Giving to teachers

Pendleton County teachers surprised with $100 gifts

Kentucky School Advocate
October 2018

By Brenna R. Kelly
Staff writer

When an acquaintance called Pendleton County school board member Karen Delaney about wanting to donate a large sum of money for classroom supplies, Delaney started asking her about how to divvy up the money for each school. 

“She said, ‘No, no, no, you’re not understanding me. I want specifically each teacher to receive an award of $100,’” said Delaney, who is also part of the Pendleton County Education Foundation. 

The donor, who asked to remain anonymous, told Delaney that she wanted teachers to feel appreciated after a tough year of fighting for pensions and enduring attacks on public education. 

“She thought this would be a way of letting them know that there are people out there that really do care about what teachers do every day, that understand how much teachers give and understand that they are not really compensated for all that they truly give,” Delaney said. 

 

On opening day, each of Pendleton County’s 143 teachers received a crisp $100 bill. 

“I am so happy for our teachers, I know it truly touched them to know that this level of support is there for them,” said Pendleton County Superintendent Joe Buerkley. “The $100 will be spent on additional classroom supplies and be gone, but nothing can take away how proud my staff was to know someone had their back. As superintendent, I can’t thank this anonymous donor enough.” 

Pendleton County teacher Adam Hall told the Falmouth Outlook that the money was like an Oprah gift. 

“After all the negativity and questions surrounding our retirement and profession last year, this gift was truly an amazing validation,” he said. “I can’t thank this donor enough.”

Julie Hart, a high school teacher, told the paper she was awestruck and thankful. 

“I was overwhelmed with emotion that the donor would want to give $100 to all the teachers to inspire us and help us get ready for the upcoming school year,” Hart said. “This is my 30th year of teaching and I have never even heard of such a wonderful and inspiring idea.” 

Teachers used the cash for items they typically buy themselves, Delaney said. A music teacher bought guitar strings, a fourth-grade teacher bought supplies for science experiments and a special education teacher bought paper towels, wipes and other items she usually asks parents to provide, she said.

 

director, as David Sledd, principal of Phillip Sharp Middle School, looks on. (Photo courtesy of Karen Delaney)

While the identity of the donor has sparked the community’s curiosity, Delaney will only reveal that the woman had children who went through Pendleton County schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. 

Delaney said that both she and the benefactor hope the gift will spark similar gestures across the state and that people and businesses in Pendleton County will donate to the foundation’s newly created Teacher Classroom Supply Fund so that it can continue the gift. 

“I have had several people ask how they can get involved in this act of kindness,” she said. “So next year, I hope it will not be one benefactor’s anonymous gift, but a community gesture.”

 

“It is a blessing when we have friends of education like Don Redford,” Hatcher said. 

 

Pendleton County teachers weren’t the only ones to receive a back to school surprise this year. Caverna Independent and Hart County teachers received money to buy classroom supplies after each district received $10,000 from Don Redford, a Hart County native and retired real estate developer.

Redford graduated from Horse Cave High School in 1949, about a year before Horse Cave schools merged with Cave City schools to form Caverna Independent. 

 

Caverna school board Chairman Wayne Hatcher said Redford told him he wanted to do something for Caverna’s teachers because he knows they often buy supplies with their own money. Caverna’s certified teachers received about $200 each. 

“He felt that teachers are such givers of themselves and often very little consideration is extended to them,” Hatcher said. “He also expressed that he wished teachers earned more than they do because of the importance of their jobs.”  

At Hart County schools, teachers were able to buy supplies and then be reimbursed on a per pupil formula, said Debbie Fowler, assistant superintendent. 

After graduating from Horse Cave, Redford served in the U.S. Army and later became a real estate developer in Virginia. Redford, however, returns often to his hometown.