Royalton Education Foundation

Support future generations of Royalton students by giving to the fund. Donate now! If your employer makes matching donations for their employees, be sure to inquire on the process before making your gift.

Prefer to mail a check? To make donations and payments more secure and to streamline processes, the Initiative Foundation partners with Bremer Bank. Please write the check to Initiative Foundation-Royalton Education Foundation, note the purpose of your contribution on the memo line, and mail to this address:

Initiative Foundation – 446122
Attn: REF
P.O. Box 64182
St. Paul, MN 55164-0182

While the mailing address may be in St. Paul, the Initiative Foundation continues to maintain its headquarters in the heart of Central Minnesota at 405 First St. SE, Little Falls, MN 56345.

If you would like to contribute another type of gift, please contact a member of the Royalton Education Foundation advisory team or call the Initiative Foundation at (320) 632-9255. An Initiative Foundation staff member will be happy to answer your questions and guide you through the process.

Fill out the form to learn more about joining the advisory team, signing up for our email list or volunteering.

“Thank you for selecting our first-grade classroom for the generous grant to purchase items that will help students with participating in engaging activities and bring more social emotional awareness into the classroom. I was able to purchase language arts and math games for students to be able to use during our math centers or in their free time to engage in critical thinking skills while having fun with friends. I also wanted to purchase these items so parents can come in and volunteer to play learning games with students. I was able to purchase numerous social emotional learning activities, everything from games, to sticky situation cards, and manuals on different lessons to teach. I believe that social emotional skills are so important in first grade. It was wonderful to be able to have additional resources to have in the classroom to engage all learners. Thank you again for the generous donation.”

-Katie Hemminger,
First Grade Teacher,
Royalton Elementary

“Thank you for awarding our classroom this grant that has offered hands-on learning experiences for my students through games and learning manipulatives. With the grant, I was able to purchase activities ranging from individual to small group to whole group in reading and math. The individual and small group games have been added into the word-work station in our classroom. My students have loved having the opportunity to build words hands-on and explore their phonics skills in manipulating words, nonsense and real words. Adding these games has enriched their learning and previously learned skills in the classroom. It has been fun to see how their curiosity is sparked in activities that challenge their thinking with questions that they would normally feel are too difficult for them. They dig to find the answers and seek help from myself or their peers. Adding these reading and math activities has enhanced my students’ learning, fostered their curiosity and allowed them to have fun while doing it.”

-Alyssa Hamers, First Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

“This year, students are getting to explore different career choices for the future. As we looked at our community helpers, each student got to have a different job along with props to support their job. As a class, we talked about our own community and if these jobs are in our town! With each job, we also discussed how they help our community and how each career is important. I chose the resources that I did to give the students a hands-on experience with each job. They put on the different vests provided and they will come up with stories and different scenarios instantly to match!

“Some of the student’s favorite choice time activities involve all of the dress up clothes that were purchased. We have a lot of props for the hair stylist and doctor! The students get so creative with both of these areas and it is so fun to see them get so involved with the little details.

“As a class, our social and emotional learning is very important. At the beginning of the year, we learn about all of our feelings and how we can calmly manage each of them. Sometimes, however, we learn that a reset of our feelings may be necessary. I have created a safe place for the students to go if they need to take some time to themselves. In the corner, I have placed the tools that were provided by this grant and my own collection of items. This space allows for students to have a variety of tools to cater to their individual feelings. During our curriculum lessons, I had each student pick their favorite calming down tool or activity. We then made our own calming down page to put in a class book. This book allows them to find their own page and reflect if this activity is right for them at the time, or if a different tool may be needed.”

-Cassie Goulet, Kindergarten Teacher, Royalton Elementary

“Funding from the Royalton Education Foundation allowed me to purchase social and emotional items that will help support students to learn appropriate and healthy ways to work through and self-regulate their emotions.

“Teachers can intentionally support children’s social and emotional health by using children’s books, planning activities, coaching on the spot, giving effective praise, modeling appropriate behaviors, providing cues, and creating a calming spot in the classroom for children to identify and work through emotions. With providing these age-appropriate tools the children can work through their feelings and emotions in a healthy manner at an early age.

“These tools will help transform behavior problems into academic achievement. These will tie into our new learning curriculum of Frog Street that implements conscious discipline.”

-Ms. Kara Kloss, Preschool Teacher

“With funding from the Royalton Education Foundation, I was able to purchase multiple sets of STEM manipulatives to be used with a light table. These sets give my preschoolers an opportunity to help guide their learning opportunities and experiences and increase their knowledge at a self-led pace.

