East Aurora School District 131’s Grants Department is a multi-programmatic, grant-funded department. We oversee multi-million, competitive, federal, state, and privately funded grant programs which include:

Supporting East Aurora Victims of Community Violence (SEAVCV)

Serves students by identifying those who have been exposed to violent crimes and ensuring they receive the appropriate services in and outside of the school setting. The SEAVCV Case Managers will provide critical ongoing services for students who have been exposed to community violence, including advocacy within the school system and other bureaucracies, along with ongoing emotional support. The SEAVCV Case Manager will maintain contact with professionals whose services are part of the student’s service plan, adjusting the plan when necessary according to the student’s progress through treatment. Read more about SEAVCV. 

21st Century After School Program

The 21st Century After School Program offers tutoring, homework assistance, and enrichment activities to students. A variety of enrichment activities include: reading, math, music, arts, fitness and wellness, college and career readiness, and STEM. Snacks are provided to students and transportation services are available upon request for middle school and high school students. Please contact the individual site coordinator if you have a question.

Public notice on grant application

East Aurora School District 131 is resubmitting its grant application for its 21st CCLC program grants for the following schools:

Cohort 13 Grant – Currently in Year 5 of renewal cycle

Simmons
Waldo
East High School

Cohort 15 Grant 1 – Currently in Year 4 of Renewal Cycle

Allen
Hermes
Oak Park
Cowherd

Cohort 15 Grant 2 – Currently in Year 4 of Renewal Cycle

Beaupre
Brady
Gates
Johnson
Krug
O’Donnell

Please contact the district for information about the after-school program. Community members interested in contributing to the grant application, please contact David Ballard or Darlene Harmon at (630) 299-5500.

Site Coordinators:

• Allen: Lesly Merlo; Email: lmerlo@d131.org
• Bardwell: Jorge Cabadas; Email: Jorge.cabadas@family-focus.org
• Beaupre: Juana Nicasio; Email: jnicasio@d131.org
• Brady: Heather Hook; Email: hhook@d131.org
• Cowherd: Michele Dakan; Email: mdakan@d131.org
• Dieterich: Marisela Fonseca; Email: Marisela.fonseca@family-focus.org
• EAHS: Sandra Williams; Email: swilliams@d131.org
• Gates: Paola Garcia; Email: pgarcia@d131.org
• Hermes: Jorge Guerra; Email: jguerra@d131.org
• Johnson: 
• Krug: Leticia Espinosa; Email: lespinosa@d131.org
• O’Donnell: Yolanda Reyna; Email: yreyna@d131.org
• Oak Park: Sebastian Rodriguez; Email: srodriguez@d131.org
• Rollins: Melissa Sosa; Email: Melissa.sosa@family-focus.org
• Simmons: Melissa Diaz; Email: mdiaz@d131.org
• Waldo: Jessica Fisher; Email: jfisher@d131.org

Our partners are: 4H & Youth,  African American Men of Unity Program, Aurora Public Library, Communities in Schools, Chasewood Learning, Family Focus, Fox Valley Orchestra (El Sistema), Fox Valley Park District, Friends of Aurora’s Afterschool Program, Great Works Reading Program, Guitar Lessons, Homan Grown, Junior Achievement, Sci-Tech Hands On Museum, Simply Destinee, The Mars Jamzz, U of I Extension, U of I at Chicago, and Valley Industrial Association.

Resources

Career and Technical Education

Career and Technical Education is funded through multiple grant sources focused on expanding students’ college and career skills. The curriculum focuses on Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management, Family and Consumer Sciences, Technology, Business, Woods, and Manufacturing.  Various funders have helped make these programs possible!

Amy Martensen
Division Chair for Science/Indust. Tech/FACS
amartensen@d131.org
(630) 299-8186

I Love Libraries 

During the 2018-2019, the Grants Department has implemented the I Love Libraries initiative. The program has focused on providing EASD 131’s libraries and their librarians additional resources. The resources include: increased staffing, longer hours, reading incentive programs, and moving towards our libraries becoming learning commons/labs.

Our partner is the Aurora Public Library.

Health and Wellness 

The Health and Wellness initiative is a comprehensive, multi-pronged program focusing on: nutrition and nutritional education, physical education, and gardens. The project is funded through multiple funding sources.

The nutritional program includes:

• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Program held every Tuesday and Thursday in some elementary schools. Funded by ISBE’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.
• Cooking Matters: A cooking class in the after-school program funded by the USDA Farm to School and the Healthy Initiatives grant.
• After-school snacks supported by Northern Illinois Food bank.
• School-based food pantries implemented by Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry.
• Blessings in a Backpack at three of our elementary school.

The physical education program includes:

• Additional professional development sessions, including Pump Up to PE, three new cycling labs,  additional physical education equipment, and community playground builds. 

The garden program includes:

• The USDA Farm to School and additional garden grants supporting  five food and two-pollinator gardens. In addition, we have 38 hydroponic plants district-wide. East Aurora School District 131 has been a featured case study by Seventh Generations Ahead.
• Our partners are: Kane County Fit for Kids, Action for Healthy Kids, Midwest Dairy Council, Fuel Up to Play, USDA Farm to School,  Seventh Generations Ahead, VNA Healthcare, Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, Blessings in a Backpack, Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Resources:

School Gardens BrochureIFSN Garden Case Study

Supplemental Services and Grants Staff

Iliana Bueno
Grant Secretary
ibueno@d131.org

Darlene Dear
AmeriCorps Program Manager
ddear@d131.org

Violet Flores
After School Program Manager for Family Focus schools
violet.flores@family-focus.org