The Gill-Montague Education Fund

02/16/2025

2024-2025 - Synopsis of Grants – Totaling: $2756.99

$500 Deerfield Museum History Labs, Sheffield School - Grade 5 - Roben Lapan
This grant will allow the museum to bring to Sheffield curriculum activities surrounding math,(geometry) and history (Civil War)

$407 Grade 4 Springfield Museum Field Trip, Sheffield School Grade 4 – Amy Eichorn
This grant will pay for entrance to the Science Museum to view animal adaptions and environmental changes that affect plant and animal habitats.
They will also have a Planetarium show, and an art exhibit of Van Gogh art.

$500 Inclusion Improvisation to Explore the Galaxy of Learning
Sheffield Grade 2 and 3. Susan Pelis
This is part of a larger grant, however this amount will allow the Piti Theater to visit the classrooms 7 times.
They will be helping to support student social-emotional development through Improv.

$425 Pioneer Valley Symphony Gill School - Grades 3 and 4 – Susan King
This grant will pay for transportation to Greenfield High School hear the program
The Symphony produces to introduce students to the music and Instruments of a Symphony.

$425 Pioneer Valley Symphony Sheffield School - Grades 3 - Susan King
See Above

$299.99 Sensory Exploration Hillcrest School K & 1 ( 5 students in a substationally separate Special Ed Program for Autism ) Michelle Tirrell
This grant will allow the teacher to replace her 30+ year old table that finally broke last year.
The table will help her Autistic students have access to many different sensory materials, which will be changed regularly.

$200 The Sentence Stem Challenge GFMS - Grade 7 Math – Martin Baron
This grant will allow the teacher to purchase the reward of Pizza!!
The challenge is for the students is to use sentence stems to connect their thoughts in math discussions with other students.

Our congratulations to these teachers for enriching the lives of their students.
The Gill-Montague Education Fund Board of Directors

06/05/2024

2024 The Final GMEF Annual Gala
Piano Men: Double Bill --"Billy & Elton!”

06/05/2024

It's Never Easy To Say Goodbye

This year marked the 20th Anniversary of the GMEF and its rebirth with an Annual Gala -- an event with a variety of performers to span generations to enrich our communities and raise money for Student Enrichment! For Joyce Phillips, Executive Producer of the Galas and member of the GMEF Board of Directors, this 20 year commitment has been inspiring and rewarding!

It all began on Wednesday, April 14, 2004, with energy, excitement and a new enthusiasm at the Thomas Memorial Golf & Country Club, when the Gill-Montague Education Fund opened its’ kick-off meeting with a welcome from Carol Jacobs, President. The GMEF, established in 1996, had been somewhat inactive in the past few years. The non-profit organization was launched for the purpose of supporting excellence and innovation in the GMRSD schools. The new Board of Directors brainstormed ideas on how to meet both of these GMEF goals. An Annual Gala was the decision to raise money for Student Enrichment.

On Saturday, April 9, 2005, Carol Jacobs, President of the Gill-Montague Education Fund Board of Directors, welcomed a nearly sold out audience to the Turners Falls High School Theater and the first Gill-Montage Gala with Nick Waynelovich and a family oriented concert. The Gill-Montague GALA brought something for every generation and every style of music.

From 2006 through 2024, Joyce Phillips served as the Executive Producer and the GMEF hosted quality performances, featuring a variety of entertainers: Elisabeth vonTrapp, The Mummers, The Edwards Twins and some of the most amazing tribute artists performing: Roy Orbison, Conway Twitty, Elvis, John Denver, Union Jack, ABBA, the Eagles & Journey, The Piano Men: Double Bill: Elton John & Billy Joel featuring Anton Doran & the Tampa Bay All Stars.

On Saturday, April 27th Joyce told the audience that her inspiration came from having the privilege of meeting and working with some of the most remarkable people in our local communities. “It began with local businesses, organizations, and individuals who were willing to take a chance with the GMEF vision, supported us and fulfilled their commitment to us every year. It was extraordinary to experience underwriters, corporate sponsors, major advertisers, general advertising, tier-giving, and in-kind contributors continually extending their financial support.”

In addition, Joyce had the pleasure of bringing some of the most amazing performers to the Turners High School Theater. Appearing at their 17 Galas were artists from – Alabama, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Vermont. Their talent was only exceeded by their generosity (often waiving their transportation and accommodation fees and/or donating a percentage of their souvenir earnings in support of the GMEF), their kindness and collaboration for education.

The rewards were $127,000 in student enrichment grants, the awarding of 35 scholarships and 11 years of roses for the graduating seniors. In closing Phillips said, “If as an educator, student, parent, grandparent, patron these have made you smile, brought you joy, or left you with a warm memory the GMEF has met its goal. The grants, scholarships and roses will continue until the GMEF funding is depleted. As for me, as the Executive Producer of the Annual Gala, it's never easy to say goodbye, however, this is my final gala. Thank you.”

05/12/2024

03/22/2024

Don't miss this amazing performance on Saturday, April 27, 2024@ 7:00pm in the TFHS Theater: the Piano Men: Double Bill -- Anton Doran and The Tampa Bay All Stars will re-create the music of Billy Joel & Elton John