“These manipulatives will allow students to work in small groups on problem-solving activities, encouraging them to collaborate with peers to create a student-led learning environment. Innovative manipulative and STEM materials will help to increase student math and literacy proficiencies throughout the year, as they interact with peers and gain vital social skills that will prepare them for future academic success.

“In addition to providing a sensory experience with the purchased materials, children will also increase fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, cooperation amongst peers/adults, sharing space and materials with peers/adults, oral language skills, math concepts, problem-solving skills and creativity. These benefits are all being gained while the children engage in open-ended play in a student-led learning environment.”

-Ms. Amanda Billig, Preschool Teacher

“I ordered many social-emotional, character-building, self-confidence, friendships and problem-solving books to help our young learners see them selves as well as learn about problems, exciting moments, sadness, working together or anything they might see at home or in the world around them. I have them displayed as my leaners come in the classroom. We have a new friend in our classroom and she was a bit nervous about this new school, new teacher and new friends, but she saw the book “I Am Enough”, and her eyes got big and she looked at me and said, “You have that book, its my favorite cause it’s about me.” It was in this moment that she new she was seen and mattered, she was a part of our class.

“With this grant, I also received funds for many different learning options around the room. I have been introducing each option slowly so we all know how to use the options, how to be responsible and respectful and how to put them where we want them. This is a first-grade classroom in September, practicing is a must. One of our exceptions is to be able to increase our stamina in reading. In order to do that we need to be engaged, focused, and have many opportunities to practice. I believe that reading is NOT something everyone enjoys as many times it is forced and made to be a punishment rather than a fun experience that allows children to learn about numerous different things. Cue the learning options this grant helped me provide to my young learners. We were able to purchase some comfy chairs, donuts and wobble chairs. We have been practicing how to use these during our reading time and this is the first year in 14 years that I have seen my very young and very new first graders run and ask when we get to read again and use the chairs. A comfortable and welcoming environment has been created by the funds from the Royalton Education Foundation.”

-Kari Wiersgalla, First Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary School

“I teach tenth-grade human biology as well as a College in the Schools (CIS) human biology course through Central Lakes Community College. These models will be able to be used within both courses. I intend to utilize them primarily to create hands-on identification labs in my CIS human biology course, where I will have certain muscles labeled and placed at different stations in the lab, and they will have to go around and identify them.

“Being able to find financial support to purchase resources for the classroom is an amazing opportunity, not only for educators, but for the students we teach. I would not have been able to have a hands-on activity for my muscles units without these funds.”

Thank you!

-Ms. Alyssa Gerads, Biology Teacher, Royalton High School

“The addition of the STEM building activities and the brain puzzles have brought excitement within my fifth-grade classroom. Students are eager to try different activities. I gave very little direction on how to use the tools, and it was great seeing them work together. These activities foster a positive interaction with communication, problem solving skills, and perseverance. Students are eager to share their ideas of things they have tried. The STEM and brain puzzles definitely fit into promoting a positive growth mindset too.

“Currently, we have used the KEVA blocks. Students are able to create their own ideas, or follow a series of different puzzle cards. There are 40 different opportunities to create images with the KEVA blocks Brain Builder cards. The cards offer various levels of support to challenge students’ thinking.

“Recently, after reading a chapter from our novel, I encouraged students to create a specific image from the chapter. Some students constructed the image on their own, while others used the KEVA card as a resource. Discussions after the activity involved students’ curiosity and asking to use these blocks more. These will definitely become an asset with weekly rotations and will be shared with the other grade level teachers, so all fifth graders can benefit.

“The kego kit has been a hit, too. Students use the cards that are provided in the kit. During morning choice time, fifth graders are excited to start building and trying to improve their creations. Although the kit provides step-by-step directions on what to build, I have noticed some students using their own ideas and explaining to others the ‘what and why’ behind their creations.

“I am planning to introduce the other brain puzzle activities within the next few weeks. These activities allow for students to work in teams to construct a puzzle cube based on specific patterns and images.”

-Ms. Melissa Hammer, Fifth Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

“Last spring, I was awarded a grant to build a STEAM resource area for my students. This grant allowed me to purchase items for my students to learn creatively in building/engineering, art, science and solving problems. Their favorite of these areas is the building/engineering.

“Every morning, students are given the opportunity to choose from these different areas to work in before our school day starts. Many students choose the building activities. It is exciting to see their creativity go in many different directions when solving the problems they encounter. I have a number of art lovers, so those students love being able to show art in the way they want with the different materials that are available. All of the students love the science materials because they aren’t things they have used or seen much of at home.

