“Monroe schools sincerely appreciates Duke Energy‘s partnership and grant funds supporting our strategic planning process,” said Superintendent Kathy Demers.
“Their grant dollars afforded us the opportunity to work with a strategic planning facilitator and access various resources to assist us during this process.”
Money has been a spotlight issue in Monroe schools, which is a fast-growing school system facing student overcrowding and an aging primary school building.
Demers has been among the most proactive of area superintendents in publicly lobbying the Ohio legislature to increase state school funding in the next biennium budget, which lawmakers are now putting together as they face a June 30 deadline.
This donation highlights a longstanding partnership between Duke Energy and Monroe Local Schools.
Duke Energy’s Todhunter Operations Center, which is located just to the north of the Monroe 2nd-12th grade school building, provides utility transmission to the school district and surrounding community.
Tim Abbott, Duke’s manager of government and community relations, recently presented the grant to Monroe school board.
Abbott said the $5,000 is a “great opportunity for Monroe schools to put their road map for the future together via this strategic plan.”
The donation is not unusual, he said, adding, “Duke Energy Foundation supports education initiatives throughout our southwest Ohio service territory as well as other local community impact grants.”
Past grants from Duke to Monroe schools have included donations to support student STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs and for early childhood literacy.
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