Bay District Schools and Bay Education Foundation Announce the Adrianna Swearingen Teacher Resource Store
Panama City, FL – Bay District Schools (BDS) and the Bay Education Foundation (BEF) are excited to announce the launch of the Adrianna Swearingen Teacher Resource Store. Located at Rutherford High School, this innovative store aims to support new teachers across the entire district by providing essential classroom supplies.
Support for New Teachers
The Adrianna Swearingen Teacher Resource Store is a significant initiative designed to assist new teachers in setting up their classrooms. Each new teacher will receive a $100 coupon on their first day of Foundation Training to use in the store. Sharon Michalik, BDS Director of Communications, explained, “We know that setting up a classroom can be expensive, and we want to help our new teachers get the supplies they need without incurring additional costs.” Items in the store include noise-canceling headphones, digital timers, colored paper, wiggle stools, fidget toys, sensory strips, bulletin board supplies, industrial-sized boxes of crayons and a host of other basic supplies.
Volunteering and Additional Credits
Teachers will have the opportunity to volunteer in the store, earning additional credits to spend on supplies. “Eventually, we hope to open the store full-time to serve all BDS teachers every month, but for now, we’re focusing on starting small and trying to support our new teachers primarily,” Michalik said. This initiative, however, not only supports new teachers but also ensures that all BDS teachers have access to the resources they need. The store will serve as a crucial resource, particularly for students who lack basic supplies. Principals can request backpacks filled with essential items, which volunteers will pack and deliver.
Community Involvement and Continued Support
Bryan Taylor, Bay Education Foundation Director, expressed his pride in this outreach effort: “This is just another way that the Foundation works to serve the teachers and students in our community. We’re grateful to the donors supporting this effort, the volunteers helping us get this off the ground, and the district for our continued partnership to put the ‘A’ back in Bay,” he said.
The store’s success relies on ongoing community support. Taylor encourages non-profit agencies and faith-based organizations to become regular donors. “In a perfect world, we’d have agencies, faith-based groups, or even individuals who commit to supporting the collection and donation of specific items. For example, if a church focused on collecting and donating pencils, it would be amazing because we know that’s an ongoing need for our teachers and students.”
Contact Information
For more information on how to support the Adrianna Swearingen Teacher Resource Store or to become a donor, please contact:
Bay Education Foundation
● Phone: (850) 767-4111
● Email: foundation@bay.k12.fl.us
● Website: Bay Education Foundation
● Address: 1311 Balboa Avenue, Panama City, FL 32401
Together, we’re putting the ‘A’ back in Bay.