“They have been learning lots of little tidbits from the microscopes. And the fossils and gems fascinate the students.

“The materials I was able to get thanks to the grant helped to not only keep my students from getting bored in the morning, but it helped them learn valuable lessons in creativity and problem solving. I am excited to have been able to provide these STEAM choices to my students on a daily basis.”

-Ms. Tami Shaughnessy, Kindergarten Teacher, Royalton Elementary School

Thank you for the generous contribution to our classroom. I was thrilled to receive such a thoughtful donation. With the funds provided, I was able to purchase numerous STEM recourses and manipulatives for all of my learners to explore in my first-grade classroom. We are in the beginning stages of really digging into each bin and exploring the potential each has to offer.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics- STEM bins foster unique ways for all learners to thrive in a different setting. I feel privileged to offer this opportunity to all my young learners. It is so important to me as and educator, to provide opportunities for all learners to feel they are “smart” and thrive. So many times, I witness a child pull back or hesitate because they do not see themselves at “smart” enough. As crazy as this sounds, STEM bins give all leaners that feeling! They can engineer and create something new each time. They can plan using blueprints then go and build what they just planned out. They are problem solving, complex thinking and handling emotions as they become frustrated and confused. The confidence that I see from all of my leaners is so endearing. STEM offers the opportunity to “just do it”. You really cannot be “wrong”. Once that fear of being wrong or right is removed children thrive, they take chances, they take deep breaths when a tower falls, or the engine for the go cart just isn’t fitting correctly, they look at it a different way and keep going.

Above are just a few images of my leaners at work using a couple STEM bins. As I mentioned, we are learning how to use them. The creativity and engagement of all learners speaks for itself. Thank you again for the generous grant and the opportunity to implement new and exciting STEM bins to my first-grade classroom.

-Ms. Kari Wiersgalla, First Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

The impact of adding the LEGO Educational SPIKE kits into my 4th grade classroom has been endless. With incorporating LEGO educational SPIKE, students have worked on building, coding, and teamwork activities. Additionally, they have also learned problem solving skills and how to be confident learners. I have seen students’ creativity shine, self esteem rise, collaboration skills skyrocket, and endless amounts of engagement!

Before the start of each unit, as a class, we go over the reason our LEGO friend(s) need us to build the creation to help set a purpose. Students have to work together to follow step by step directions when building the creation. Students have learned how to take turns and make sure everybody has a part in the creation. With guidance from the app, students are able to lead themselves though each unit with very little instruction by the teacher. This has helped with building students’ self esteem and independence. Another skill students demonstrate throughout their hands-on learning is the utilization of coding.

Within each creation students can code by adding music, change the light color, add movements, and add word blocks to personalize their creation. When their creation is completed, we discuss how this invention could help us and our LEGO friends in our lives. Engaging in the activities provides meaningful discussion of real life scenarios and fosters critical thinking skills.

As an added bonus at the end of each unit, I let my students experiment with creating an invention with their group. There is no guide or step by step directions they need to follow. They work together to design what they would like. Students are able to express and showcase their creativity, and their interests within their creation. They love when we add a little competition and vote on the best creation too!

The excitement and joy when I say, “Time to grab your LEGO kits!” is the best part. I have seen students who usually don’t jump to the occasion of doing something, be the first one to grab their bin. My students are always excited and up for the challenge every time. These skills aren’t only making a difference in the classroom but within our community too.

“I am learning how to be creative with having our own LEGO kit. We get along with others and share the LEGOS and ideas with each other. It is fun to make our own creation.”

“They are pretty good. I liked creating robots and other things. I really like how they move! I give it a 9/10.”

“I like them because I like to use technology and build things at the same time.”

“You have to work together to finish it. They are a lot of fun. My favorite part is building and adding the lights and sound.”

-Ms. Hannah Thoma. Fourth Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

With the funding, I was able to purchase a few new learning tools that were used to further advance our science and social studies curriculum along with engaging the students with more hands-on learning activities.

A variety of STEM and learning activity kits were purchased. A few of the favorites include the “Force and Motion” kit and the “Build Your Own Robot” kit. The “Force and Motion” kit has been a favorite with the students as they are able to create different angles and weights to see how far and how fast they can get from point A to point B. Another one of the class’s favorite learning tools that I purchased was a “Build Your Own Robot” kit. The students enjoy making new creations and driving the robot around. I have witnessed more engagement in the learning process including learning about motion, balance, and what simple machines can do. Watching the team building and teamwork skills that are being developed along with openness to new ideas and overall excitement to learning and discovering something new is exactly what I had hoped to achieve.

