Rebecca LaFramboise looked apprehensive as she paused the festive music in her classroom at Harritt Elementary School on Friday afternoon. Her students had been decorating cookies as the school celebrated the last day of classes before winter break in their pajamas. They stopped as the school’s principal entered and called LaFramboise to the front of the room. Her nervousness quickly turned into a wide smile as she learned her classroom was getting $1,000. She plans to use the money for seats and other items that will help her students get their wiggles out in class, like wobbly stools and rollers for their feet, as well as organizational supplies. “We did it!” the third-grade teacher exclaimed as several students ran up to give her a hug. LaFramboise is among 54 local teachers who received a grant from the Maps Community Foundation in the weeks ahead of winter break. The charitable arm of the Salem-based credit union gave out $50,000 to pay for field trips, hands-on supplies to help students learn math, books for school libraries, playground equipment and more. It’s a nod to the credit union’s origin. It began in 1935 when 20 local teachers pooled their savings. About 200 teachers applied for the grants, said Kim Hanson, the foundation’s executive director. She’s been personally visiting schools over the past few weeks along with Maps employees from local branches to surprise teachers with checks and treats. “We love to support teachers,” she said. A second Harritt teacher, Penny Lane, got a surprise visit Friday during her preparation period. She teaches in a special education classroom at both Harritt and Kalapuya Elementary School and teared up as Hanson presented her with the check. Lane, who’s in her first year teaching, plans to use the money to get a curriculum to help her students with special needs learn social and emotional skills, along with hands-on items to learn math concepts. “This is amazing for this room, for these kids,” she said. Special education teacher Penny Lane, left, was overcome with emotion as Kim Hanson of Maps Community Foundation presented her with a $1,000 grant on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at Harritt Elementary School. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Other projects funded include equipment so students who are blind or visually impaired can participate in gym class at West Salem High School; balls, jump ropes, chalk and other recess equipment for Swegle Elementary School; items for a resource closet at Roberts High School and equipment for an after-school build club for manufacturing and construction students at the Career Technical Education Center. Teachers who were selected got grants of $500 to $1,000. Most teach at schools within the Salem-Keizer School District, though some grants are going to local private and charter schools. The grants will benefit students at:  Cummings, Englewood, Four Corners, Grant, Gubser, Harritt, Kalapuya, Keizer, Morningside, Salem Heights, Swegle, Washington, Wright and Yoshikai elementary schools Claggett Creek, Crossler, Roberts, Straub and Waldo middle schools McKay, McNary, North Salem, Roberts, Sprague and West Salem high schools  Salem-Keizer’s Career Technical Education Center and EDGE online program Eagle Charter School, Abiqua School and St. Joseph’s School Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Ahead of winter break, local teachers get $50,000 in grants for classroom projects appeared first on Salem Reporter.