11.13 APS Receives $175K Grant from PNC Foundation to Support Student Technology, Connectivity

ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Office of Communications and Public Engagement
130 Trinity Avenue SW | Atlanta, Georgia 30303

    

Ian Smith, Executive Director
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404-603-6934, cell
ian.smith@atlanta.k12.ga.us

 

Seth Coleman, Media Relations Manager
404-802-2891, office
404-406-5570, cell
seth.coleman@atlanta.k12.ga.us  

  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     

November 13, 2020

 

Atlanta Public Schools Receives $175K Grant from PNC Foundation to Support Student Technology, Connectivity

Funds will be available for Pre-K students and their families

ATLANTA – The PNC Foundation once again has stepped up to show its support for Atlanta Public Schools (APS) through a generous $175,000 grant to support Pre-K students and their families in accessing devices and connectivity.

Atlanta Public Schools’ Office of Early Learning supports 55 classrooms operating across 35 schools through the Georgia Pre-K program, a rigorous, full-day program that is free to families. As the district is currently operating under an all-virtual instructional model, through at least January 2021, access to technology is vital.

“We value APS and recognize their significant efforts to assist students and their families during these uncertain times,” said Eddie Meyers, PNC regional president for Greater Georgia. “As advocates for quality early childhood education, it’s important that we do everything possible to give these students access to the technology resources and wrap-around services needed to succeed academically.”

As parents continue to grapple with the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, APS continues to receive new students and students with new circumstances, all while functioning in an all-virtual learning environment. The funding provided by this grant will allow APS to help ensure that new students are quickly able to access technology, such as IPads, and connectivity, through mobile hotspots. 

This is a critical need for ensuring high-quality instruction for the District’s youngest learners and will remove barriers to digital access for our Pre-K students. This gift extends the support that the PNC Foundation already offers to APS’ early learners through the Grow Up Great program, which provides enriching and high quality learning experiences for students.

“This fills a crucial gap, particularly as our newest students continue to enroll in our program regularly,” said APS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Herring. “PNC is a long-standing partner that has contributed to our district in a variety of ways each year, including through enrichment programming, support of arts and STEM programs, and more. We are extremely grateful for their generosity and for their long history of supporting our students and schools.”

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About PNC Foundation
The PNC Foundation, which receives its principal funding from The PNC Financial Services Group, actively supports organizations that provide services for the benefit of communities in which it has a significant presence. The foundation focuses its philanthropic mission on early childhood education and community and economic development, which includes the arts and culture. Through Grow Up Great®, its signature cause that began in 2004, PNC has created a bilingual $500 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.

About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 52,000 students across 87 schools. The District is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 58 traditional schools, 18 charter schools, six partner schools, two citywide single-gender academies and three alternative programs. To learn more about Atlanta Public Schools, follow us on social media – Twitter (@apsupdate), Facebook (Atlanta Public Schools), and Instagram (apsupdate) – or visit us online at www.atlantapublicschools.us.