The kits are used for science and social studies lessons but the students enjoy using them so much, that they choose to use them during indoor recess and free choice time. I believe that learning through play is one of the best ways to introduce and keep students engaged and truly one of the best forms of education! I have had students love the kits so much that they have gone home and aked their families to purchase the kits as gifts to continue learning and playing at home.

I am truly thankful for the financial support that was received to purchase these items to continue to teach and help our students flourish as the next generation. Thank you!

-Ms. Kathy Brenny, Second Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

Kindergarten students in Ms. Goulet’s class are using their STEAM skills to build and create some amazing projects. At the beginning of the year, students were introduced to the different STEAM bins. On Tuesday mornings before school starts, Ms. Goulet’s class will use the different building toys. There is always an immense amount of teamwork and collaboration from all of the students.

Some of the students build different creations that I have never thought of myself. Our biggest accomplishment is being able to listen to each other and hear other ideas on how we can make the creations even better. The STEAM toys truly bring out such creativity.

Later this year, we will learn about how people live all across the word. We will add each puzzle piece to our globe after we explore how they live.

-Ms. Goulet, Kindergarten Teacher, Royalton Elementary School

With my grant from 2022-2023 I purchased STEAM materials for my classroom. The STEAM materials I purchased ranged from building materials, manipulatives, puzzles, engineering items, and art supplies. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The students have access to these materials everyday. They get to work on their creative thinking and problem solving skills when using the STEAM materials. Some of their favorites are the magnetic blocks, designing a playground, and marble run. We have also used clay to make worry stones. The photos show some of the awesome creations they have made.

-Ms. Katie Hemminger, First Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary School

Ms. Seguin Kindergarten class loves the STEAM activities she was able to purchase with the grant she received. They call it their “STEM Lab.” They use the STEM Lab almost every day! One of of their favorite times to utilize the lab is after math instruction in the afternoon. It is a great time for a little brain break in our afternoon and even better, to use math and science skills! The connecting straws allow the students to get creative and show off their engineer designs. They use a variety of stem items to create letters and words as well. The dominoes are another big hit! It is so fun to watch the runs they create and it is even more fun to watch the teamwork and the patience these five and six year old’s have as they create! The stem lab is always open for creative play at the end of the day during choice time. They are very thankful to have these STEAM items in their Kindergarten classroom

-Ms. Nikki Seguin, Kindergarten Teacher, Royalton Elementary

Having a STEAM lab available to my students in my classroom has been very beneficial. Students have been able to use the lab to explore how things work and the way they move. It has fostered independent thinking, teamwork and collaboration amongst these young developing minds. My students are always so eager to use our STEAM Lab in many different ways. Some of the students use images from the books that came with the manipulatives, some use stem task cards to build and others use their imagination. Our STEAM Lab has brought hands-on experience to my students that they would not otherwise have had. They put to work their brainstorming and problem-solving skills each time they utilize these materials. My students take a lot of pride in their creations and get some excited once they have finished the creation they have imagined or duplicated from an image. They are eager to teach one another how to use something or share their ideas- often putting to work their developing leadership skills. Students have also learned of the idea of failure- mistakes are common and they know that it is okay to have to try again or start over. The ideas that perfection is boring and mistakes are common and necessary to succeed have been reinforced through having the STEAM lab in our classroom.

-Ms. Alyssa Hamers, First Grade Teacher, Royalton Elementary

Last spring, I was awarded a grant to build a STEAM resource area for my students. This grant allowed me to purchase items for my students to learn creatively in building/engineering, art, science and solving problems. Their favorite of these areas is the building/engineering.

Every morning, students are given the opportunity to choose from these different areas to work in before our school day starts. Many students choose the building activities. It is exciting to see their creativity go in many different directions when solving the problems they encounter. I have a number of art lovers, so those students love being able to show art in the way they want with the different materials that are available. All of the students love the science materials because they aren’t things they have used or seen much of at home.

They have been learning lots of little tidbits from the microscopes. And the fossils and gems fascinate the students.

The materials I was able to get thanks to the ISP grant helped to not only keep my students from getting bored in the morning, but it helped them learn valuable lessons in creativity and problem solving. I am excited to have been able to provide these STEAM choices to my students on a daily basis.

