LEAF Receives $41,000 Morgan Family Foundation PAKCAT Grant

St. Cloud, MN-The District 742 Local Education & Activities Foundation announces that it has received a $41,000 grant from the Morgan Family Foundation for the purpose of supporting the District 742 “Partners And Kids Counting A lot Together” (PAKCAT) program.

PAKCAT, modeled after the very successful PAKRAT (Partners And Kids Reading Alot Together) is an unique preschool math literacy and parent involvement program that is the result of a partnership between the St. Cloud State Math Education Department, District 742 administration, preschool teachers, and LEAF. The grant coordinator is Melissa Hanzek-Brill, Ph. D, and professor of Mathematics & Stem Education at SCSU. This grant will allow the PAKCAT program to expand in all District 742 preschool locations and will provide support for PAKCAT in the summertime Roll & Read Bus. In addition, LEAF will be able to offer math development support and materials to a limited number of Community Childcare Centers. These math materials and manipulatives are especially important during the ongoing pandemic and distance learning challenges.

As a result of the Morgan Family Foundation grant, additional math manipulatives and other curricular supplies will be purchased for each building PAKCAT preschool program. Finally, funds will be available to include these math materials, manipulatives, and supplies on the summer Roll & Read Bus Program that visits all school attendance areas.