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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

HELENA – The city of Helena invited local teachers and administrators to Helena City Hall to receive numerous teacher’s assistance grants at a regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, Jan. 27.

Across six different schools, 41 teachers were awarded TAG grants totaling $58,443.60 across all four of Helena’s public schools and other schools in Jefferson County that Helena students attend.

The TAG Team grants provide teachers an opportunity each year to earn funding for certain requests that they make to the city, which the council awards directly.

This year marked the first year that Helena’s TAG board has had input on who gets the funding.

Helena City Council member Alice Lobell emphasized her appreciation for what the people on the board accomplished, spending valuable time in determining the allocation of the grants.

“I want to tell you that the people that were on this TAG Grant committee worked many many hours going over the applications from the teachers, and I appreciate their hard work,” Lobell said.

The following is a breakdown of the teachers who received TAG grants:

Helena Elementary School

• HES, Ann Eslinger, first grade, three quilts
• HES, Brandi Abernathy, first grade, three bookshelves
• HES, Allison Clement, interventionist, flexible seating
• HES, Casen Egan, kindergarten, four rectangular whiteboard activity tables
• HES, Elizabeth Meadows, kindergarten, shelving
• HES, Jennifer Sellers, second grade, tables and storage
• HES, Jessica Cummings, administrative assistant, treadmill desk work station
• HES, Kathleen Keelin, counselor, iPad and Pencil Pro
• HES, Megan Anglin, fine arts teacher, glockenspiels
• HES, Shelly Daley, second grade, two bookshelves
• HES, Susannah Moreland, first grade, foam seating cylinders

Helena Intermediate School

• HIS, Renee Scott, interventionist, OneScreen Wandr
• HIS, Ken Ard, fifth grade, microscopes
• HIS, Jill Davis, library media specialist, Playway audiobooks
• HIS, Carissa Blackerby, fifth grade, math manipulatives
• HIS, Ashley Bryant, physical education teacher, basketball and basketball goals
• HIS, Amanda Miller, gifted resource teacher, 3D printer bundle
• HIS, Kathryn Harrison, speech, speech-and-hearing-associated funding
• HIS, Alicia Smith, fifth grade, Apple iPad and Pencil

Helena Middle School

• HMS, Olivia Snyder and Lori Walley, special education teachers, six iPads
• HMS, Tiffany Martin, special education teacher, three iPads
• HMS, Michelle Evans, special education teacher, four iPads
• HMS, Latasha McMillan, principal, classroom door covers and shedding to the gym
• HMS, Kristy Bender, special education teacher, three iPads and covers
• HMS, Katie Burnside, fine arts teacher, bell tree and microphones
• HMS, Jessie Tisdale, fine arts teacher, eight artograph LED lightpads
• HMS, Henry Long, assistant principal, keypad equipment

Helena High School: $9,764.04 was awarded to 10 teachers 

• HHS, Jeffrey Burnside, fine arts teacher, 14 percussion carriers and stands
• HHS, Jeb Casey, fine arts teacher, two microphones
• HHS, Joel Davis, special education teacher, startup of a girls flag football team
• HHS, Kindall Cornelius, English teacher, iPad materials
• HHS, Lindsay Parker, math teacher, MacBook Pro
• HHS, Lindsey Watson, English teacher, winter guard tarp
• HHS, Michelle Branson, fine arts teacher, art supplies
• HHS, David Dudchock, health teacher, timing system for track team
• HHS, Sommer Simpson, fine arts teacher, art supplies
• HHS, Spring McKinney, English teacher, peer helper events and supplies

McCalla Elementary School

• MES, Melissa Summerford, library media specialist, 3D printer
• MES, Carrie Cruz, music teacher, math manipulatives

McAdory Middle School

• MMS, Chad Horn, technology specialist, replacement screens and keyboards for computers