-Ms. Tami Shaughnessy, Kindergarten Teacher, Royalton Elementary School

Three senior exhibitions were on display in our school’s cafetorium. Each exhibition had a turnout of about 20-30 individuals at varying times. Senior artists were available for questions about their work and seniors were also responsible for the overall display plan and how they were going to use the units we purchased through the grant. The great thing about these is they can be used for years and years to come and they are very versatile and built to last.

-Ms. Cathy Tordsen, Art Teacher and Yearbook Advisor, Royalton Public Schools

Thanks to the Royalton Education Foundation, the business classroom at Royalton Middle/High School has a stock ticker display sign. The installation of the sign this fall created buzz and excitement for the business department and conversations around the stock market. This sign has been incorporated into class as a discussion and competition facilitator, and personal finance education tool.

The stock ticker display sign displays the stocks and companies with the most movement for the day. The sign, and use of the Financial Visualizer, allows students to monitor stock performance and witness the impact of world events, the monthly consumer price index reports, and the monthly jobs reports. Students as young as 6th grade are introduced to these topics, and will continue to be exposed as they take business classes.

In addition to the sign, new this year is a competition between the business classes. Students are asked to select a stock at the beginning of the semester. Students then track the performance of their individual stock. Individual stocks are combined by class, so performance as a ‘mutual fund’ can also be tracked, with hopes of having the best performing mutual fund. In addition to tracking stock prices each week, students track their return on investment and average cost per share. Individual stock and class mutual fund performance is also compared to the S & P 500 Index Fund performance and interest earned in a savings account. As a result, students experience the emotional rollercoaster that comes with monitoring an investment so closely. This also creates time each week to talk about current events that may be impacting the market and/or their individual company.

In personal finance specifically, the sign and mutual fund competition is used to demonstrate lessons in investing and saving. We start conversations around the stock market at the beginning of the semester, and cover investing specifically at the end of the semester. This creates opportunities for conversations and lessons throughout the semester instead of only during a two-week unit. As a result of these activities personal finance students are learning more about investment options (individual stocks, mutual funds, index funds, etc.), the benefits of diversification, the power of compound interest, the essential role that time plays when investing, the impact of risk, return, and inflation, and the benefits and risks of dollar cost averaging versus lump sum investing.

Thank you Royalton Education Foundation, the Innovative Schools Project and the Initiative Foundation

-Ms. Stephanie Burg, Business Education Teacher, Royalton Middle and High School

PTOs and PTAs enrich the educational experience with a single-school focus by supporting students, teachers, and the school community through a variety of collaborative efforts. They do this by fostering communication; organizing and fundraising for near-term events and activities; and by supporting teachers and staff through teacher-appreciation activities. Education foundations have a longer-term and district-wide focus. Led by local volunteers, education foundations engage community volunteers to raise larger donations that are then permanently invested. Earnings from these investments are used to award classroom grants and support the school district for generations. While a PTO or PTA typically consist of parents and teachers, an education foundation can be supported by any community member interested in fulfilling the foundation’s mission.

The education foundation operates separately from the school district. It is a Partner Fund of the Initiative Foundation, a regional community foundation headquartered in Little Falls. The Initiative Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity that serves all of Central Minnesota. The education foundation is guided by an agreement and championed by an advisory team made up of community volunteers. Education foundation members can be parents, grandparents, school staff members, teachers, and anyone connected to the community.

This fund is one of several education funds held and managed by the Initiative Foundation to benefit local public school initiatives. This fund is part of a family of funds endowed to the Initiative Foundation through an originating document (agreement) and includes donor-advised funds, community funds, scholarship funds, and more. The fund serves local students now and into the future, and is rooted in an agreement that allows local volunteer advisors to make classroom-enriching granting decisions while the Initiative Foundation carries out the fiduciary responsibilities of managing a charitable endowment. As part of the Initiative Foundation’s family of funds, the education foundation and its advisory team benefit from a professional fundraising team that can help with larger and more complex gifts. Financial specialists at the Initiative Foundation ensure compliance with all rules, laws and regulations, and oversee the completion of an annual independent audit to elevate community trust and transparency. The Initiative Foundation’s investment and audit committee works with an experienced third-party professional to invest the endowment for long-term growth.

An endowment is an investment in tomorrow. Once established, only the earned interest and growth is used to award grants. The core investment and any subsequent donations are not spent but rather invested for growth. Advisory team members work diligently to raise funds to increase the endowment’s value and work with potential donors to help them understand how those funds will be used. Advisory team members believe an endowment is an excellent way to offer ever-increasing support to the school district for generations to come.

The Royalton Education Foundation serves the entire school district and grants have been awarded to benefit students from preschool to graduates.