A Math Readiness Academy has been developed to help prepare incoming 9th graders for the increased rigor of the math curriculum at PCHS. The program is funded entirely through the generosity of the Foundation for the Future of Pinckneyville and is taught by PCHS math department members. This school year marked the second year for the program and saw a marked increase in the number of students participating. Parents have become aware of the program and are seeking out enrollment information during the Freshman Orientation night in the spring. Prior to the start of the 2015 -16 school year nearly 50 students participated in the academy. The students participate for two hours per day, during the three weeks prior to the start of school. The 30 hours of math instruction is equivalent to six weeks of regular classroom instruction. The program allows PCHS teachers to assess the students for accurate placement in the math program prior to the start of the regular school year in addition to creating a "math mindset" for the students.
Results from the recent state-wide PARCC testing reveal that students' math scores at PCHS are the highest in Southern Illinois by a large margin. PCHS scored 20% higher than the State average in math.
Superintendent Keith Hagene said, "The positive impact of the Math Readiness Academy is clearly evident in the scores from the recent state-wide math assessment. Having our incoming students prepared to do the rigorous work associated with our math programs will continue to pay huge dividends in preparing them for college and the workplace. We are excited by the initial indicators of success associated with the program made possible by the Foundation for the Future of Pinckneyville."
