The Van Buren Schools Education Foundation (VBSEF) is a community-led, independent 501(c)(3) entity that is separate from Van Buren Local School District, but it is equally focused on helping us achieve our mission of building thinkers, building connections, and building experiences. Since its inception as a nonprofit organization in 2023, VBSEF has awarded over $5,600 in grants to support our teachers, who have in turn used that money to amplify the educational experiences of our students.
This year’s VBSEF grant recipients were Mrs. Kathryn Billeaud, elementary intervention specialist; Mrs. Bethany Archer, MS/HS health teacher; and Mrs. Jenn Barrett, middle school principal. We appreciate the effort all of the applicants made to apply for the grant and are excited to see the impact of their efforts on our students and district.
Mrs. Kathryn Billeaud - Adaptive and Sensory Cabinet Project - 2026 Cassie Ohlrich Excellence Grant recipient
In her fifth year as an elementary intervention specialist at Van Buren, Mrs. Kathryn Billeaud saw a problem—students struggling to adapt to the classroom environment—and her first instinct was to do what her job title implies: intervene.
It all started when elementary guidance counselor Mrs. Cheri May and other teachers occasionally came to Billeaud to ask if she had adaptive and sensory tools to help students with sensory processing challenges, attention difficulties, and diverse learning needs. She sometimes had what they needed, but there were other times when the resources weren’t available.
When the opportunity to apply for the VBSEF grant presented itself, Billeaud knew this would be a great opportunity to create a resource where teachers could go to get the tools their students needed to stay focused and be successful. Because of the innovative nature of this project and the impact it will have on the entire elementary school, Billeaud was named the recipient of the 2026 Cassie Ohlrich Excellence Grant.
Billeaud said, “I’m excited about this project and how it is going to benefit our teachers and students. It is an honor to receive the Ohlrich Excellence Grant because of everything she did for our school and community, and I hope this cabinet will continue to encourage the academic growth of our students.”
The $1,800 grant Billeaud received will be used to purchase a variety of items for the cabinet, such as pencil grips, triangle crayons, weighted blankets and stuffed animals, adaptive scissors, fidgets, slant boards (to prop up papers), small pencils to develop fine motor control, and other similar tools. In the classroom, especially in the earlier grades, teachers will utilize the cabinet to experiment when determining what tools will be most effective to meet individual student needs. At higher grades, where students have more ownership in the learning process, their feedback will be added to teacher input to determine the tools used.
Regardless of the student’s age, the tools available to teachers in the adaptive and sensory cabinet during the 2026-2027 school year will provide opportunities for students to be more focused and successful, which will benefit everyone in the elementary building.
Mrs. Bethany Archer - Saving Lives Project
Since House Bill 113 became a law in 2016, our students have been required to receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) training prior to graduation. Health teacher Mrs. Bethany Archer has taken that state requirement a step farther. While all of our students taking her health class receive the mandated training, they also have the opportunity to become CPR and AED certified.
One of the difficulties of offering these certifications to students is the extent of the equipment needed to complete the certifications in a timely manner. The $1,000 grant Archer received will be used to double the number of students who can be trained at one time through the purchase of two adult manikins, two infant manikins, and ten “lungs” for CPR training. Additionally, two AED trainers and kneeling mats for students to use while completing the certification will be purchased.
“In order to make the certification process more efficient for everyone, I would ideally have a 2:1 ratio of students to manikins. While we’re not there yet, this grant helps us get much closer while continuing to give students the skills they need to help others in life-threatening situations,” Archer said.
Since Archer is a certified American Heart Association Basic Life Saving (BLS) instructor and an adjunct professor at Owens Community College, our students have the opportunity to be certified through Owens. Not only is this certification valuable to go beyond the graduation requirement, but it is also valuable for students as they seek employment (officiating sports, lifeguarding, babysitting) and leadership opportunities in FFA and 4-H.
All of this training equipment, in addition to infant and adult lungs and one-way valves students purchase each year through the health class student fee, will continue to ensure our students are ready to save lives if they ever find themselves with someone who needs CPR or AED intervention.
Mrs. Jenn Barrett - Middle School Amazing Shake Project
The Amazing Shake is an opportunity for our middle school students to practice professional skills, such as manners, discipline, and respect, which they will utilize throughout the rest of their lives. With the first round of the competition scheduled for March 27, principal Mrs. Jenn Barrett is putting the finishing touches on something she knows will be valuable to her students. She said, “I want this to be a learning opportunity for all of our students so they can gain knowledge and experience that will benefit them far beyond middle school.”
Following the opening round that will involve all middle school students, 60–75 students will advance to the second round, The Gauntlet, consisting of real-world scenarios such as mock interviews, problem-solving challenges, and professional interactions requiring quick thinking and adaptability. Twenty students will then advance to the third round, Professional Interaction & Team Challenge, where students will participate in a business-style mixer, group discussion, and team-building challenges. Finally, three students will advance to the championship round, where they will represent VBMS at a Findlay Morning Rotary meeting. The Rotarians will crown a champion at the conclusion of the event.
The $400 grant Barrett received will be used to purchase supplies that will be used yearly for the contest: props for the scenarios students will face if they advance to the second round on May 4, wall dividers to separate the stations during the later rounds, and two banners.
Barrett is still looking for volunteers to help, so if you are interested in helping create an authentic experience that prepares students for real-world success, please contact her at jbarrett@vbschools.net.
Because of the generosity of the VBSEF donors, our elementary, middle, and high school students will benefit from the experiences and connections these grants provide. The return on their investment will not only be financial, but it will also yield deeper thinkers who will be more prepared to be successful academically and socially for years to come.
Check out what else is happening at Van Buren Local School District:
Transportation: Looking at the Numbers and the People Who Make Them Matter
CORAS Names Swaney Outstanding Elementary Teacher