If your high school athletic program is struggling due to budget concerns, you may want to apply for a California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant – but quickly. The deadline is February 15, 2012.
Check out this interview with our CEO Beau Brown from Jeff Fisher, founder of High School Football America. Click to listen
“We want to ensure that as many schools as possible are considered,” said Doug Goldberg, Senior Vice President for the company.
Following a successful inaugural year, the 2012 California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant program will distribute a total of $75,000 in grants of $1,000 or more to support public high school athletics programs across the nation..
California Casualty established the grants program because education budget cuts have drastically reduced support for school athletics, in some cases forcing programs to shut down altogether. Chairman Thomas R. Brown experienced the positive impact of playing sports as a youth. “Athletes learn teamwork, discipline and that hard work pays off,” he said. “They’re a valuable complement to what’s learned in the classroom.”
San Mateo, California, November 15, 2011 … When teachers gather first thing in the morning in their school lounge at Quartz Hill Elementary, they aren’t much inspired by the fading color scheme and tired furnishings. But that’s going to change soon because the school just won a $7500 makeover of the lounge from California Casualty.
The San Mateo based, nearly 100-year-old company providesauto and home insurance for educators and other public-service professionals. Recognizing the lifelong impact of teachers and noting the current financial strain on public schools, California Casualty created the School Lounge Makeover contest.
Each quarter, one randomly drawn lucky winner will enjoy a major transformation of the one space teachers can go to rejuvenate and recharge.
Linda Lounder, a teacher at the Quartz Hill, CA school, submitted the winning entry.Along with 89 other staff members, Lounder is elated. “A new lounge will make our jobs just a little easier,” she said.
Work will begin in January. Local design professionals and other contractors will update the current salmon and brown color scheme and then address other items on the staff’s wish list. Lounder said the room serves multiple functions – as a meeting place, a quiet, restorative space and also offering work stations to teacher aides – and the makeover will meet all of those needs.
California Casualty’s School Lounge Makeover continues nationally through July 2012, with next drawings slated for late January, April and July next year. Winners of each random drawing will also receive the $7500 cash prize and assistance form local resources.
Any NEA (National Education Association) member is eligible to enter, and can enter once per quarter or until their school becomes a winner. All NEA members at the school may also enter, thus increasing their chances of winning.
This week is teacher appreciation week – and we had a little contest yesterday on our Facebook page where we asked folks to share a story about a teacher that has touched their lives in some way. We got so many great responses, I wanted to share them here as well!
Anna – I have so many teachers that I’d love to mention, but the one that sticks out for me is Ms Huckabee in Flour Bluff HS in Corpus Christi TX. I wasn’t that good of a student, but she saw something in me and encouraged me (a C student at best!) to join the academic Octathlon in 10th grade. I did, and did very good in competition. I went on to do Academic Decathlon when I was in 11th and 12th grade and did really well there too (1st in my division at state in 11th grade). I would have never gone into it if she hadn’t encouraged me. It improved my self esteem and made me the woman I am today (I went on to become a nurse).
Lauren – Best teacher in the world…. Margaret Chapman! She was my first grade teacher AND my Grandma! Taught me the love of reading.
Stacey – My kindergarten teacher, Miss Hinkle, was the best teacher I ever had. She showed me the love of reading and that all things are possible 🙂 when she saw how I was taking and loving learning all things new, she began a communication book ( journal) only between her and I. She would ask me things about my day, what I had learned and wanted to learn and all about my weekends. I was only 5 at the time but I think about her often and am now 41!!! I still have the book too 🙂
Fuvie – My husband, a teacher of LD and PE for 32 years is retiring this year due to SB5 and teacher retirement reforms. There was not a day he didnt get up looking forward to going to work. He has enjoyed every minute of his job for 32 years and will miss each and everyone of the 500+ students he sees on daily basis. I admire him for the love and devotion he has given over the years. He will miss it dearly.
Janie – I would like to thank a very special teacher I had in college. My mother. She is one of the most amazing educators that has ever taught me. She strives to make learning a hands on experience. All her students remember her and always say what a wonderful instructor she was.
Becky – I am a teacher and work with incredible teachers throughout my building and district….Id have to say the best teachers are the ones in my building and on my 2nd grade team!
Janine – I am a teacher in a very small school and we all have to work together as a team to do the best for our students and to get the best from our students. I have a lanyard hanging in my room that says TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More, and in a small school this is so true. Way to go LBE:-)
David – My Mom was a 4th grade teacher for over 30 years, she is the most caring and inspiring person I know. Now I am grown living and working in the same community I grew up in and I am constantly meeting people that recognize my last name and say how my Mom was their favorite teacher growing up. This is her first year of retirement!!! I love you Mom!
Corinne – I’m a teacher who works mainly with students from other countries. In my mind the best teachers are those who take the time to get to know the students. They make the effort to activate schema of all students, those born and raised in refugee camps as well as the US born and raised. Teachers teach students not information and the better a teacher knows a student the more success they will both have!!
One of the great things about working here is that I get to see all the great things California Casualty does for its groups. Recently, the Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant was awarded – and here is a video of the presentation from the Oregon winner.
For the last few months, we’ve been running a contest for CEA Members in Colorado to win a $5000 school lounge makeover.
We’re proud to announce that Colfax Elementary was the winner this year, and were presented with their check on Friday. Now, a team of designers is working with the school to determine how to best improve their lounge!
In many areas, a major safety concern is the ongoing threat of earthquakes. While they can’t be avoided, it is possible to take steps to mitigate the damage from these occurrences.
As part of our commitment to educators, I want to share an interesting webinar offered by the Applied Technology Council. This webinar will provide more information on steps that can be taken to improve the earthquake safety of schools. It may be a little too scientific for some, but I thought it would be of interest to some folks out there!
Here’s more info:
Numerous school buildings located in multiple States and U.S. territories are vulnerable to earthquake losses and damage. This includes potential:
• Death and injury of students, teachers, and staff
• Damage to or collapse of buildings
• Damage and loss of furnishings, equipment, and building contents
• Disruption of educational programs and school operations
• Inability of the community to use schools as temporary shelters
At this webinar, you will learn the following:
• How to assess and analyze your earthquake risks
• How to develop an actionable plan to reduce and manage earthquake risks
• How to initiate an earthquake risk reduction plan for existing school buildings that were not designed and constructed to meet modern building codes
• How to secure “non-structural” elements of the school facility
• How to apply “incremental seismic rehabilitation” to protect buildings and ensure occupant safety
• Why “incremental seismic rehabilitation” is an affordable alternative for school safety
If your high school athletic program is struggling due to budget concerns, you may want to apply for a California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant – but quickly. The deadline is February 15, 2012.
San Mateo, California, November 15, 2011 … When teachers gather first thing in the morning in their school lounge at Quartz Hill Elementary, they aren’t much inspired by the fading color scheme and tired furnishings. But that’s going to change soon because the school just won a $7500 makeover of the lounge from California Casualty.