How you can help SEF support the Solanco School District
DONATE TO SEF:
EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT TAX CREDIT (EITC) PROGRAM
The Solanco Education Foundation participates in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, specifically designed for business donations. Learn more about EITC here.
The programs that EITC donations have funded include Interactive Science Probe Ware and Mobile Computing at the high school, re-engineering technology, advanced placement digital classroom, gifted education digital media studio, improved kindergarten readiness skills and elementary school literacy, and vocabulary instructional materials for teachers and students at Quarryville Elementary.
EXTRAORDINARY GIVE
ExtraGive is held on only one Friday in November every year.
Solanco alumni, parents, teachers, and staff, local community members, civic organizations, and businesses are all encouraged to consider making a tax deductible contribution to the Solanco Education Foundation. All contributions are tax deductible. The Solanco School District students and staff are the benefactors.
DONATE DIRECTLY TO SEF
- By making tax-deductible contributions of cash, securities, or property
- By making a gift in honor of or in memory of a loved one
- By making a gift though your will or estate plan
- By businesses taking advantage of the Pennsylvania Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC)
- By participating in the Lancaster County Extraordinary Give during one Friday in November. Learn more about Extra Ordinary Give here.
The Solanco Education Foundation gladly accepts monetary donations online, or by checks written to and sent to the Solanco Education Foundation. The address to send your donation is:
Solanco Education Foundation
121 S. Hess St.
Quarryville, PA 17566
HOW ARE CONTRIBUTIONS USED?
COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN
The Solanco School District has developed and implemented a ‘Transition to Kindergarten’ plan with the goal of making the transition of preschool-aged students to kindergarten a smooth one. The transition plan reaches families who do not enroll their children in any type of early childhood educational program, such as a preschool or daycare provider. Approximately 38 percent of Solanco’s incoming kindergarten students have not been in an educationally-stimulating environment.
The Countdown to Kindergarten program, a component of the ‘Transition to Kindergarten’ plan, is designed to increase early literacy skills for all incoming kindergarten students, approximately 250 students. Each incoming kindergarten student receives a game board to use during the summer months. The parents are instructed to take their child to visit specific local businesses to receive a special literacy prize and have the child’s game board ‘stamped’. A list of parental suggestions, designed to build a child’s literacy and match skills, accompany the prizes.
The program strengthens early literacy and math skills of incoming kindergarten students and increases the involvement of parents in accelerating the development of their child’s literacy and math skills. Kindergarten students begin the school year with a better knowledge of alphabetic principles. The School District strives for a decline in the number of students entering kindergarten in need of intervention services as a result of inadequate early literacy and math skills. The Countdown to Kindergarten program contributes to the decreased need for intervention services.
INTERACTIVE SCIENCE PROBE WARE WITH MOBILE COMPUTING
Computer laptops, computer carts, probe ware software and ancillary technology supplies are purchased to support the Solanco High School science department (chemistry, biology, earth and science, physics) instructional programs. The laptops are used by the physics and chemistry disciplines to provide opportunities for students with classroom laboratory experiences as well as expand capabilities for science fair project options. The focus is to expand integration of the probe ware into the science curriculum.
The computers, technology framework, and probe ware have provided all of the 1,300 students in grades 9 through 12 with significantly greater access to computers and more hands-on learning opportunities with probe ware. Student use of the laptops and probe ware continues to increase, as does student interest and excitement in the educational opportunities the probe ware provides. This has resulted in greater student participation and accountability in the classroom. Teachers and students continue to use the laptops for simulations, internet investigations, probe ware experiments and other lesson planning. The laptops are scheduled for replacement as funding is available. A laptop cart provides a one-to-one computer-to-student ratio in a science classroom. Solanco has two laptop carts. As additional computers and probe ware are added, additional classes will have access to the equipment, increasing opportunities students have to work with these valuable learning tools.
OTHER PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT FROM SEF FUNDING
- High School Media – program that utilizes the new media equipment and encourages students to implement video cameras, sound equipment and ancillary supplies for video productions, newscasts, broadcasting and similar activities.
- Dual Enrollment – provides funding for dual enrollment courses.
- Special Education Apartment – program mimics real life apartment to develop life skills for special needs students. Students learn to make a bed, wash clothing, shop for groceries, operate household equipment and other skills necessary to live independently.
- Kindergarten Book Bags – purchase books and bags for kindergarten students.
- Odyssey of the Mind – students work together to solve a problem.
- Advanced Placement (AP) – AP courses assist high school students to develop skills needed to be successful in college. Students build time management skills, improve study habits, hone their writing skills and sharpen their problem-solving abilities.